Whitehorse death-row dog given last chance

Trevor the Whitehorse death-row dog might finally have a new home, albeit not the home officials with Humane Society Yukon had been planning for over the past few months.

Appearing before the Yukon Supreme Court on Tuesday, society officials revealed that their plans to place Trevor with a Burwash Landing resident have fallen through, after the local First Nation has said it does not want the troubled Rottweiler-shepherd cross in their community.

But a new potential adoption plan is in the works with Len McGinnis of Ibex Valley, near Whitehorse, who said his 8½-hectare property is perfectly suited to accommodate Trevor safely.

"As far as I'm concerned, with his rehabilitation training and stuff, he's turned into an awesome animal. He's better than most of the dogs I see running around the Yukon," McGinnis told CBC News outside court on Tuesday.

Rescued from abuse

Trevor has been the subject of a Yukon Supreme Court case since July 2009, when Humane Society Yukon won a temporary injunction stopping city bylaw officers from destroying him.

The dog's saga began early last year, when he was rescued from abuse and brought to the humane society's Mae Bachur Animal Shelter in Whitehorse.

Trevor was adopted out several months later, but by July he was surrendered to the Whitehorse pound following a number of attacks on people. He was deemed to be a dangerous animal and was slated to be destroyed.

After the court injunction was granted, stopping the city from putting Trevor down, an animal behaviour assessment concluded that he would likely remain an anti-social and aggressive dog that could be managed by the right owner.

Trevor has remained at the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter while officials decide his future in court.

Potential risk cited

Over the past six months, humane society staff have been grooming Trevor for a placement in Burwash Landing. The prospective owner there had even purchased liability insurance of up to $500,000.

But in a letter that was read aloud in court Tuesday, the Kluane First Nation said the small community of Burwash Landing cannot accept the risk of taking in a temperamental dog with such high needs and potential risk.

Should McGinnis's adoption plan be approved, Whitehorse bylaw officials could monitor the situation but they would have no enforcement authority, according to the city.

In court, Whitehorse city lawyers said they want McGinnis's adoption plan to be endorsed by the Ibex Valley hamlet council when it meets next week.

At the same time, the city lawyers said they are not prepared to spend any more time or taxpayers' money on Trevor's case.

"Nor am I," insisted Supreme Court Justice Ron Veale, who said this will be the humane society's final chance to find Trevor a home.

The case goes back to court, possibly for the last time, on Nov. 2.