Downtown dog case costs the Health Unit over $22,000 and counting

The Health Unit has disclosed the legal expenses associated with the case against a downtown dog owner, in response to public requests.

Officials say the legal expenses in the case has cost the Health Unit $22,184.06 to date.

They include legal services retained for the dog owner’s appeal of his dog being deemed a “health hazard” along with attempts to apprehend the dog when the owner failed to relinquish the canine.

That amounted to $11,345.88.

Another expense was $5,976.32 for a hearing that was held after the Health Unit filed a contempt of court order because of the refusal to relinquish the dog.

An appeal of the decision from that April 7th hearing has so far cost $4,861.86.

The Health Unit says given that they investigate almost 400 animal bites per year, the expense associated with this case is unusual.