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Trevor muzzled for life

Trevor the dog was issued a life sentence this week. The Rottweiler/shepherd cross can now live at the Yukon Humane Society's animal shelter permanently, the Yukon Supreme Court ruled Monday. But it won't be a charmed existence, Justice Ron Veale ruled.

Trevor the dog was issued a life sentence this week.

The Rottweiler/shepherd cross can now live at the Yukon Humane Society’s animal shelter permanently, the Yukon Supreme Court ruled Monday.

But it won’t be a charmed existence, Justice Ron Veale ruled.

Trevor must have a muzzle and a leash on whenever he leaves the gated enclosure.

Signs advising people of a dangerous dog must be posted around the shelter.

The society must buy $500,000 liability insurance and the city of Whitehorse must also be insured, said Veale.

If another adoptee is interesting in Trevor, the city must be notified and approve the deal, he said.

And if any of the rules are broken, the city can take immediate ownership of Trevor and determine his fate under its bylaws.

Judging by the court’s determination that Trevor is a dangerous dog, that would likely lead to the dog’s execution.

The decision appears to be the end of Trevor’s 16-month legal saga that began in January 2009.

That’s when Trevor was found chained on a property in Whitehorse.

He had been left there so long that his neck had grown around the collar.

The owner was fined $500, had to pay the veterinary bills, and was banned from owning a dog for two years.

Trevor was then brought to the shelter to be adopted.

While there, he bit a child without puncturing the skin.

After being adopted by a Whitehorse woman, Trevor spent most of his time with the woman’s brother.

Trevor bit two of his friends.

But it was an unprovoked attack in late July 2009 that nearly sent Trevor to death row.

A man delivering water to the household received six puncture wounds and was left bleeding and bruised.

Trevor was picked up by bylaw officers, but Kevin Sinclair sought an order against the death sentence because the adoption rules were broken.

For the next year, Trevor’s fate lay in the hands of the court.

He received a behavioural evaluation from Dr. Shelly Breadner.

She determined that Trevor was dangerous and can attack if he perceives a threat.

He could undergo a behavioral management program, but he would suffer from his condition for the rest of his life.

The shelter’s failed attempts to find an owner outside Whitehorse kept the process chugging along.

Last week, Whitehorse officials told the court they had enough.

They were seeking an end to the legal debacle after spending more than $45,000 on legal fees.

Veale had to choose between sending Trevor to his death or allowing him to live at the shelter.

The fact that a responsible owner like the humane society exists prevents him from transferring Trevor to the city, Veale wrote in his ruling.

Trevor must undergo Breadner’s behavioral management program while living at the shelter, he wrote.