Saskatoon pet lovers ask for compassion when dealing with dead pets

There’s a call from some Saskatoon pet owners for a more compassionate approach when pets are found dead on public property.

“Our dog or cat or whatever type of pet it is, we want to lay it to rest.” said Bev Ashwin with the Pet Loss Support group.

Ashwin brought her concerns to city hall, after being inspired to action by one woman’s struggle to get her dog's remains back.

In that case, the dog did not have a collar and was killed after being run over by a vehicle on Circle Drive. The owner was not able to get her pet’s remains back because they could not be identified. The city doesn't return pet remains if a positive ID cannot be made.

Ashwin would like to see a more compassionate approach. She said that everything possible should be done to return pets to their owners.

"So they can bury them or cremate them and so they can have peace of mind, because their animal is part of the family.”

Today, a committee at city hall will learn more about what happens when pets are found dead on public property, to see if changes are needed.

Already, city crews have been outfitted with more readers, to make sure pets with chip implant IDs are identified, and their owners notified.

Last year, 98 animals were recovered from city property. Thirty-seven of those animals were dogs and cats.