Thursday, January 24, 2008

Janet & Lisa's letter in Chronicle Herald today

Janet and Lisa Dillinger's letters are both in the Chronicle Herald's Voice of the People today - in response to Lisa Dillinger's original letter about in home doggy day cares being made legal on the Halifax peninsula because of Janet's long fight caused by dip shits vendetta against her.

Here are the letters:

Second look at issue

Further to my Jan. 17 letter, more information has come my way regarding the issue of doggy day cares. I have been informed that Janet Chernin did contact HRM when setting up her doggy day care business, and was under the impression she was operating legally and with HRM’s knowledge. Years later, she was informed she was operating illegally. Since then, she has been trying to correct that situation.

I would like to apologize to her for any assumptions I may have made and wish her luck on her ongoing battle to legalize.

This is an area of business that has changed and grown enormously over the last few years. Perhaps it is time for HRM to have another look at its bylaws. Not that I’m wishing for doggy day cares to open up all over residential areas, but with neighbourhood approval and regulations, maybe it would work.

What seems of the utmost importance is that HRM give all people the same information regarding this issue so that this unfortunate situation doesn’t happen to anyone else. At the same time, perhaps HRM would like to consider issuing a certificate to doggy day cares/boarding facilities instead of the HRM dog tag it currently issues.


Lisa Dillinger, owner/operator,
Dogs @ Home, Seaforth


Appreciate support

I would like to point out that Lisa Dillinger (Jan. 17) was not aware of the continuing saga of legitimizing my in-home business. As the owner of Canine Casbah, I would like the public to know that I called the then Halifax city clerk’s office in December 1995 to inquire about operating an in-home dog day care, similar to a child care facility that is allowed to operate in a home.

The clerk who talked with me at length could find no reference to dog day care or in-home boarding in any of the bylaws. However, the clerk informed me that I could not have kennel runs in my backyard, and gave me clearance. I opened in January 1996 and have been operating for 12 years without complaint from the public at large or from my neighbours!

It was not until an ex-commercial competitor inquired to bylaw enforcement about the legality of my business in late June 2005 that I was informed, in July 2005, that I was breaking the "keeping of animals" regulations. The law I was cited under is in the in-home occupation bylaw, which somehow is "hidden" under the bed-and-breakfast section of the land-use bylaws.

I am happy to know that Ms. Dillinger is now supportive of my fight to legitimize my business, and is supportive of the city in its attempt to recognize the needs and wants of dog owners in HRM. I am grateful to Coun. Sheila Fougere and the Peninsula Community Council for their support and advocacy.

Janet Chernin, Halifax

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