Photo: Contributed

It took eight hours and two court appearances for Vernon resident Dalvir Nahal to fight three tickets issued by K9 Control, the company which runs the local pound.

Nahal's small dog, Romeo, got into trouble after a complaint from a neighbour last year, setting off a dispute that ended in court Thursday.

“My issue is with the process,” said Nahal. “Anybody can accuse anyone of anything. There is no investigation done.

“What (dog control) should have done is come to the house, look at the dog and asked me what happened. They didn't even verify the dog was mine.”

Nahal ended up paying two of three tickets, including one for not having a dog licence. An aggressive dog allegation against the seven-pound Morkie was dismissed.

Nahal takes her dog everywhere and even offered to bring it into the courtroom to display its size and its nature although the judge refused.

“There is an automatic ticket if a dog doesn't have a licence,” said Pat Ellis of K9 Control, who was also in court. “If there is no licence, we don't have to talk to anybody. You either have a licence or you don't.”

Ellis said her staff usually talk to the neighbours in other disputes.

Ellis rejected claims the company gets a cut from the tickets that are issued, explaining that a $5 office charge is claimed if someone pays a ticket in her office – which is rare.

K9 does get 50 per cent of dog licences issued.

“But we handle over 5,500 licences throughout the North Okanagan,” Ellis added. The company has a contract with the North Okanagan Regional District.

"It's a thankless job."

Dog licences purchased before Jan. 1 were charged at $20 for a spayed dog and $55 for one that was not. After the first, the price went up to $35 and $75 per dog.

Nahal was happy to have her day in court, but said it would be difficult for many people who could not spare the time from work.