Walking through the off-leash dog park on the south arm dyke on a glorious spring morning, Richmond's animal control officer Shane Burnham politely asks a couple of ladies if they have a licence for their pets.
One of their dogs worms its way through Burnham’s legs as he hands a licence application form to one of the owners.
A few minutes later, while explaining to the News that one of the ladies didn’t know she needed the permit for a small dog, Burnham receives a voicemail bleep on his phone.
The message was from a member of the public, concerned about the welfare of an injured raccoon raking through the garbage cans in a co-op on Steveston Highway.
Upon arrival at the housing complex, it’s unclear among the maze of cluttered cul-de-sacs and knocked over garbage cans where the raccoon might be hiding.
“This is going to be a tricky one; I’ve seen an injured raccoon climb a fence, while (partially) paralyzed, to avoid humans,” said Burnham, who’s been the Richmond Animal Protection Society’s (RAPS) animal control officer for about eight years.
After five minutes of poking hedgerows and checking under bushes, one by one, local residents emerge from their homes, all with tales to tell of the elusive raccoon; some more concerned about the animal’s health than others.
Next time he gets a call to the area, Burnham concedes the same raccoon might be one of the two dead raccoons he cleans up off the road every week. It’s a dirty job and all that.
People skills
When he’s out in his van, Burnham will get calls on the phone from either the office or from members of the public, who’ve called the city. “Sometimes it’s to deal with roadkill or it can be off-leash complaints; dangerous dogs; dog bites or animal care concerns,” said Burnham, the proud owner of two rescue dogs, while fostering a third from RAPS.
“The funniest one was the ram a few years ago, loose on No.5 Road. It took myself and a bunch of Mounties several hours to corner it and catch it.
On his daily rounds across Richmond, Burnham will hit the off-leash “hot-spots,” such as “Bark Park” at the foot of No. 3 Road and Garry Point Park. If he sees people walking their dogs off-leash in an on-leash area, he’ll point out the rules instead of reaching straight for the ticket book.
“It’s mainly about trying to ensure people have a dog licence and if they don’t have one; I’ll give them an application form.Occasionally, I’ll give them a ticket,” said Burnham.
“Most people seem to appreciate that approach; but I don’t get the same response from everyone. (Ironically) I do deal with people more than I deal with animals.”
Indeed, one of the bigger problems facing Burnham in Richmond is communication — and it’s not with the animals.
“Language is a bit of a barrier; but I’ve gotten pretty good at sign language. I’ll maybe have to get them to call a friend or a relative to explain what’s happening or what they’ve done wrong,” Burnham said of dealing with offending pet owners.
As Burnham drives towards our next stop at Garry Point Park, he admits that “Richmond is not too bad, I like it.
“I have colleagues in Surrey and I’ve driven around with them and I know where I’d rather be.
“I’d say only maybe one out of every 10 people I deal with get aggressive. In Richmond, animal owners are generally very responsible and receptive.”
Asked about what makes him smile in his job and what makes him mad, Burnham takes pride in saving animals’ lives, while bemoaning the humans who treat them poorly.
“Taking animals away from a bad situation and seeing them get into a good home; that’s very rewarding,” he said.
“I do think about the cruelty a little bit, obviously; but then I have to move on. I try not to get mad...I’ll just shake my head.”
