Couple Fined After Walking With Husband On Lead In Bid To Circumvent Covid Curfew
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A couple in Canada have been fined after they walked with the husband on a lead in a bid to circumvent a coronavirus curfew.
Quebec imposed a new curfew from 8pm to 5am in a bid to curb 'critical and grave' numbers of Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations.
The curfew came into effect at midnight on Saturday (9 January), but police spotted a husband and wife out and about in Sherbrooke at 9pm on Sunday - with the latter walking the former on a lead.
Is this real life. Woman issued a fine in Sherbrooke, Québec, for walking *her boyfriend* on a leash after curfew. (there's an exemption to curfew for those walking their dogs). https://t.co/UE4eYDyZZP
- Natasha MacDonald-Dupuis (@NatashaCBC_RC) January 11, 2021
When questioned by police, the couple claimed they were following the rules outlined by Premier Francois Legault, which stipulate that people can walk their dogs within one kilometre of their home after 8pm.
But declaring that your husband is a dog because he has a lead on is like saying you're an athlete 'cause you've got shorts on. As such, the police quite rightly slapped them both with $1,500 CAD (£867) fines.
Isabelle Gendron of Sherbrooke Police told La Tribune: "The couple did not collaborate with the police at all.
"Statements of violation of the municipal by-law were given to them.
"The lady affirmed that she would not pay the ticket and even that she would accumulate them. The amount of findings for recidivism can go up to $6,000."
On the whole though, police are happy with the level of compliance, with 84 infractions recorded in Montreal on the first night of the curfew.
Bilan provisoire couvre-feu ' Sur l'ensemble du territoire de Montréal, le #SPVM a émis 84 constats pour le non-respect du couvre-feu. De ce nombre, 17 ont été remis lors d'une manifestation. Nous remercions les Montréalais pour leur excellente collaboration. #Covid19 (1/2) pic.twitter.com/s5LCw1hRM8
- Police Montréal (@SPVM) January 10, 2021
Couvre-feu ' Malgré quelques incidents, nous remarquons une excellente collaboration de la population dans le respect du couvre-feu. Nous maintiendrons une présence accrue dans le but de faire respecter toutes les règles en vigueur. #COVID19
- Sûreté du Québec (@sureteduquebec) January 10, 2021
Announcing the curfew on Wednesday, Premier Legault said: "In recent weeks, the pandemic has worsened around the world, including here in Quebec.
"The situation in our hospitals is critical, especially in Montreal. There are too many visits in homes."
Featured Image Credit: Pexels/Samson Katt
Topics: World News, lockdown, Coronavirus, crime, Weird
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