Animal bylaw enforcement officers should start enforcing the requirement that pet owners control their dogs on Whiffin Spit.
My wife and I were unfortunate to encounter an out-of-control large overgrown “puppy” while walking on the spit. The animal was off-leash, running around and jumping all over everyone it met. The owner only responded by saying it was friendly. Everyone smiled politely, and we carried on with our walk.
Without warning, the dog came running back and jumped on my 70-year-old wife, knocking her to the ground.
Concerned that the dog would jump on her again while we were trying to get her up and ensuring that she was OK, I started to yell at the owner to get her dog under control.
It was not the dog’s fault, of course, but the irresponsible owner who never trained her dog not to jump on people.
Knowing this, she should keep her dog on a leash if she is walking it in an area where there are other people.
Instead, feeling entitled, she let it run wild while saying the dog is friendly. Friendly dogs that are large and energetic can still hurt people if they are not kept under control.
I would recommend that the bylaw enforcement officials visit Whiffin Spit around 9 a.m. daily as this is a popular time for dog owners to walk their dogs.
Fortunately, my wife was lucky enough to get away with having a sore elbow and hip but no broken bones. The next person might not be so fortunate.
So, it is time to do something about those irresponsible dog owners who feel they have the right to let their dogs do whatever they want, regardless of the potential outcome
A.H. Boyd
Sooke
READ: Canada must step up to meet challenge of climate change
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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