LETTER – Please, people, keep dogs on leashes during your walks

 

There must be a good reason why some people do not feel they need to have their dog on a leash.  “My dog’s friendly”, is often heard.  “Benjie doesn’t bite” is another one.

On December 4th, I changed things up a bit and took our dog Buddy on a walk just before 11 AM.  We were northbound on Collingwood Drive and as we got close to Westmount Park, I noticed a vehicle parked on the boulevard.  Two ladies were there as well as some small kids and two unleashed dogs.  They were on the other side of the chain link fence, inside the park.  One dog was a blonde cocker spaniel and the other was a small black dog with white markings and a bit of a pug nose.

The black dog saw us and immediately came out through the walkway entrance in the fence…..right beside the photo I have attached to this email.  It came marching out halfway across Collingwood Drive, stopped for a few seconds and then came at a high rate of speed directly for the front of Buddy.  It took a couple of sniffs and then launched an attack onto the nose, cheek and ruff of our dog.

By this time, one woman had exited Westmount Park and was approaching us, announcing her presence by yelling the dog’s name with interjections of “Come back here!”  When she arrived at the scene, she grabbed her dog and simply said, “I should have had the dog on a leash.”  “Yes, I said, you should have had your dog on a leash.”

About all I was able to do was try and repel the small dog with a couple of feeble old-guy leg kicks but they didn’t do much.

Fast forward a bit….Buddy required veterinary care.  It appeared the small dog had punctured the inside of one nostril and indeed, some after-visit care at home has resulted with warm compresses and possibly another visit for antibiotics to be prescribed.

In short, I seldom have much understanding for folks who believe the leash bylaw does not apply to them or their dogs.  I used to see a nice lady who walked her small dog every morning.  She stopped that enjoyable time of day; I heard that her dog got attacked by an off leash dog and she is now afraid to walk her dog.

Come on people; very few others enjoy encountering your dog when it isn’t on a leash.  There is a bylaw in place in pretty well every community and Regional District.  The bylaw isn’t there to keep you and your dog from enjoying your walk. It’s there to prevent injuries to other dogs primarily, other people who may get bitten or even to help protect your dog from running onto the road and being hit by a vehicle.

The vet bill so far has been just under $150.00 and it’s been on the dime of my wife and me.

Leash up your dog, dear woman.  The signs say so.

JOHN NOAKES
Citizen of Westmount subdivision