To the editor;
In reference to Ann Piper’s response (January 31) to J. Haw’s letter of wandering dogs (January 24). Ann Piper, you certainly are “missing something”; you missed the entire concept of the letter submitted by J. Haws in the January 24th edition. Haws did not condemn all dogs and their owners, she said, “I know that a lot of townsfolk are accredited dog owners, but there are some here whom lack accountability for their animals”. I also question whether or not you actually read the letter in its entirety, because your concern appears to be all about doggie-doo in one location, Fadear Park, whereas her letter made no reference to dog feces.
Haw’s letter pointed out an obvious gap the Barriere District has in regards to their by-laws, which creates the problem of enforcement, even by the police. If the district cares enough to create pet by-laws the police would then enforce it. This is not an unreasonable request for residents of any municipality.
Ann, you appear to have a negative opinion regarding cats. Consider replacing the word “cat” in Haw’s letter with “small dog”. Would you have the same opinion if a dog was cornered, attacked, ripped apart, or chased around in its own yard by one of these wandering culprits? Let’s even go one step further say you and your dog are the victims, how would you feel then. It is highly probable that these FEW irresponsible owners of these FEW wandering dogs are also out there ready to take on other dogs. I have had the dire experience to have lost two dogs to wandering large dogs. The guilty large dogs went out of their way to reach my property to attack and ultimately kill my companions. One died a horrifying death right in front my eyes, while his mother died on the operating table in the vets office. Do you believe the people in Barriere should have to wait until this happens to them before any action is taken?
The quantity of dog feces in Fadear Park is hardly a credible link to be an indicator to gauge the number of wandering dogs. Instead is more logically linked to the dog owners who walk their dogs in the park and allow them to deposit their feces without any respect to others using the same area. Show me a large dog allowed to wander and I will show you its well used cross county path through open yards and properties. Furthermore, one pile of dog feces in a family park is one pile too much, which is nothing a by-law can’t help fix.
One those half dozen wandering dogs you have seen during your incredibly short time (eight months) living in down town Barriere, is more likely than not, the guilty aggressive dog belonging to the irresponsible owners Haws referred to. The odds of the one dog in the six wandering being the aggressive one is too high!
Now, before you get it into your head that I hate dogs, push that thought away, because I love dogs, I love my own dogs, but I don’t care much for dogs that wander onto other people’s property and behave aggressively, and, I like their owners even less. I heard a phrase once that I like to remind people of, “No bad dogs, just bad owners”.
Therefore, in my opinion, if you make the bad owners responsible for their dogs, they would manage them quite differently. Don’t you agree?
S. Cesselli
Barriere, B.C.