I want to comment about all the canine owners in Sooke. I am tired of dealing with an all too common problem.
It is great that Sooke seems to be a dog town. No huge breed issue, no huge stamina issue. But what it does have is a huge loose dog issue.
I cannot walk my dog off his property without encountering a loose dog, at least three times a week. I/we don’t care if your dog is friendly and won’t bite. Mine will. Not because he is naturally aggressive, but because loose dogs in the past have attacked him and he was hurt. As was I. So, now, he will protect me and himself at all costs.
I do not wish for other dogs to get hurt for something careless on the owner’s side. Leash your dogs, or contain them in your house, in a secure yard/pen and look after your dog. We seem to manage to keep our dog safe... why can’t you? It’s really not that hard. Honest.
I can 100 per cent guarantee the safety of your dog if it walks by us while on leash and under control. But I cannot guarantee its safety if it approaches us off leash. It will not be our fault. My dog does not need more training, nor do I need to be more calm. You need to ensure the safety of your dog, not me.
Just today, my dog and I just got off our street and a loose dog approached us. We just narrowly escaped a dog fight, if it wasn’t for a bystander seeing the issue and helping me out (thank you whomever you are). Then, the loose dog narrowly escaped getting hit by a vehicle. It is not safe to have your dog run loose. There is more than just my dog out there that is a potential hazard.
Please Sooke dog owners make sure your dog is secure at all times. Go check their yards for dug out holes, loose boards in the fence, anything that can get your dog out. Make sure it has its collar, and a leash when you walk it. Licensing is a great way to insure your dog, if it gets loose, it gets returned. Heck, even a name and number on a tag helps. Let’s make Sooke a safe place for all its residents.
Also, please refresh your memory of the town’s bylaws concerning animal control here: www.sooke.ca/assets.
Kathie Dierk
Sooke