Dear editor,
I took my family to Air Force Beach on Sunday for a walk and was dismayed by the number of selfish dog owners who think it is OK to let their animals off-leash (in addition to the three or four piles of dog feces left in the sand).
In particular, there was one couple walking with, what appeared to be, two muscular, large and intimidating pit bulls. As our two groups began to pass in opposite directions (approximately 10 metres apart), one of these dogs rushed to my seven-year-old daughter for a sniff. She is frightened by aggressive dogs (as is my spouse). They were terrified.
For the first time in my life, I felt compelled to comment to a dog owner about their irresponsibility. The couple, who seemed nice enough, defended their dogs as being nice and harmless. Regardless, we have no way of knowing that and they have no way of stopping their dog should it snap. They seemed surprised that someone would be bothered by the lack of control of their dogs.
At the parking lot to the beach is a very unambiguous sign that states, 鈥楢ll dogs MUST be on a leash.鈥� I鈥檓 not anti-dog, I鈥檓 anti-inconsiderate dog owners. Before my family dog passed, I always walked him on a leash (except where posted as 鈥榦ff-leash鈥�) and picked up his waste. People enjoying the sun and beach should be able to walk without treading in dog feces or having their children traumatized.
David Vernon,
Comox
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