Shucking Oysters: Three Dog Night
By Alex Allen
In Hilliers, five of Amber Dawes’ sheep, including the family pet Shirley, were violently killed by a pack of vicious dogs. Three months before that attack, six of Dawes’ quail were killed by the same dogs. In Errington, Wendy Glover and her partner say they had no choice but to shoot two dogs as they violently mutilated a goat on their farm.
And in our community last week, another tragic story of aggressive dogs maiming and killing sheep on a local farm. One sheep was chased off a cliff. These three particular dogs act like a feral wolf pack. Deer have been chased to exhaustion and killed on our beaches. Goats on farms. Chickens in backyards. There’s nothing that they will stop at, unless perhaps a gun. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a dog owner, and have been around dogs all my life, yet I know the good guardians from the cerebral-challenged. There is no such thing as bad dogs, just bad owners.
Dogs chase prey for fun. Instead of killing and eating a single sheep, for instance, they pursue the entire flock at top speed, ripping off ears and faces, peeling off huge strips of hide, and generally mutilating but not outright killing their prey. Most will die later from injuries or exhaustion. These animals run wildly when dogs attack, which is exactly what feeds the predatory behaviour. Once a pack of dogs experiences the thrill of the kill, they are hard to rehabilitate. And before you feline lovers start gloating, it’s estimated that 100 to 350 million birds fall victim to cats each year in Canada alone.
We have an odd arrangement with the Regional District, who are not only in charge of unsightly premises and noise, but also misbehaving dogs. CVRD Bylaw No. 100 provides for dog control in the Vancouver Island portion of Electoral Area A only. On Denman and Hornby, because we don’t pay into this service, dog control is handled by the RCMP. It’s like calling a plumber to fix the water pump in your car, which is not the most ideal arrangement. I’ve lost count how many times I have made a complaint about these dogs and others, and then to be told that they have other priorities. And with unruly, aggressive dogs, often nothing gets done and the owner’s continue with their ignorant negligence.
An Australian review published in the journal Pacific Conservation Biology, highlighted the impacts of the world’s “commonest large carnivore” in killing and disturbing native wildlife as well. The researchers attributed the extent of the environmental impacts to the sheer number of dogs globally, as well as “the lax or uninformed behaviour of dog owners.”
The BC Livestock Act allows farmers to shoot dogs if they believe they are threatening their animals. Some farmers, like Dawes, however, feels that it should not be up to her to do. “I don’t want to be the one that has to shoot someone’s dog or hurt another animal,” says Dawes. “I think that the people that own those animals should be held accountable and that we need a stiffer base for the laws to be able to enforce that… because they’re not going to stop.”
On the other hand, Glover and her partner were bombarded with threats after they shot the two dogs attacking their goat. “[They were] pulling her from her legs like a wishbone, they were biting her neck and her guts,” Glover said “I screamed louder than I have ever screamed before in my life.” And yet, the two Husky dogs were described on social media as being extremely friendly, gentle, and easy to handle, which is not what Glover witnessed. In small communities, vigilantism is not uncommon.
In the UK, they use the term “livestock worrying” for when dogs attack or chase livestock on agricultural land. A dog can also be regarded as worrying livestock simply being “at large” in a field or enclosure in which there is livestock. As farmer’s are aware, even if a dog does not make contact, the mere presence of an uncontrolled dog in a field can cause significant distress. Pregnant ewes can miscarry when chased, and lambs can become separated from their mothers.
So what’s the answer? Studies have proven that if a dog’s physical and mental needs are not met, like regular exercise and mental stimulation, it can lead to aggressive and predatory behaviour. Have you ever seen those dogs on a walk with their owner? Huskies are intelligent and energetic dogs that need regular mental and physical stimulation to stay happy and healthy. They are bred for hunting and have a natural instinct to chase and capture prey. Without that lifestyle, Huskies need max two hours of exercise per day. Like every other dog, huskies are good pets, but only if you can meet their needs. Can you?
To the dog owners who thinks it’s OK to never take your dog out for a walk, get a life, or a cat or a stuffed animal. Lack of exercise can result in a bored and frustrated dog, leading to destructive behaviour. Or to those who take their dogs out, but won’t let them sniff anything, constantly dragging the poor things on the leash, you shouldn’t have a dog either. Just get a wagon and put a 5lb bag of sugar in it.
Dogs are energetic creatures and need regular activity to stay healthy, both mentally and physically. A daily walk isn’t just a physical workout; it’s a mental one too. It allows dogs to explore, sniff, and engage with the world. Imagine being cooped up indoors for days on end; you’d likely start to feel restless, too. Dogs are no different.
