Dear Editor- Denman and Hornby residents have a few important choices to make on October 17th and one of them is more important than the other. Do we vote yes to have the Comox Valley Regional District step in and be our authority to deal with irresponsible dog owners or say no and continue to tolerate the sometimes dangerous and threatening behaviour from untrained, unsocialized and more importantly- unsupervised dogs that are allowed to roam? Morally, it is the dog owner’s obligation to raise and train their dogs in a manner that ensures they coexist peacefully with other animals and humans. This includes teaching them to respond to commands, socializing them with various environments, and by addressing any behavioural issues that may arise. A well-trained and controlled dog is not only safer for the community but also reflects the owner’s commitment to being a responsible and considerate pet guardian.
From the tragic events this summer where two women were viciously attacked along with the numerous other incidents of hikers and bikers being charged and even bitten as well as sheep being attacked and killed, its obvious that as a community, we are in desperate need of an outside intervention. Dog owners are solely responsible for their pets’ actions, both morally and legally.
If we vote yes, it means that ALL dog owners will be penalized by having to register their fur baby who will now have to wear a dog tag and all property owners will pay a modest increase in their taxes to pay for the CVRD service. If we vote no, the irresponsible dog owners win and will continue their bad behaviour with more instances of dog aggression, accidents and fear from those who enjoy walking, biking or raising animals.
In a perfect world all dog owners would take their responsibility seriously and realize that proper dog supervision goes beyond just preventing destructive behaviors. It also helps to reinforce positive behaviors. Dog training is a never-ending process of evolving.
“Dogs should be allowed as much liberty as they can responsibly handle. The greatest gift of training is that it increases the dog’s ability to handle liberty. You’re not done training the dog until you can trust him at liberty.” Chad Mackin
We must choose wisely on October 17th to be part of the solution or remain part of the problem!
Respectfully, Edi Johnston
