Labradors and Labrador-crosses are once again ranked as top dogs after a canine count of the City of Victoria’s favourite breeds.
The lovable Labs hold the No. 1 spot in 11 of the city’s 12 neighbourhoods — including downtown, where they have knocked pugs from preeminence.
Chihuahua-crosses hold the lone remaining top spot in North Park.
The city said these and other “fun, furry facts” about dogs as pets have been released to mark the 10th anniversary of its dog-breed map, and to help remind dog owners that it’s time to purchase dog licences for 2025.
Further city dog lore has Fairfield retaining the title of having the most licensed dogs in a neighbourhood with 944. James Bay follows with 811, just in front of Vic West’s 808.
Licences are required for all dogs more than four months old, and the first one must be purchased in person.
The number of licensed dogs in the city has dropped slightly from 6,500 to 6,444 in the past decade, while the human population has increased by about 12,000.
Licensing your dog is easy, the city said. A full list of the 11 locations where licences are sold — including city hall — can be found at victoria.ca/dogs.
Licence fees help offset the cost of animal-control and pound services, as well as the provision of dog-waste bags in parks. Up-to-date dog tags help get hundreds of lost or wandering dogs quickly back to their owners each year.
Dog owners who renew licences before the end of February will save $20, and will be entered to win the first dog tag of the year — number #ooo1.
That distinction includes bragging rights for owning the city’s “Number One Dog,” the city said.
Licences bought in January or February cost $30 for spayed or neutered dogs and $40 for unaltered dogs, with the cost rising by $20 for the rest of the year.
As for the city’s favourite dog names, Luna, Lucy and Poppy are tops among females, with Charlie, Max and Cooper leading the way among males.
Name that octopus — you have eight choices
Voting continues until next Sunday to name the resident octopus at Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea.
The public can weigh in on eight potential names for the eight-limbed mollusc, which the Sidney centre is calling its “newest octopus ambassador.”
All of the possible names are related to sea stars — a nod to the fact that sea stars emerged as the favoured species in a light-hearted fundraising effort in December at the centre, dubbed Salish Sea Idol 2024.
With people giving donations for the chance to vote, and Lynda and Murray Farmer matching donations up to $10,000, a total of $16,592 was raised.
This time around, voters can choose to name the featured octopus Minnie, Sunny, Cookie, Rae, Eva, Sandy, Tess or Rose — all of which are based on the scientific names or nicknames for specific sea-star types.
“Since we cannot adorn the winning sea stars with crowns, we are paying homage to the winner by giving our most enigmatic resident, the giant 91原创 octopus, a stellar moniker,” said Tina Kelly, the centre’s director of learning and communications. “It’s naming one many-armed invertebrate after another.”
The as-yet-unnamed octopus, weighing in at six pounds, arrived at the centre on Dec. 9. The plan is to release it after about six months, which follows the release of Cassian, the centre’s previous octopus, in early December.
“The centre’s mission to create vibrant experiences that inspire learning, exploration and protection of the Salish Sea bioregion relies heavily on community support,” said executive director Pauline Finn. “With rising operating costs and the need for 24-hour animal care, community donations are crucial.”
Votes can be cast in person at the centre, located at 9811 Seaport Place.
In the event of a tie, the winning name will be decided through an Instagram poll.
Gingerbread Showcase raises record amount
The final fundraising tally for Habitat for Humanity Victoria’s 16th annual Gingerbread Showcase is a record $125,235.
The popular event, held in partnership with Peninsula Co-op and hosted for the second year by the Hotel Grand 91原创, also saw over 18,300 votes cast for the People’s Choice Award — won by first-time entrant Amy Rice.
Rice was also awarded for Best Use of Skill and Technique by a panel of judges when the event kicked off in November, while Jessica Hoehne won for Best First Impression and Elspeth Rodger, Pamela Parton, Deb and Lily Alfawicki and Patricia and Elizabeth Hardcastle won for Best Interpretation of the Theme.
The theme was “Through a Child’s Eyes.”
Jude Somers’ entry was named Most Creative and Original and Sarah Rachel Hoffman’s was singled out for Most Diverse Use of Ingredients.
Habitat for Humanity Victoria was established in 1990 and has built 34 homes for partner families that have been financed with affordable mortgages.
In turn, the families have put in hundreds of hours of their own volunteer labour for the organization’s projects.
The Victoria group is a local chapter of the international non-profit, which started in the United States in 1976 and is now active in over 70 countries.
Let’s Talk program focuses on speechreading
Silver Threads and Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing are joining forces to offer a community program beginning on Wednesday called Let’s Talk.
The program will feature speechreading — a newer, broader term for what is often called lip reading — and is intended to help people who have issues understanding others, even if using hearing aids.
Instructors will present strategies and tips for improving communication.
Let’s Talk will run on Wednesdays through March 19 from 1-3 p.m. at Silver Thread’s Victoria Centre, 1911 Quadra St.
Cost for the 10 classes is $125 for members and $160 for non-members.
One-on-one sessions called Tech and Tips with Kelsey are also available at the centre for those wanting to get more from their hearing aids.
The $15 sessions are led by an Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing staffer who is hard of hearing and has a cochlear implant. Information will be provided on how best to use current technology with hearing aids, including cellphones, iPads, apps and Bluetooth devices.
Call the centre at 250-388-4268 for more details.
