A leash does not mean a dog is under control
The statement in a recent letter that “a dog that is off-leash is not under control,” suggests incorrectly that no off-leash dogs are under control and all on-leash dogs are.
An off-leash dog who comes when called, immediately and every time, and whose handler uses that reliable recall to prevent the dog from approaching others without permission or chasing wildlife or livestock is certainly under control.
By contrast, I have been lunged at and bitten by a leashed dog, have seen leashed dogs attack other dogs and know of leashed dogs who broke away from their handlers and chased sheep. Those leashed dogs were certainly not under control.
Control of a dog is a matter of training, not leashing.
Any dog can be trained to be under control when off leash if the handler is willing to dedicate the time, effort and resources necessary. If not, the handler should keep the dog on leash or long line.
Off-leash exercise has huge benefits for dogs.
If the letter-writer truly believes that under-control, off-leash dogs should be denied those benefits because some handlers are irresponsible, perhaps she will also campaign to close beaches to all after 6 p.m. because some irresponsible people build beach fires in violation of the law, or to impose and enforce speed limits of 30 km/h, 50 km/h on highways, because some irresponsible drivers threaten the lives and well-being of others by speeding.
Pattie Whitehouse
Metchosin
If it’s a bad idea, what should be done?
I was in the emergency room at Royal Jubilee Hospital in 2022, late one night. I was the only patient except for a very loud and obnoxious man in an adjacent bed. He claimed to be homeless and was yelling at staff and claiming his legal right to be medicated for his various pains with the opiate of his choosing.
He seemed to be well-known to the staff there who knew him by his first name, in fact it seemed clear that he was a regular visitor to emergency.
Eventually, he got his medication and was escorted out by security, likely to the bus stop on Richmond Road.
If this was “wrong,” the question is, what should have actually been done for this man?
It’s awful what happened, but does anyone have a specific, workable answer to the problem?
Stephen Kishkan
Victoria
Personal experience with patient dumping
This story of vulnerable patients being “dumped” at a bus stop is all too familiar to me.
My daughter has been discharged from Royal Jubilee Hospital many times over the years in similar circumstances. This treatment of vulnerable patients is abhorrent and amounts to human cruelty.
Sally Clarkson
Victoria
Let’s make more neighbourhoods safer
Re: “Walkable communities vital to Victoria,” letter, Jan. 24.
The letter states that “I can’t picture families and seniors walking into [the commercial core of James Bay] and carrying out bags of groceries or pharmacy purchases.”
Really?
You don’t have to picture it. Just go down there, and you’ll see folks of all ages and abilities doing just that. Closing one of the Five Corners roads to through traffic would make the area much nicer for people who aren’t able to (or who don’t want to) drive.
This isn’t about “limiting cars” so much as it’s about providing alternatives to them while making neighbourhoods nicer and safer. Many of us are very grateful for these efforts.
Ian Macklon
Victoria
Sell the property, cut the losses
Lest I sound cynical, I can envision no greater a use for this “park” property at Blanshard and Fisgard than a drug-infested homeless camp like many other downtown areas.
I suggest the city attempt to sell the property to commercial interests as soon as possible to recover the investment for taxpayers.
Roman Hahn
Victoria
Using biosolids to help forestry plantings
In the Capital Regional District’s call for uses for Class A biosolids, couldn’t the CRD collect the biosolids that continue to collect and use them to fertilize new forestry planting areas in more remote areas to provide a fertilizer boost for the newly planted seedlings?
Air drops similar to firefighting drops could easily continue to use the end product and thereby find a good eco-friendly use for these pellets rather than continually dumping in them in landfills.
Ernie Kuemmel
Oak Bay
B.C. cabinet shuffle was just a start
Four words in reaction to Mitzi Dean’s ouster: Why not Adrian Dix?
Barbara Abercrombie
Victoria
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