Editor:
I was upset to read about yet another dog attack (Coast Reporter, Jan. 12).
My heart goes out to the woman whose dog was killed. The man whose dogs were responsible did not even try to stop them. And to just walk away from a distraught woman's pleas for help is disgusting behaviour.
Sechelt has a large population of dog owners. Most are responsible and have well-socialized dogs. But sadly, there are some owners and their dogs who spoil it for the rest. I don't believe he's "not from around here" as he told her; that was just a cop-out. Besides it doesn't matter where you live, if your dog(s) attacks another, you deal with it.
Off-leash dog parks are important for a dog's physical and mental well being. Dogs need to run free and play with other dogs. But it should be a privilege for well-behaved pets. Vicious dogs should never be off-leash anywhere. Such dogs should not even exist. They can't be trusted and could as easily harm a small child as another dog. An aggressive dog's behaviour is either the fault of poor dog ownership - inexperience or mistreatment -or it is simply a dog whose killer instinct is so inbred that it cannot be changed.
There have to be consequences for not having your dog(s) under control. I hope this man is caught. He should be heavily fined for causing great emotional distress to the woman whose dog was killed.
Cecilia Ohm-Eriksen, Sechelt
