Dear CBRA members,
After reading Jillian Regan’s letter dated May 10, 2020 I would like to share my own related experience. Before I relate the details I will comment that reading Jillian Regan’s opinion reads like a vitriol rant of hatred towards dogs and their humans. One could have substituted an ethnic group or another species in place of ‘dog owner’ and ‘dog’ for all the arbitrariness and prejudice contain in the letter. Letters like Jillian Regan’s fail to give sound minded perspectives on any issues. It sounds like of a personal vendetta. The scenarios mentioned are also most likely fabricated. As a dog owner, I have yet to see any of the events she mentions happens.
Not to say such a thing has never happened but we know when someone is exaggerating to support a position. When a complaint is meant to serve a small interest group who have no interest in working out a win/win scenario then it is better to dismiss it as not serving the greater populace. I would also dismiss it too but I see the connection between what I experienced on the same date as Jillian Regan’s letter.
On the morning of May 10, 2020, between the hours of 10:00 am and 11:00 am. I decided to take my dog to play at Cadboro Bay. It is not our usual beach but because of a recovering paw injury I thought sand and the low tide would be best for him. We began our play in the designated dog area. I throw rocks along the beach, he bounds through the water chasing them, he barks at me to keep the game going. He is having fun and so am I.
While I was engaging with my dog a women approached me and asked me to keep him quiet, this led to a long exchange as she followed me up the beach recording this interaction. I suspected she was trying to create a confrontation as she presented herself as the voice of others who find dogs barking on a beach as unacceptable noise. Personally I would take natural sounds over man made noise any day but apparently the ‘dog banners’ feel it is easier to confront dog owners and their dogs than take on larger noise problems.
I do not think the women, who was persistently interfering with my time with my dog, was able to get the reaction she was hoping for. One of the woman’s comment was about the likelihood of getting resistance to her directive. This suggested to me that, she expected and wanted to instigate a scene to support her and Janice Regan’s agenda. Following and filming a person without permission is what I would consider harassment. When you ask a person to quiet there dog and then berate them long afterwards, then you have not made a polite request. Maybe she should be banned from the beach. There are all kinds of intelligent solutions to problems that do not require negatively impacting the well being of other and other creatures.
How about we keep a green belt along beaches and not permit people to build homes along them. That would lesson noise and create a better environment for birds and all other creature. Just jesting…I know some people need to feel entitled and control others and the spaces they want dominion over.
I do hope the CBRA takes advantage of the offer from Mark Hawkes of the Citizen Canine Dog Owners Association. I think a win/win solution is possible from his organization.
Kind Regards,
Tammy DeMings
Sent from my iPad
