I was walking my dog at 11 a.m. Feb. 3 near Gordon Head middle school. I saw a man, young boy and a black lab walking along the school perimeter. I watched the lab squat in the telltale sign that it was having a bowel movement close to the playground. I couldn’t be absolutely sure at the distance I was at.
The man must have seen this but did nothing. I encountered the group on the other side of the school and told the man, approximately 30 years old, what I saw and asked him if he needed a bag. Of course all responsible dog owners carry bags to clean up after their dogs but sometimes one forgets. He said,” No thanks, I have some in the truck”. I trusted he would do the right thing and my dog and I carried on.
From a distance, a short while later, I observed him load his dog and boy in his vehicle and drive off. I went back and picked up the feces. This man, father and dog owner never had any intention of picking up after his dog. He set a terrible example for his son and obviously did not care that a student or adult at the middle school would step or fall in it.
Could it be that his son is too young to attend the school or could it be that he is yet another uncaring irresponsible dog owner that puts the rest of us in a bad light?
What would it take for this guy to change his ways? Maybe karma and the law of natural consequences will play a part and his child will come home with dog crap on his shoes or clothing. This problem around school fields and playgrounds is unfortunately all too common and must stop before dogs are banned from school properties.
Kevin Meldrum
Saanich