To the editor,
We are only into our first two weeks of warmer weather and already I have seen two situations which I hope not to see again during the upcoming summer.
The first concerned a pug-nosed dog being walked uphill at a fast pace, His tongue was hanging out and he was having trouble keeping up with its owner. This type of dog finds breathing more difficult than non pug-nosed dogs and should not have been forced to keep up with a much faster paced human, nor should it have been walked on the asphalt. Dogs’ paw pads are tender and will burn easily; they do not appreciate being walked on the hot mid-day pavement.
The second was a small dog being forced to run along beside a bicycle. It was obvious that this dog was having great difficulty keeping up the pace. Please remember that if you must walk your dog during the hottest part of the day, take it to a park where there’s lots of shade and nice soft cooler paths to walk on. Also, bring water with you, and keep your pace to that of your dog. Running with a bike is for mid- to large-sized dogs, not little guys.
Let’s all look after our best friends; after all, they give us so much the least we can do is give back.
Diana Walker, Nanaimo
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