My two dogs and I compete in the dog sports of agility and rally obedience. For the past eight years we have had fun traveling throughout the province to attend trials. I have had the opportunity to meet with and to get to know many, many dog people from all over Canada.
When I mention that I live in Nelson, other BC competitors tell me that they would love to visit, but that Nelson is not a dog-friendly town. Many mention wishing they could come in the summer but would, of course, be unwilling to have their dogs stay in the car in the heat. Others echo that feeling when talking about wanting to come to Nelson for winter sports.
I train locally with a large group of very responsible dog owners, committed to both the well-being of their pets and the understanding that training must include skills necessary to allow dogs to demonstrate self-control in a variety of social settings. We all wish that our well-mannered dogs could accompany us when we do our downtown errands.
I am aware that changing the by-law and creating a pet-friendly downtown could have its glitches and that there could be times when people’s actions with respect to poop clean-up and maintaining good control might need to be monitored. Perhaps as a community we could work together to make a positive change for our city.
How great it would be if I could attend a competition, tell folks where I am from and have them tell me what a fabulous time they had visiting Nelson with their canine buddies.
Lois Warthe
Nelson