Two seemingly well-intentioned tourists are believed to have left Tofino with a local dog and its owner is desperately pleading for it to be returned.
Shannon Boothman told the Westerly B次元官网网址 she was setting up a tent near Tonquin Beach around 7 p.m. on Nov. 2 when her dog, Itska, ran off towards the beach.
B次元官网网址淚 should have been more proactive, but I thought heB次元官网网址檇 just ran down to the beach and I was going to finish setting up my tent and go grab him,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 just did not think in all of my life that he would get stolen.B次元官网网址�
She said a police officer with the Tofino RCMP approached her shortly afterwards and informed her that he had found Itska with two tourists and would bring the dog to her.
She said she then left the area to search for Itska and did not see the police officer again that night. She said she was informed by the RCMP the next day that the dog had been left with the two tourists.
B次元官网网址淚 need to find these people because they apparently think that I donB次元官网网址檛 want my dogB次元官网网址eB次元官网网址檚 not hurt, heB次元官网网址檚 well taken care of, heB次元官网网址檚 well loved, heB次元官网网址檚 with me 24 hours a day,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 lived here all his life, he doesnB次元官网网址檛 deserve to get stolen and taken to a different city with somebody he doesnB次元官网网址檛 know.B次元官网网址�
She said she was frustrated at the officer for not getting contact information from the couple before leaving the dog with them.
B次元官网网址淚 just want my dog back and the only way I can do that is to get his picture everywhere because I have no idea where he is because the police didnB次元官网网址檛 ask,B次元官网网址� she said.
She said sheB次元官网网址檚 confident Itska has been taken out of town because sheB次元官网网址檚 lived in Tofino for 20 years and has owned Itska for four, yet no one she knows has seen him in the past week.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 always walking my dog. Everybody knows me and my dog. So, if heB次元官网网址檚 in this town, they will find him, but I donB次元官网网址檛 think heB次元官网网址檚 in this town because police said [the couple] arenB次元官网网址檛 from this town,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 so many locals sitting on the street and everybody knows who Itska is. Everybody is looking for him, but the more the days go by, the more I know heB次元官网网址檚 not in townB次元官网网址 just want his picture spread everywhere so that hopefully he can come back to me.B次元官网网址�
Tofino RCMP detachment commander Sgt. Todd Pebernat told the Westerly that an officer was called to the Tonquin Beach area for an unrelated matter the night Itska went missing.
B次元官网网址淭he member tried to assist and located the dog with a couple who reported they found the animal and believed it to be in need of care,B次元官网网址� Pebernat said. B次元官网网址淭he member, hoping to reunite the dog with the owner, returned to the female to advise that he may have located her dog but could not find her.B次元官网网址�
He said the officer was then called to a B次元官网网址渉igher priorityB次元官网网址� situation and left the scene.
B次元官网网址淭he member did not take the dog from the owner or tell the couple they could keep the dog,B次元官网网址� he said adding the officer attempted to contact the Coastal Animal Rescue and Education Network, but was unable to reach anyone that late at night.
B次元官网网址淚f police knew where the dog was, we would be happy to facilitate the return of the animal to the rightful owner.B次元官网网址�
He said the investigation into ItskaB次元官网网址檚 whereabouts is ongoing.
B次元官网网址淢y sense is that the couple may have turned the dog in to an SPCA out of concern for its welfare. If that turns out to be the case, I would not pursue it as a theft as the folks were likely acting in good faith out of concern for the dog. That said, the file is still open,B次元官网网址� he said.
He suggested the situation highlights the importance of residents complying with TofinoB次元官网网址檚 bylaws, which mandate that all dogs must be leashed unless confined indoors or within a fenced property.
James Rodgers of the Coastal Animal Rescue and Education Network said situations where tourists decide to take a dog are more common than one might think.
B次元官网网址淪ome of our communities have free roaming populations of dogs, so when visitors are visiting different areas of the region, those dogs may join them for a walk or a hike for an hour or a day and perhaps in those situations, people think those dogs donB次元官网网址檛 have homes or somebody to care for them and perhaps, well-meaningly, decide to take the dog either home or to a shelter elsewhere,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hich, obviously, is very problematic as most of the dogs on the West Coast do have families that care for themB次元官网网址hen these things happen, I think it is largely well-intended people, just perhaps not understanding how animals live out here, which in some cases can be a little less conventional than what they might be used to in the city.B次元官网网址�
He said CARE has spoken to Boothman, but because the dog has been taken out of town, rather than gone missing, searching for Itska falls outside CAREB次元官网网址檚 regular search protocols.
He added that CARE has advised Boothman about various online groups to notify for help searching and advised her to contact SPCA facilities across Vancouver Island as well as the mainland.
B次元官网网址淩eally, itB次元官网网址檚 a tough situation because once they leave the coast, itB次元官网网址檚 hard to say where they go,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎t this point, itB次元官网网址檚 just a very sad situation for Shannon.B次元官网网址�
Itska is described as an unneutered male with a dark brown and black body, a tan-coloured head, white legs and a curly tail.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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