Like many non-conforming dog owners, Ray Lazanik conveniently leaves out the fact that all of Cadboro Bay and the beach area is a federal migratory bird sanctuary. That fact alone should dictate no off-leash dogs at any point in time anywhere on Cadboro Bay beach including the areas in both Saanich and Oak Bay.

Even with the existing Saanich leash-only bylaw we constantly see belligerent dog owners letting their dogs run loose and harassing the wildlife all throughout the Cadboro Bay beach area. Our family owns two dogs and if they are left off-leash they, like most dog breeds, will harass wildlife. It is just in their nature to do so and the vast majority of dog owners have zero control over that natural dog behaviour.

The CRD Bylaw and Animal Care Services, unfortunately, seem to be permanently stuck on education and are loath to issue the permitted $150 tickets for infractions of the dog-on-leash-only bylaw. There is a hard core of non-conforming dog owners who take advantage of this soft education-only approach as they have been educated over the past year that they have little to fear from CRD Bylaw and Animal Care Services officers.

Oak Bay and Saanich need to collaborate on this leash-only bylaw because the south end of Cadboro Bay beach falls within the municipality of Oak Bay and its regulations state that off-leash is optional on the south end of the Cadboro Bay beach area. Oak Bay needs to realize that they are currently in violation of the federal migratory bird sanctuary regulations.

Oak Bay council and mayor need to stop pussy footing around on this matter and be in sync with the Saanich bylaw which states all dogs must be on leash while on the Cadboro Bay beach area. Since Cadboro Bay and the beach area is a federal migratory bird sanctuary it is very clear that unleashed dogs, any part of the year, should be prohibited and strictly enforced by both Saanich and Oak Bay.

Curby Klaibert

Saanich & Oak Bay Safety Network