The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
A long winter with considerable snow combined with an extended mild spell, and in some regions rain, has The Humane Society of Canada (HSC) worried about the safety of Canadians and their pets. "We are asking people to be extra careful with their pets near lakes, ponds, rivers and other waterways," states Al Hickey, HSC Western Regional Director. "Every year pets fall through ice, are stranded on ice or are swept away by rising waters," continues Hickey. "A person's natural reaction when this happens is to jump in and save their pet, putting both of them at risk." Significantly increased water levels, from melting snow, ice and rain, in streams, creeks, rivers and lakes are not the only danger according to Michael O'Sullivan, HSC Executive Director. "Some dogs willingly jump into the water and they can quickly drown or suffer hypothermia if exposed to these frigid bodies of water," says O'Sullivan. "Even creeks and streams that are shallow and slow-moving for much of the year become deep, raging 'rivers' in late winter and early spring." In order to protect pets from these dangerous bodies of water, The Humane Society of Canada is requesting that people ensure that their animal companions are kept at home and, when taken for walks, that they are kept safely on a leash.
