Dear editor,
Last week on a beautiful day, a friend and dog dear to me went for a pleasant walk along Goose Spit.
They stopped to savour the spectacular view, fresh air and glorious waterways while resting on a log not far from the stairs leading up the Goose Grind. The curious dog had freedom to roam and explore the area permitted by his 16-foot leash.
Unbeknownst to them, another person had earlier sat on a nearby log and enjoyed their tranquil moment enhanced by some marijuana. Perhaps thinking it organic, harmless, natural material, the partaker had discarded loose remnants of their joint or stash, which my friend’s four-month-old puppy accidentally ate.
Long story short, the veterinarian they managed to consult when the dog progressed from being wobbly and unresponsive to eventually totally limp and immobile, said that the amount ingested had the capacity to kill him had he been younger or smaller in size. Fortunately, the dog vomited three times and managed to recover by the next day, to the enormous relief of his distraught owner who tended to him throughout the night with great concern.
The vet stated they see two to three cases every week of marijuana poisoning … and theirs is but one clinic in the Valley. If you or anyone you know is unaware of the dangerous effects of even small amounts of marijuana on wild or domestic animals including birds, please take extreme caution when disposing of any cannabis in the public, natural areas all creatures deserve to enjoy safely.
Equally, consider an innocent human baby accidentally ingesting the same amount of dog feces: what disastrous effects might there be on such a delicate body? Thank you, dog owners and cannabis users, for taking time and care to keep beaches and parks clean and safe.
Janet Haigh,
Comox