The District of Sechelt is warning dog owners that chunks of meat have been found in the closed dog park on Ebbtide.
In a social media post on Friday, May 18, the District said their staff and the RCMP are looking into the incident.
"Please be mindful of your surroundings and observe what your dog may be sniffing or eating," the District's statement said.
Lindsay Vickers, communications for the District, said the meat looked purposefully placed there.
A local dog owner, Julia Atkins, said the whole situation is “bizarre.” Atkins regularly goes to the fenced area, and said she and a friend both came across the meat, which they believe is raw bacon.
“The dogs would scarf them down before we could even see what they were,” she told Coast Reporter. “Of course, the concern is why is this person doing this? And is there an intention to do something more harmful?”
Raw meat, and fatty meats in particular, is not good for dogs to eat as it can have a high salt content and carry parasites. It is not known if the meat appearing at the dog park is tainted, Vickers said.
Atkins’s dog, Cisco, only ate a little of the meat, but she worries for other dogs who may eat more. “A big hunk of bacon is pretty attractive,” Atkins said. “I don't think I'll be going back to the park. I just can't risk it.”
Sechelt plans to officially open the dog park in the next two weeks or so, and this situation has not delayed those plans, Vickers said.
