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 News 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.
害羞草研究所淚 should have been more proactive, but I thought he害羞草研究所檇 just ran down to the beach and I was going to finish setting up my tent and go grab him,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 just did not think in all of my life that he would get stolen.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淚 need to find these people because they apparently think that I don害羞草研究所檛 want my dog害羞草研究所e害羞草研究所檚 not hurt, he害羞草研究所檚 well taken care of, he害羞草研究所檚 well loved, he害羞草研究所檚 with me 24 hours a day,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 lived here all his life, he doesn害羞草研究所檛 deserve to get stolen and taken to a different city with somebody he doesn害羞草研究所檛 know.害羞草研究所�
She said she was frustrated at the officer for not getting contact information from the couple before leaving the dog with them.
害羞草研究所淚 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 didn害羞草研究所檛 ask,害羞草研究所� she said.
She said she害羞草研究所檚 confident Itska has been taken out of town because she害羞草研究所檚 lived in Tofino for 20 years and has owned Itska for four, yet no one she knows has seen him in the past week.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 always walking my dog. Everybody knows me and my dog. So, if he害羞草研究所檚 in this town, they will find him, but I don害羞草研究所檛 think he害羞草研究所檚 in this town because police said [the couple] aren害羞草研究所檛 from this town,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 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 he害羞草研究所檚 not in town害羞草研究所 just want his picture spread everywhere so that hopefully he can come back to me.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淭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,害羞草研究所� Pebernat said. 害羞草研究所淭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.害羞草研究所�
He said the officer was then called to a 害羞草研究所渉igher priority害羞草研究所� situation and left the scene.
害羞草研究所淭he member did not take the dog from the owner or tell the couple they could keep the dog,害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淚f police knew where the dog was, we would be happy to facilitate the return of the animal to the rightful owner.害羞草研究所�
He said the investigation into Itska害羞草研究所檚 whereabouts is ongoing.
害羞草研究所淢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,害羞草研究所� he said.
He suggested the situation highlights the importance of residents complying with Tofino害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淪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 don害羞草研究所檛 have homes or somebody to care for them and perhaps, well-meaningly, decide to take the dog either home or to a shelter elsewhere,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲hich, obviously, is very problematic as most of the dogs on the West Coast do have families that care for them害羞草研究所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.害羞草研究所�
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 CARE害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淩eally, it害羞草研究所檚 a tough situation because once they leave the coast, it害羞草研究所檚 hard to say where they go,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎t this point, it害羞草研究所檚 just a very sad situation for Shannon.害羞草研究所�
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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