I helped set up the agility course for Peachfest for my wife’s dog sport club from Kelowna and was asked by one of the members, ‘Why do people in Penticton hate dogs so much?’
Before I could answer one of the other members from Kelowna answered and I paraphrase: There are a lot of white haired people and they have to complain about something and dogs are an easy target because they cannot talk back.
I have lived in Penticton for 20 years and have loved it for almost 40 and this exchange bothered me so much that two days later I had to get up in the middle of the night.
I participated at the Scottish Days dog agility demo and afterwards walked my dog around visiting with friends. I had done so before while watching my wife judge and participate in the herding trials held there the last three years. While visiting I was confronted by an elderly lady that did not identify herself but angrily told me that my dog was an athlete and could not leave the assigned area. I barely got out an apology when she released a tirade regarding the new rules and I should be aware of all the new rules and how dare I show up not knowing the rules. She went on for some time not letting me respond. I wanted to respond that I made the mistake not my dog as he cannot read. I found it interesting that they had padlocked the gate the dogs were to leave by making our only exit through the front gate which I was told was an area was off limits.
My wife and I run a booth at the Saturday Community Market and we interact with a lot of locals and tourists with pets who relate negative experiences with people intolerant of their animals.
This all begs the question: Why are so many Penticton people so dog unfriendly? Is it a case of one bad dog spoils it for the pack?
Bruce Neufeld
Penticton resident