FRIDAY AUG 11, 2017 VOL. 43, NO. 29
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Citizens of the Year
Recognizing Islanders that make a difference
Amsterdam
Miller Road construction
An update, moving forward on Snug Cove House Dozer the Chihuahua is recovering after being hit by a car at the corner of Dorman and Bowen Island Trunk Roads. To pitch in to cover the cost of Dozer’s treatment, stop in at the First Credit Union or look up Alex Majikk Vallee’s campaign on Go-Fund-Me. Cawes is offering tax receipts for donations. photo from Go-Fund-Me
Take a trip with Kami Kanetsuka
Islanders feel the effects of wildfires
MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
Dogs hit at Four Corners Community jumps in to help, but pets pay the price for being kept off-leash
MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
On Sunday afternoon at roughly 2:30 pm, two dogs were hit by a slow moving vehicle coming down off Bowen Island Trunk Road turning onto Dorman Road. The dogs, Dozer (a chihuaha) and Maximus (a rottweiler) belong to Alex Majikk Vallee and Matt Smith, respectively. Dozer had been standing on the sidewalk on Dorman Road, off-leash, when Maximus jumped out the window of the car where he had been sitting and chased the smaller dog onto the street. Jewel Maxwell says she arrived at the scene just in time to see a car hit both the dogs as it came around the corner. “The driver was really upset,” says Maxwell. “If she had been speeding, I am sure both dogs would be dead right now, but fortunately she was driving slowly.” Maxwell says Sean Olsen jumped into action to help the dogs, and she went up to the ambulance station to seek assistance. “They gave me a warming pad, two non-adhesive gauzes, and two tensor bandages,” says Maxwell. “And I grabbed a small stick, to use as a splint for Dozer’s leg.” Maxwell says it looked as though Dozer’s leg might be broken, and he had road rash up to his chest; and Maximus lost the padding on one paw.
Iris Carr from Cawes started making calls to get emergency assistance for Dozer, and found help at the Vancouver Animal Emergency and Referall Centre, downtown. “Emergency animal hospitals don’t normally offer discounts, but I am very grateful that they did,” says Carr, who paid for the medical help on her personal credit card. “That cost $500.” Fortunately, Dozer’s leg was not broken, but the dog is suffering from the down-to-the-bone road-rash. Alex and Dozer came home from the city the day following the accident, and veterinary technician Moira Steward offered to change the dog’s dressing. However, Alex decided to wait, and took dozer to up to the vet’s office at Artisan Square at the first available opportunity. With vet bills mounting, community members have started donating to a Go-Fund-Me Campaign that aims to raise $1,500 to help pay for all of Dozer’s medical care. People can also donate to Cawes directly (the organization is continuing to cover the cost of the care) by going to the First Credit Union, Iris says that contributors can receive a tax receipt. Head of Bylaw Services, Bonny Brokenshire, says that while the Municipality has not yet fined anyone for failing to keep their dog leashed in the Cove. “We start with a warning,” says Brokenshire. “If someone is caught twice, the fine for Dogs at Large starts at $25.”
Jen Loree and her kids drove South from Prince George on Highway 97 on Wednesday July 27 through a thick haze of smoke, shocked by the scene of wreckage left by wildfires. “There was stray livestock along the edge of the highway and you could barely see 10 feet in front of you because the smoke was so thick,” says Loree. “In Clinton, we stopped for gas and the smoke was so bad I had to pull my shirt over my face. There was this smouldering feeling the whole way. That day, a few of the communities the evacuation orders lifted, but I can’t see why anyone would want to go back in those conditions.” Loree says the smoke dissipated near Chilliwack, and she was glad to return to fresh air on Bowen Island. However, on Tuesday of last week, Metro Vancouver issued an air quality advisory because of high concentrations of particulate matter brought from the BC Interior by outflow winds. Loree says that she can definitely feel the affect of the smoke but it is hard to slow down given the busy days working as a server at the Bowen Island Pub. “I feel like I’m getting allergies, my chest is tight,” she says. “And really, this smoke just makes it hard to enjoy the summer.” Amy Crawford and Steve Sigaty are working as farmers for their first season at Forest Brook Farm (owned by Kim Brooks). Crawford says they had big plans in terms of what they wanted to accomplish this summer, but poor air quality is making it hard to meet their goals “Both Steve and I have lung and immune-related health issues, so we are really not supposed to go outside in bad air. Our work delays cause revenue loss,” she says. “We wear masks outside, but that only helps so much. Daily chores are our first priority, beyond that we are just trying to keep up.” Metro Vancouver has an air quality monitoring station in Horseshoe Bay, and you can find regularly updated information on their online GIS Air Map (airmap.ca). Metro Vancouver’s Air Quality Analyst, Kyle Howe says weather conditions are expected to change on Friday evening, leading to improved air quality through the weekend.
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