Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice
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| Mellisa Simpson with Chevy and Ruger in their Cowley yard C. Davis photo |
Workers fixing water lines in her west Cowley neighborhood reported the incident to the Cowley Village office, who then contacted Simpson. Apparently her neighbour sprayed the two dogs through her fence along the perimeter of the alleyway adjacent to her property.
"I'm afraid," said Simpson. "We work every day, so they're in the yard during the day, so how am I going to know if he does something else? Right now there's construction people that are nice enough to come to a total stranger and say 'I've seen something', but they're not going to be there every day."
"What if I go home and they're dead?"
Simpson said she had a simple message for her neighbour. "Next time you have an issue with my dogs, maybe before you take your own actions you should come and confront us."
According to Simpson, none of her other neighbours has expressed a concern about her dogs. One is a 9 year old German Shepherd and the other is an English Mastiff who turned 1 year old on August 14. She expressed concern that the incident could have damaged the Mastiff's temperament.
For Simpson and her husband, the bear spray resulted in burning eyes, a house and yard smelling of bear spray, and an inability to wear her contact lenses. She said the incident put the health of her other neighbours at risk, including an elderly lady and several children who live nearby.
The incident has been reported to the local RCMP, the Alberta SPCA, and the Village of Cowley. "I want him charged so this doesn't happen again," said Simpson.
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| Mellisa Simpson claims neighbour bear sprayed this fence lined perimeter to her Cowley residence |
I have two dogs and a love for animals. I am outraged that someone had the ignorance to abuse Simpson's two defenseless animals that had no idea they were going to get bearsprayed. Bearspray is for defending yourself against bear not for spraying your neighbors dogs threw their fence. The person responsible for this needs to be charged before they put anybody else or any other animal at risk. I have been a resident of pincher creek and the surrounding area for 36 years and I am disgusted that someone in our community would do such an awful act of cruelty and abuse to a neighbors dogs
ReplyDeleteThis type of misconduct needs to be made an example of! I can only hope that the right thing is done by the dogs, they our precious companions.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is, the dogs bark incessantly and the owners are too inconsiderate to realize that. "Poor precious doggies". Right. They probably annoy the crap out of anyone unfortunate enough to have to listen to it all day.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous hey, your probably the ignorant person that did the crime to afraid of what people will think of you that is the reason you won't print your name. If the dogs do annoy you by barking take it up with animal control the phone number is 403-627-4548 And if you knew anything about dogs, pulling a stunt like that will only make them bark more if you had a problem with the dogs barking before congradulations you just made it worse.
DeleteYou need to go back and read the entire article before you make such comments. I will have you know that I personally know these dogs, I have lived in Cowley for years, and very very rarely hear them make a noise. The man who sprayed them is obviously dangerous and unpredictable. They say people who can harm innocent animals can, and will do much worse.
DeleteIf you had read the whole artical it was mentioned that NONE of her other neighbours had expressed concern of her dogs. meaning no complaints where brought up about barking dogs. As far as i know there is not a barking bylaw in Cowley. If a group of kids where playing, screaming and giggling in their OWN yard would you spray them with bear spray? ask yourself that. Anyone who has a issuse with barking dogs should stay away from their fenced in yard. And take it up with the owners. Seems to me if this person can abuse someone elses pets in their own fenced yard something is wrong with that individual.
ReplyDeleteI live in Cowley ,and cannot beleive that someone could do such a cruel thing to those dogs .I walk by the house daily and are never bothered by these dogs .nor is there any incessantly barking happening so this means that the person who sprayed those poor dogs , is just trying to justify their actions as those actions where an act of cruelty to animals and should be dealt with by the law . TO THE FULLEST My heart goes out to you and your dogs Mellisa
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that in such a small community that you can't discuss such a matter with your neighbour. What if there would have been small children in the yard or down wind from the spray?
ReplyDeleteIt's also sad in a small community that you have an animal abuser. If he does that to dogs who will he attack next? Noisy kids? Will poison be next? He's someone who can't be trusted.
DeleteI cannot believe that someone would be so cruel and ignorant to perform such a discusting act. This man is an obvious danger to the community, and needs to be dealt with accordingly. How does he know that these dogs were not going to be around small children after they had been sprayed!
ReplyDeleteI personally know these dogs, and can assure anyone that they are extremely well behaved - the shepard doesnt even leave her own driveway for her ball that has rolled onto the road - and they are very quiet.
I hope that this man is charged and that the community is made very aware of this incident.
My heart goes out to you Clinton and Mellisa
before posting an article check the punctuation!
ReplyDeleteseriously? who cares about the punctuation? the purpose of the article is to bring the attention to the poor dogs. take your critiquing somewhere else.
DeleteSuch as?
ReplyDeleteHas the person responsible for bearspraying these dogs been charged yet?
ReplyDeleteI have heard from the grape vine that the RCMP of Pincher Creek have closed the case due to no evidence on the dogs being in distress. Anyone who knows anything about bear spray, also known as pepper spray know that there is a huge amount of discomfort. Especially for the dogs and Mellisa's household in this case, being inside dogs. I believe there was a conversation with a vet, who advised Mellisa she was doing everything necessary to properly care for her dogs. So unless she paid a unexpected vet bill to be told what she was doing was right, no need for them to be seen.
ReplyDeleteIf the officer dispatched at the start took the time to go to the dogs resident and see, smell and feel for himself that they had in fact been sprayed, wouldn't that have been more evidence, as well as the five witness statements they received. There is a barking bylaw in Cowley but there is not a set time for this bylaw to be effective.
Tit for Tat!! New case!
This man has been calling the RCMP regularly complaining about barking dogs. ( like they have nothing better to do) Because this is a complaint the RCMP have to go by the book and look into it. Mellisa has several closer neighbours than this man and word is noone else has issues with barking dogs.
Ruger the English Mastiff is a breed intimidating in size but physically not capable of barking constantly. Chevy the German Shepard is a breed of protection and intelligence allowing her owners to know when someone is near or a threat.
I think this is ridiculous and if the man had enough decencey to approach Mellisa before taking it into his own hands they could have lived neighbourly.