A Vancouver Island dog owner is asking the public to be mindful when disposing of their left over joints after his dog ingested a small amount of weed.
In late August a mini-Australian shepard, Jefferson, went on a hike near Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park with owner Ian Ward and his teenage son.
In a Facebook post, Ward said that during their hike through the park, Jefferson found and ingested about ⅓ of a marijuana cigarette someone had disposed of on the trail.
Jefferson was completely incapacitated shortly after eating the joint and had to be carried down Sugarloaf Mountain in a Fido-Pro harness designed for emergencies like this one; a hiking essential Ward recommends for any hiking enthusiast dog owner.
The first few hours were worrisome for Ward and his family.
According to VCA Animal Hospitals, “a small amount may affect one pet more than another, so there is no official safe level of exposure”.
Thankfully, Jefferson was able to make a full recovery and is now back to his happy and healthy self.
After the crisis, Ward made a post on a hiking enthusiasts Facebook group in which he asked hikers who “enjoy a puff of the “herb” out on the trails and at viewpoints…the pack it in, pack it out rule also applies to your roaches etc! Doggos like mine will eat ‘em and the result is not happy.”
The Capital Region District (CRD) clearly states on their website to “leave no trace and carry out litter” and Ward echoes that sentiment in his post where he stated, “pack out anything you pack in. How hard is that really?”
