About 20 years ago we spent some time at a friend’s cabin on Sproat Lake on our way to our usual summer vacation spot on Hornby Island.
The setting at the lakefront was idyllic. A meandering trail through the pines from the cabin led to the lakefront dock and fire pit. On our second to last day we were sitting on the dock and watched in amazement as thick black clouds approached us at incredible speed, eating the blue of the afternoon sky. Fierce rain began and we all headed back indoors to the comfy confines of decades old furniture and the crackling of a hastily made fire.
Our beloved Golden Retriever Stella came in as well. Not long after, the thunder and lightning accompanied the rain in an awesome spectacle that humans appreciate, but most dogs absolutely do not. Their sensitive ears can actually become painful when faced with loud sounds such as the thunder that now appeared to be directly overhead.
As the storm lingered above us, and as the windows shook with each deafening clap, poor Stella was trying her best to hide, shaking and whimpering, behind the toilet in the small bathroom. We tried our best to console her, but she was fraught with fear.
Eventually, things settled down, or so we thought. Stella had stopped shaking and appeared calm. It had been at least an hour so I let her outside to have a pee. As is often the case with thunderstorms, they can be cyclical in nature, particularly in and around the Alberni Inlet.
When round two of the storm returned, it was too late. Successive and sudden deafening jolts of thunder sent Stella off in the approaching twilight. She ran up the road to the highway and would not listen to our pleas to return. I jumped in the car and tried to find her. She had a good head-start and was a fast hound. A few minutes down the road I encountered a lineman who was repairing a downed hydro line. I asked if he had seen a fast moving retriever. He had. Stella made a turn on the highway and was headed toward Port Alberni. I drove for a while, scared and nervous as darkness quickly approached. Finally, I gave up and came back to the cabin.
The plan for the next day was to post signs in the hopes that someone may have seen her.
Thankfully, Stella made it back to our lakefront neighbourhood and took shelter with a lovely lady about a block away. We were reunited.
I love a good fireworks display just like the next guy, but this story is a reminder that fireworks and firecrackers can be terribly frightening for dogs.
Remind your kids to keep this in mind. Have a fun and safe Halloween!
