METRO VANCOUVER — Simon Fraser University’s security department is recommending people keep their dogs on a leash when walking on campus, after three dogs jumped a ledge and fell at least three storeys.
Julie Stewart, manager of patrol operations for SFU campus security, said there have been three instances of dogs jumping a wall on the third level of SFU’s Burnaby campus. The dogs fell three storeys, but she does not know if they survived.
The first case was in 2005, the second in 2008, and the most recent in the winter of 2013.
Stewart said the dogs were likely running before they leapt and cleared the wall not realizing there was a three-storey drop on the other side.
“Dogs don’t understand what’s on the other side if they are going full tilt,” she said. “These things do happen. It’s really unfortunate, it’s up to the owner to make sure the animals are not in an unsafe position.”
The wall where dogs are jumping is about three-feet high on the 3,000 level of the transportation centre. According to Stewart, there’s an outdoor walkway along the rooftop, and the wall has signage that says to keep off.
Stewart says the incidents involved a dog off leash that would have leapt over top of the railing and fell roughly three storeys. Stewart said SFU has no reports of people or children falling from the ledge – just dogs.
Since SFU falls under the City of Burnaby bylaws when it comes to dogs, pet owners should keep their canines on a leash, Stewart explained.
“It’s beautiful up here, … but please be a responsible pet owner and keep your dog on a leash,” she said.
The Vancouver Sun recently ran a story about a similar wall at B.C. Place, in downtown Vancouver, where at least nine dogs have jumped and inadvertently fallen.
Dr. Claudia Richter, from the Burnaby Veterinary Hospital, has never seen any thing like it in her practice, and she’s unsure why the dogs would jump.
“My guess is that they get excited about something they see, … and they just don’t know that there’s nothing behind the wall,” she said. “I can’t see any medical reason on why they would do that unless they are blind.”
Burquitlam Animal Hospital and Kensington Animal Hospital did not have any cases of dogs jumping off walls.