A furry, four-legged fugitive with a wagging tail and no regard for the speed limit gave West Shore RCMP quite a chase this week on Sooke Road.
Drivers were shocked to see a dog running down Highway 14 between Langford and Sooke, with an RCMP cruiser close behind.
Witnesses also reported a Capital Regional District (CRD) bylaw officer briefly in pursuit.
Mikayla Hansen and her husband were driving from the Highlands to a house viewing in Sooke when traffic slowed down. They got caught in the unusual scene.
“We came around the corner and noticed what was happening,” Hansen told Victoria Buzz.
“We ended up behind them for about eight minutes, following at around 20 km/h with what looked like over 100 cars behind us. Everyone was patient and supportive.”
The video Hansen recorded has gained lots of ‘paws-itive’ feedback on Facebook, attracting thousands of views and comments that praise the officer’s calm approach.
“Dog ran for about 1 km, almost 2 km,” Hansen wrote in her post. “Glad the police officer was there to help and guide the pup. Make sure to keep your pups close and safe!”
According to Hansen, the officer was eventually able to get ahead of the dog near Gillespie Road, guiding it safely up a driveway.
West Shore RCMP confirmed in an email to Victoria Buzz that one of their officers, with the help of a CRD Animal Care team member, managed to reunite the adventurous pup with its owner.
“Yes, that was one of our officers,” said Hayley Ferguson, Media Relations Assistant for West Shore RCMP.
“Thankfully the dog had a tag, which made it easy to bring them home safely. This is a great reminder for people to make sure they have contact information on their pet’s collar and register them with the CRD.”
While canine chases aren’t exactly standard police work, Ferguson added that it’s not the first time officers have stepped in to help animals in distress.
“A few months ago, one of our officers went a bit viral for helping a family of geese along the Trans-Canada Highway,” she said.
No tickets were issued in this chase. There was just one safe dog, a relieved owner, and an RCMP officer who showed once again that not all heroes wear capes.
