You’ve probably seen them around town — that parade of pooches every Saturday morning walking through the downtown Chilliwack area.
They’re the Saturday Morning Dog Walks crew and they’re celebrating their 30th anniversary this weekend.
They’re not an official club, and there’s no membership. They don’t have a website or a contact number. They simply meet every Saturday, at the same place, like clockwork.
The dogs, and their owners, develop friendships.
“It’s about confidence building,” says co-founder Pam Peters. “It helps settle down reactive dogs, it boosts morale of shy dogs, and they learn to behave themselves in a group environment.”
Peters founded the group with Dorothy Severn on Easter weekend in 1983, and they’ve been at it ever since. The group varies in size each weekend, averaging 10 to 40 people each time.
This Saturday, they are inviting new, current and past friends to join them in celebrating their 30th anniversary. The group meets at 10 a.m. at Central elementary school every Saturday.
Dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds are welcome. All dogs must be on leash, have up-to-date shots, and be under control. Owners are reminded to bring plastic bags and clean up after their dog.