Several incidents in the Fairfield Island area of Chilliwack make it clear someone is threatening to intentionally harm dogs.

Residents reported finding fishing line tied to trees at two Fairfield parks and other disturbing incidents.

A threatening message signed by "Dogkiller" was found on a park sign, reports of poisoned dog treats, and a suspect on a bike who was verbally threatening dog owners.

Chilliwack RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Carmen Kiener said none of the information that's come in to police so far "would assist" in identifying the person responsible for any threats. Most of the reports were hearsay based on social media posts.

"There was one reported incident on June 30 where a witness observed a male making comments about harming dogs while at the park," Kiener said.

"Police attended and made extensive efforts to locate this male without success. We encourage anyone who has information to report it to the Chilliwack RCMP."

Fishing line wrapped around trees was found in Fairfield Park, as well as in Fiesta Park, and cut down by concerned residents.

Fairfield resident Tanya Rath who is an admin of the Facebook page, Fairfield Island Neighbours, said she's not sure if the disturbing events are related, but "something is going on, and we all need to be aware and vigilant."

She posted a police file number, 2024-28281, and asked neighbours to work together to create awareness, and prevent anything further happening by "connecting the dots."

"Please, if you were the one that came across the fishing wire, saw the fishing wire, had your dogs poisoned, saw anything, police are asking you to call in and reference the above file number and create your own."

Resident Heather Byron said as a dog park user at Island 22 Regional Park she reported a threatening message to RCMP that she saw scrawled on a sign in one of the parking lots threatening unleashed dogs.
"Warning: If dogs are unleashed they will (be) killed. Keep on leash. By order of Dogkiller."

Byron said she reported the message to RCMP on June 23.

"My hope is that the public could be made aware of these incidents," Byron said, adding that staff at the park gatehouse had not been warning dog owners about the incidents. "I don't know if that is their role to do that, but it not then whose is it? People need to know."

She reported the sign threat when she found it on June 24, and then recently heard of the dog rushed to the vet after eating a treat they found stuffed with rat poison.

"A week before I saw the sign at Island 22, a friend of mine was threatened by person on a bicycle who spewed profanities at her for having her dogs off leash."

All of the incidents seemed fairly close in proximity, she said, prompting her to reach out to the newspaper to get the word out to the public.