Campbell River Mirror

Puppy replaced but family deals with aftermath of incident

By Grant Warkentin - Campbell River Mirror

Published: September 23, 2008 5:00 PM
Updated: September 24, 2008 11:44 AM
When the media spotlight swings away from Quadra Island, Nick Rose will still have to live with his neighbours, and his fears.

“The media got their happy ending, they got their ‘boy given the new puppy’ story, but there’s no happy ending,” he said last Friday. “It’s a pretty scary situation…the spotlight’s gone and I’ll be home alone looking at four walls…we don’t know what’s going to happen the next time.”

Rose and his son Max, a 12-year-old cancer survivor, were cutting wood Sept. 13 when Cody Wellard and a still-unidentified man walked by along the road. They had apparently been hunting nearby, and Wellard’s father lives near Rose.

Seymour, Max’s four-month-old Jack Russell puppy, ran out to the road and was killed by a shotgun blast.

Wellard left the island and turned himself in to Victoria police Sept. 15. He will appear in court in Campbell River Oct. 16.

The story has sparked outrage across Canada and around the world. Hundreds of people have joined groups on Facebook to talk about the story, and to take action.

“The only reason Wellard turned himself in is there’s been this Facebook campaign going on, he was harassed and his whole family was harassed and I guess finally he had no choice but to turn himself in,” Rose said.

The story has also sparked acts of kindness – Lois Clough, the Surrey dog breeder who sold the Roses Seymour and their previous dog, gave them a new puppy.

The Roses have named him Leo.

“CTV News flew them up with the breeder yesterday around noon. We took the kids out of school and surprised them. They got to have a nice ride in a helicopter,” Rose said. “The new puppy is great – he’s two months old so he’s had me up two or three times last night.”

The family is grateful to have a new puppy but Rose said it’s going to take some time to get over the violent act, and the rush of media attention his family endured last week.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/campbellrivermirror/news/29695699.html