There’s a mystery brewing near Nanaimo that neighbours don’t understand. Someone has been leaving raw meat along a path where a lot of people walk their dogs, and no one is sure why.
It’s been happening along the Harmac waterline that goes through Cedar. Lately, people walking here have been finding meat placed on the waterline.
“There’s been vultures and everything diving because there’s been meat left there,” said Michelle Dumler, a neighbour and dog owner.
“I haven’t seen it personally there, but south of here where the waterline meets Morden Trail, there’s been meat left out intentionally and we live here with two dogs so it’s pretty scary.”
A picture of one of the five steaks one neighbour found on the water line Tuesday morning has been circulating on social media.
In recent weeks, neighbours have also found bacon.
“Even up to about a year ago, we first heard just rumours about it but didn’t actually see any evidence of it. And in the last three months I’ve seen two or three postings…” said Dumler.
Jeni Rowell, who found the steaks Tuesday morning, declined an on-camera interview but told CHEK News that the five steaks were all a couple of feet apart. When she came back 15 to 20 minutes later, just one was left. She took it for potential testing and called the RCMP.
The RCMP attended and gathered information but aren’t investigating as there is no evidence of a crime.
B.C.’s Conservation Service received a report of pieces of meat that appeared intentionally laid out on Monday.
“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to find information that leads to a suspect or the intention behind leaving meat scraps out readily accessible to domestic and wild animals,” said Sgt. Dan Eichstadter, a conservation officer.
The service says leaving meat out can cause unintended conflict with wildlife.
“Intentionally feeding dangerous wildlife is against the Wildlife Act absolutely. Unfortunately, that doesn’t include birds, raptors, rabbits,” said Eichstadter.
Michelle Dumler says she’s confident the mystery will be solved if it continues.
“We walk our dogs and anytime we run into other people, we talk about it. So whoever is doing it, you leave it out here, we live here, we will find out. We’re going to know,” said Dumler.
If you know who’s behind the mystery meat along the path, the Conservation Service would like to hear from you.
Paul Sadler, the CEO of Harmac Pacific, says the company would prefer if no one accesses their private land but admits they don’t have the ability to constantly monitor the trail. He says the company will also investigate the meat mystery.
Dwight Holland, another neighbour who walks dogs along the path, says he hopes the mystery is solved.
“You would think there’d be enough people who could benefit from the meat rather than whatever purpose is happening,” added Holland.
Kendall Hanson
