DEWS IS A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHICH PROMOTES SAFETY, OWNER ETIQUETTE AND PUBLIC EDUCATION ABOUT DOGS.
“DEWS is a marvelous, well-needed and long-overdue project.” Dr. Ian Dunbar
We are all saddened when we hear that a child has been attacked by a dog; A child is hurt and a dog may be euthanized because of an encounter gone wrong.
In an effort to keep both, humans and our furry friends safe, DEWS’ mission is to reduce the risk of negative encounters with dogs by establishing a safety protocol using traffic light coloured dog bandanas to alert oncoming pedestrians, and also by teaching the public the point of etiquette, that no dog should be approached without first obtaining permission from its owner.
DEWS is not meant to label a dog as being either “good” or “bad” but rather, the system was developed to give responsible owners an opportunity to indicate from a distance how their dog must be approached. The owner, however, continues to remain responsible for incidents involving their dog even if they have been careful to use this system to inform pedestrians and other dog owners prior to an encounter.
An owner may choose to possess all three colors of the bandanas to use at various times for the same dog, depending on the way they wish people to interact with their pet that day for their own reasons.
Remember to teach your children that not all dogs need hugs! We invite you to browse our website to learn more about the DEWS system.
A green bandana means that the dog is known to be FRIENDLY, and would love some attention. But remember… Even the friendliest dog may have unknown triggers, and should still be treated with measured caution so… Always ask for permission before approaching any dog!
A yellow bandana means CAUTION! The owner is open to interaction but asks that you first obtain permission and instructions from a distance before interacting with their dog. Dogs with yellow bandanas may not like people wearing hats or may prefer to be approached in a certain manner.
Red means DO NOT APPROACH! Notice that red does not mean that the dog is necessarily aggressive. It means that for their own reasons, the owner does not wish for their dog to be approached THAT DAY. The owner may want uninterrupted time to themselves, or their dog may be: in training, old, injured, sick, post surgery, or submissive, requiring protection from overly enthusiastic encounters with other dogs, children, or adults.