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Victoria Dog Cody Gets Owner A Warning For Something He's Been Doing For 13 Years

13 years, to be exact.

Cody the golden retriever has been greeting pedestrians and customers outside Charmaine Britton's furniture store in downtown Victoria for 13 years.

He's a staple of Fort Street, according to CTV News, and his owner says his popularity has actually been beneficial to his health.

“I think the reason that he has lived so long is all the love and attention he gets in a day," Britton said.

But Cody recently got the attention of the City of Victoria, which gave Britton a warning for not having a leash on the dog. The animal control department has warned her twice in the last month, according to the Times Colonist.

“I can certainly appreciate 100 per cent that animal control is just doing their job,” Britton told CHEK News. “But on the other hand, he has laid in this spot for 13 years and has only ever had one complaint.”

“He’s frustrated because he can’t get out and see all his regulars, and visit with all the people going up and down the street,” she told CTV.

Cody's story has enraged many online, who say Victoria has bigger things to worry about.

“There are certainly other things in the city that are unsafe to the public," John Forster-Coull, a pharmacist who works next to Britton's store, told CHEK.

The city had to clarify to several people on Twitter that it did not give Britton a ticket, and added that it applies the bylaw to all dogs.

Britton told the Times Colonist that she is keeping Cody indoors to avoid getting a ticket, although a supportive Winnipeg businessman has offered to pay for any fines.

“It’s a disappointment for Cody, for sure, and for the fans,” she said.

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