People who live in the building say the owner had recently been warned against leaving the dog out on the patio

Neighbours say the dog was trying to get into the condo from the 21st storey balcony when it fell

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Neighbours are still in shock after witnessing a dog fall to its death from a balcony on the 21st floor of a Yaletown apartment building on Sunday.

One neighbour tells NEWS 1130 the three-year-old Australian Shepherd was trying to get into the condo at Cooperidge Way and Smithe Street when it fell.

“There was a small table that was on the balcony and the dog had climbed up on that and was struggling to get over the railing, and scratching at a window that was right next to the railing.”

She says a crowd gathered below had heard the dog barking and alerted the building’s concierge that it appeared to be struggling, but the canine fell from the high-rise balcony before anyone could get to the owner, who neighbours say, was home at the time and came outside afterward.

“I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. Especially since the aftermath was just so horrible to see,” says the witness, who adds she is haunted by what she saw. “It’s one of those things that just sticks in your mind because it’s so preventable. That didn’t have to happen.”

Neighbours are still in shock after a dog was killed when it fell 21 stories from a Yaletown condo apartment yesterday afternoon. It happened in the area of Cooperage Way and Smithe Street, when the dog was spotted barking and attempting to get over the patio railing. @NEWS1130 — Tarnjit Parmar (@Tarnjitkparmar) January 7, 2020

And it apparently wasn’t the first time neighbours had noticed the dog on the balcony.

“There were a few times when I was out walking my dog and heard that dog barking from that balcony. So, this is something that has been going on. The dog has been left out there multiple times,” the neighbour explains, adding the owner had recently been told not to leave his dog outside.

“You don’t have to resort to putting your dog on a balcony or punishing them in cruel ways. That was just cruel what happened to that dog,” she says.

The City of Vancouver confirms animal control officers were called to the scene.

“Unfortunately, the animal did not survive the fall. The SPCA has taken the deceased dog and is leading the investigation,” says Chief Licence Inspector Kathryn Holm.