So who is responsible for a loose dog???

I was walking some clients dogs this afternoon and when I looked up there were 2 huskies trotting up the road, follwed by a police car.  As I had small dogs with me, I dipped into a garden and the dogs went on past.  The police car stopped, I whistled to the dogs and shouted for them to stop as they were heading straight to the main road.  They unfortunately didn't take any notice. The police trailed them on foot to the corner of the road where the dogs had turned right, narrowly avoiding being hit by cars, the officers then sauntered back to their car, drove to the top of the road and turned left!!!

I had some other dogs with me that I needed to take back and low and behold as I turned into the road there were the huskies at the end, trotting in and out of gardens.  I had to wait until the dogs went up another side road and then took my little charges home and called the police.  The police were aware of the dogs and said that the police had left the dogs in sight of the owner?  Not sure how that worked because I was the only person about when the officers got back in their car and headed back towards the station.

I left my little charges and went in search of the dogs, the police still on the phone asking if I could catch sight of the dogs, which I did, I then had them penned in a garden for 30 minutes and the police could not get anyone to assist me or get in contact with the owner. 

I walked back to the van to get some leads and treats and there was a gentleman there who seemed to be looking for something, I asked if he might be looking for the dogs and he was but not because they were his, because they had attacked his poor cat on his driveway.  

The dogs got out of the garden where they had been scavenging and I set off after them again, the man who's cat had been attacked helped me and then his son came along.  I called the police again, still no help.  The dogs got split up as they came out of one of the side roads.  I called the dog warden, thinking that was who would come and help.  I was told that because they are based in Basildon they wouldn't come to Canvey!! 

I now had a bowl full of nature diet and a nervous husky just off the main road in a Doctors car park, some impatient what-sit trying to get in tooted his horn and spooked her and the cat owner and I cage chase as she ran off along the main road.  Thankfully she turned down the next side road and we had her cornered, I got her attnetion with some more food, told her to sit and thankfully she did and I was able to get her on a lead.

We had someone watching the road where we had last seen the other dog so we headed back there in the hopes we could catch that one.  What we didn't know was that there was a derlict house with access into farmland.  There was no sight of him. 

The owners came to collect the bitch just as I was putting her in my van.  I had logged the first call with the police at 2.14pm, it was now 3.39pm!!  I had to go and see to another dog so off I went after exchanging numbers with the owner.

I walked the dog and was on my way home when I saw him in a field so I called the owner and followed the dog but I lost sight of him moments before the owner arrived.  He set off across the fields looking for him and I went back to the garden where we had lost sight of him.  After riding around for another 40 minutes I had to give up and head home.  Thankfully the owner called me about 10 minutes later to say he had found the dog and was on his way home.

A frustrating and harrowing afternoon but I couldnt leave these poor dogs to do more damage or get hurt themselves.  But who should be responsible for stray dogs?  I thought it was the dog warden, but obviously I was wrong unless they are right on their door step.  I thought the police were also supposed to prevent as well as solve problems, these dogs could easily have caused a serious accident, or it may have been more than a cat that they attacked. 

I will be following this up with the council, the police and the newspapers.

February News

Oh how the weather has been cruel to us this month!!  We have got absolutley soaked to the skin and frozen to the bone but we still had fun and some break throughs with the dogs.
Keila, the GSD rescue is relaxing well and totally adores he new owners.  Once he comes to understand her and lets go of the loss of his old dog I think they will be fine.  It;s always tough taking on a rescue, especially if you are a bit too hasty after the loss of a previous dog and this is made even worse if the new dog at all resembles the old one. 
Young Chopper, the Stafford, joined us at the beginning of the month, at 7 months old he is your typical teenager but he adores the girls so we are moving forward with an all female front to start with, then introduce some of the lads when he is less hormonal.  I am sure he will relax once his thinking shifts back to his head  ;-)

Our first Kids class started in January and it has been great fun for all of us.  The kids excelled and at the end of their 6 weeks they showcased all they had learnt in a short routine.  I was so impressed and I think they enjoyed it because they all signed up for another 6 weeks!!