30/03/2022
Do you let your dog roam outside your property boundary?
February and March saw Council receive a higher then usual amount of concerns from the public regarding stray dogs. A large percentage of the dogs roaming were repeat offenders with Council.
Stray dogs can have a terrible effect on the community. While you may think your dog is fine just having a wonder up the street for a sniff and a toilet break, there are consequences and sometimes those consequences are heartbreaking and simply can not be undone. Let's have a look at why it's not safe for your dog to roam outside your property.
😢 Vehicle accidents: Dogs that have been hit by cars account for a very high percentage of pets entering emergency veterinary clinics. Injuries as a result of being hit by a car are often costly to treat, incur overnight clinic stays and some dogs end up with severe disabilities such as limb amputation and eye, jaw and head trauma. Many of these dogs do not survive a vehicle accident. Also remember, if your dog is out and about and is not on a leash, as the owner you can be held responsible for any damages that your straying dog may have caused in the likelihood of a car accident.
😢 Infectious diseases: Is you dog fully vaccinated? Has had their C5 shots every 12 months? Yes? Excellent. But what about those dogs that are not vaccinated? Could they be carrying an infectious disease? More than likely. Some towns can be completely ravenged by the deadly disease Parvovirus. Parvovirus is a horrible disease for a dog to go through. It takes one infected pooch to trott down the street, do its business and then it takes your unrestrained, unsupervised dog to pick it up via stepping through it, sniffing it etc and then transferring the disease around the neighbourhood and back to your yard. Parvovirus can live in the ground for up to two years. As a result every new dog that you bring home has a high chance of picking up the disease.
😢 Parasites: Intestinal worms, fleas and ticks not to mention the dreaded hydatid tapeworm. Intestinal worms such as hookworm and tapeworm cause such ill-health for a dog, not to mention can be passed onto other animals and human beings. Yuck! For those of you who let your dogs wonder down the road and chew on a dead kangaroo carcass, there’s a little protozoan called the hydatid tapeworm. This single celled organism makes its way through the blood stream and into the brain. There is no treatment for the hydatid tapeworm.
😢 Your dog could hurt another animal OR your dog could GET hurt by another animal: You may think your dog is harmless and wouldnt hurt a fly, but what about that other dog which is out as well? Now THAT dog might not be as friendly. Maybe your dog doesn't like cats and disturbs your neighbours cat who is happily sleeping under a tree in its own yard. What would your dog do to the cat if your dog caught it? Does your dog like to chase things, things that jump up and down? Imagine the fear that a wallaby would suffer fleeing for its life while being chased down by your dog. That's not sport. On the flip side your dog could come off secondbest to a large buck kangaroo resulting in some very painful injuries and an expensive trip to the vet. Not to mention the potential for loss of livestock. Farmers have enough to worry about, without your roaming dog having an impact on their livelihood.
😢 Disturbing the neighbourhood: No one wants to pick up someone else's dogs poo in their front garden and nor should they have to pick it up. Even though your dog may be friendly, there are some people out there who simply do not like dogs or are afraid of them. Roaming dogs cause other dogs to bark and some will try to escape to get to your straying dog.
😢 Lost or stolen: Your dog may wonder too far and not know how to get back home. Imagine never seeing your dog again or not be able to get closure for your dogs disapearance. Whose going to answer your children's questions "what happened to our dog?" or "When's our dog coming home?". Some questionably motived people may steal your dog. What happens after? You will never know.
😢 Legal implications: Oh dear, your dog has been impounded by the Council. That means possible impound fees and fines - not fun! Due to the issues with stray dogs, the Government had to write legislation and it's up to Councils to enforce that legislation.
So much can go wrong when you allow your dog to wonder. No one wins. Why take the chance?
