Dog Escapes Continually

[BarbedWire]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-22/houdini-dog-cant-be-contained/7866444

Houdini dog can't be contained, racks up $4,000 in council fines

ABC Coffs Coast By Ruby Cornish

Posted about 4 hours ago

A dog owner is asking his local council to show some flexibility in the way nuisance dogs are dealt with, after clocking up nearly $4,000 in fines.

Justin Brow, of Bellingen in New South Wales, has spent years trying to dog-proof his backyard, but his unusually resourceful kelpie Honey keeps finding new ways to escape.

"She's the canine equivalent of Houdini. And my yard is like Fort Knox," he said.

Mr Brow has attached extra wire barriers to his regular timber fence, reinforced parts of it with corrugated iron, and poured cement along the fence-line to prevent Honey digging holes underneath.

He said no matter what, the dog always managed to get out and roam free.

"There's a feeling I get sometimes, that she turns into smoke and re-forms on the other side of the fence," he said.

"I've had dogs since I was four years old, but this dog is different.

"She'll sit and look, and you can see that she's reasoning, trying to find a weak spot.

"There are times when she's been contained in the enclosed verandah and she's dug up the floorboards."

Mr Brow said Honey's escapes had not gone unnoticed by local authorities, and he was now on a payment plan to help him deal with dozens of fines issued by the local ranger.

"It's become this ongoing war between me trying to contain the dog and the local ranger," he said.

More flexible system needed

Mr Brow said the way the system was set up meant he was always fined before he had a chance to get Honey off the street.

"[The ranger] doesn't do anything about getting her off the streets. He just takes a photo from his car and I get a printout attached to a fine," he said.

"I understand he's got his responsibility, but this is simply revenue-raising.

"He could quite easily give me a buzz and I'd happily come and get her. That would be entirely reasonable.

"There's a different way he could be doing his job, that reflects Bellingen's sense of community."

Bellingen Shire Council general manager Liz Jeremy said in a statement there was a process in place to discuss strategies with dog owners to prevent their pets roaming.

"Most dog owners will voluntarily comply with the legislation and are not usually the subject of any future incidents or complaints," she said.

Where dogs had been declared a nuisance dog, as Honey had, Ms Jeremy said there was a requirement that they be managed more responsibly.

"Generally these dogs have been repeatedly observed to be roaming in a public place," she said.

The council declined to comment on Mr Brow's particular circumstances.

Honey set to be adopted by aged care facility

Mr Brow said the main reason behind Honey's repeated escapes was a desire to socialise, and plans were in the works to make her an official therapy dog at Bellingen's aged care facility, Bellorana.

"She has a really sweet energy and I think as a therapy dog that's perfect," he said.

"She doesn't jump up, she doesn't lick, she'll just sit by someone's side."

He said Honey had already spent a few days at the facility, and the feedback had been positive.

"The doctor told me there had been one guy who had a stroke and couldn't use his hands, and when Honey turned up he started patting her totally normally," he said.

"There's talk of [bellorana] actually adopting her full-stop, though my family will still hang out with her.

"It's going to be a really good outcome."

Edited September 22, 2016 by sarspididious

[Two Best Dogs!]

....to be honest, while I sympathise with his efforts that is not what I would call secure fencing. Look at all those foot holds for a particularly resourceful and athletic kelpie. He is patching escape routes as they happen and really appears to be trying, but the basic fence isn't all that sturdy to begin with

The fines are a bit excessive but I'm glad a payment plan is in order. Ends on a good note though, sounds like he's found more suitable family and job to keep her active and occupied.

...and wish those rangers were out enforcing my local area. They'd raise a lot of revenue around here from all the roaming dogs.

Edited September 22, 2016 by Thistle the dog

[persephone]

LOL - she needs a separate roofed enclosure ..and a JOB !! bet she enjoys all the new escape puzzles her dad makes ....

[Two Best Dogs!]

Oh yeah, I'm sure Honey has been having an absolute blast with her daily puzzles and self-guided walks :laugh:

[Willem]

...once I picked up a straying boxer on our daily walk...checked the collar, and yes, all data there...called the owner who told me whether I could take care for him as he needed 2 hours till he can pick him up. No problem, I thought, and brought the dog to the area aside the house that has an approx. 1.6 m fence ...wasn't a good idea as the boxer cleared it with the first attempt...had to tether him to the post till the owner picked him up...

No, the fence in the picture is definitely not a secure fence if you have a dog that like to escape...

[Little Gifts]

I had a dog that went to extreme measures to escape my small acreage property to simply be with people in my absence. He usually chewed through metal fencing, household doors and walls. He once got his shoulders out one at a time through a heavy metal balcony fence (which couldn't be chewed or bent) and he hung in mid air using his toenails to scratch at the concrete to help him get his back hips through then dropped to the ground and happily trotted off. We resolved it by him never being left home alone. He never wandered the streets - just went from house to house until he found a neighbour that was home and stayed there until he heard my car coming down the hill. And he never wandered between neighbours or even when I was home. Once he found a human to keep him company he stayed put. He always had a doggy friend (his mum) but that wasn't enough.

When I moved to the suburbs it was so much easier to keep him contained. Six foot high timber fence (granted he chewed through rather than scaled fences) with wire attached all around the first 4 foot to deter chewing, concrete edging buried into the ground all around the bottom to stop digging and fencing containing him to only the backyard - no front yard or street access unless he was with me on a leash. There was also secondary fencing along one side of the house (so he had to escape 2 sections) and the other side was all garage. He only ended up at the pound once after I moved there when my sister's ex let him out through the garage (because he was a tosser). He did plenty of property damage trying to escape but he also went to my parents house most days so was rarely alone for more than a couple of hours here and there. And I was more worried about him hurting himself during an escape than ending up at the pound.

[BarbedWire]

I once had a dog that escaped all the time. She used to climb a tree and then go out on a limb over the fence on to the garage roof behind and from there jump to the ground. Hmm, she was a boxer with cat feet who was a fantastic jumper. Once out she used to just hang around as though waiting for my other more sedate dog to join her. The only way I could keep her in was to leave her on the enclosed verandah.

I think the guy in the article has tried and his dog is pretty damned cute.

[mita]

I love how she's been tested as a therapy dog at an aged care home... & did well. I'd imagine the facilities would have good internal security. Problem might be solved by Honey getting a job!

[melzawelza]

That sign in the background is the legislated sign for dogs declared dangerous or menacing in NSW... methinks she is not just roaming while out. If she has been declared she also can't legally be rehomed.

[Pjrt]

That sign in the background is the legislated sign for dogs declared dangerous or menacing in NSW... methinks she is not just roaming while out. If she has been declared she also can't legally be rehomed.

That's what I was thinking! If in fact she has been declared as a dangerous dog I doubt she could be rehome do and surely she supposed to wear a muzzle out and about, and in the nursing home? I get that she's probably not a particularly dangerous dog but roaming in itself can be dangerous, as in cause a traffic accident or frighten kids at a school or such. theres a whole bunch of stuff surrounding declared dangerous regarding containment, social exposure and rehoming and this story seems to go against all of them.

It would be wonderful if Honey can find her place. That fence is way too dodgy.

[melzawelza]

How do we know she's not a particularly dangerous dog? If she has a declaration it means she has attacked. Now, some councils are overzealous and declare dogs menacing when it really isn't necessary (over something quite minor), but we have no way to know if that's the case or if she's seriously hurt another dog or a person while out roaming.

I also hope she finds her place and is able to kept safe and secure, but a declaration is going to make it impossible to rehome her, unfortunately.

Edited September 22, 2016 by melzawelza

[Simply Grand]

I feel for the guy, currently having a Houdini foster dog who I keep inside and who has smashed two windows amongst other things in her escape efforts and easily jumps the full story down to the ground once she's broken the window, but since that she is tethered to my bed now when home alone (I don't like tethering in case they get tangled and injured but I couldn't keep leaving work to go and get her when she got out!) and I'm fund raising for a metal run with floor and roof to go with her to her forever home. If the guy had just bought a run in the first place he could saved himself a lot of money!

[Willem]

That sign in the background is the legislated sign for dogs declared dangerous or menacing in NSW... methinks she is not just roaming while out. If she has been declared she also can't legally be rehomed.

I see this sign on many gates of properties where I know the owner has a very friendly dog or even no dog at all...it serves a slightly different purpose there :) ...

[Rebanne]

I don't feel at all sorry for the guy. He hasn't made much of an effort with that fence and the dog has obviously been out many, many times to rack up that much in fines and be declared a nuisance. I also think the bit about the nursing home was added in to make people feel sorry for him. Reads like he thinks he is above the law, ie ranger should just ring him to come pick up the dog. Wonder what the neighbours think about the dog roaming all around the place? It would be setting off other dogs and peeing and pooping wherever it wanted. Maybe he should move to Canberra where they are happy to have dogs roaming around?

[Papillon Kisses]

I don't feel at all sorry for the guy. He hasn't made much of an effort with that fence and the dog has obviously been out many, many times to rack up that much in fines and be declared a nuisance. I also think the bit about the nursing home was added in to make people feel sorry for him. Reads like he thinks he is above the law, ie ranger should just ring him to come pick up the dog. Wonder what the neighbours think about the dog roaming all around the place? It would be setting off other dogs and peeing and pooping wherever it wanted. Maybe he should move to Canberra where they are happy to have dogs roaming around?

Where's the mic drop emoticon when you need it?

Edited September 22, 2016 by Papillon Kisses

[Lhok]

How do we know she's not a particularly dangerous dog? If she has a declaration it means she has attacked. Now, some councils are overzealous and declare dogs menacing when it really isn't necessary (over something quite minor), but we have no way to know if that's the case or if she's seriously hurt another dog or a person while out roaming.

I also hope she finds her place and is able to kept safe and secure, but a declaration is going to make it impossible to rehome her, unfortunately.

The council that this is in, is pretty laid back as far as dog control is concerned (I live in the next shire over to it). I was wondering why the ranger would just take a photo and then send a bill rather then getting the dog, maybe the sign is the clue to that.

--Lhok

[BarbedWire]

I don't see anywhere that Honey has been declared a dangerous dog. That sign is facing the wrong way if it is supposed to indicate a dangerous dog and I think it is just decoration. Besides surely no-one would be allowing a declared dangerous dog into a nursing home. The article does say that Honey has been declared a nuisance dog which is why she is known to the rangers. I think there is a difference between a dangerous dog and a nuisance dog.

[tdierikx]

If she was indeed a declared dangerous dog, he would have had to have an escape-proof run for her to be in... problem solved...

Rangers are pretty hand-tied with catching unrestrained dogs... apparently the OHS crap is so crippling that they won't actually catch a dog up unless it's completely unavoidable. My council rangers won't come out unless the member of public calling has already contained the dog for them... go figure!

T.

[BarbedWire]

From the Bellingen Shire website

http://www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au/works-services/ranger-services/barking-dogs

Section 21 Nuisance Dogs

(1) For the purposes of this section, a dog is a nuisance if the dog:

(a) is habitually at large, or

(b) makes a noise, by barking or otherwise, that persistently occurs or continues to such a degree or extent that it unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort or convenience of any person in any other premises, or

© repeatedly defecates on property (other than a public place) outside the property on which it is ordinarily kept, or

(d) repeatedly runs at or chases any person, animal (other than vermin and, in relation to an animal, otherwise than in the course of droving, tending, working or protecting stock) or vehicle, or

(e) endangers the health of any person or animal (other than vermin and, in relation to an animal, otherwise than in the course of droving, tending, working or protecting stock), or

(f) repeatedly causes substantial damage to anything outside the property on which it is ordinarily kept.

I would suggest that Honey has been declared a nuisance dog because of clause 1

[melzawelza]

Yep nuisance dog is different to menacing & dangerous dogs. They aren't mutually exclusive though, a dog can be declared both a nuisance dog after lots of escaping and then subsequently declared menacing after an attack.

Those specific signs can only be bought through online retailers that market them exclusively as compliant signs to be used for dogs declared to be dangerous, menacing or restricted in NSW. Anyone can buy them, and maybe that's the case in this situation, but it certainly raises my eyebrows that this is a dog that regularly escapes and has the prescribed signage on the property.

Edited September 22, 2016 by melzawelza