Dogs' owner faces prison for street attack

The owner of two dogs that savaged and seriously injured a woman could be jailed.
Paul Graham Roberts, 27, pleaded guilty in Hastings District Court yesterday to two charges of owning dogs that attacked and injured Sadee Lewis on February 2.

Ms Lewis, 23, had been walking along a street when the two dogs – an English bull terrier and a bull mastiff cross – began barking at her from the property where Roberts lived.
The court was told that Ms Lewis tried to cross the street to avoid the dogs but they ran through an opening and attacked her in the middle of the street.
Both dogs were found later and destroyed. MORE>> (but not much)

Microchipping law is unworkable

And more opinions...

Picture these two different scenes. One, a little girl playing in an Auckland city park; the other, a high country farmer rounding up a flock of sheep. In the first scene an unleashed American staffordshire terrier savagely attacks the girl, ripping off part of her face. In the second scene the farmer whistles to his huntaway dogs which deftly manoeuvre the sheep and obediently await their next instruction, writes The Marlborough Express in an editorial.
MORE>>

SPCA shelters two dogs shot by air rifles

An SPCA manager suspects the same people are responsible for two dog shootings in Manukau.

The dogs were shot with air rifles in recent incidents in which one canine was left with only one good eye and the other with a wounded groin. "One of the dogs was shot in Flat Bush and the other in East Tamaki," shelter manager Rachel Foster says. "It looks like it's the same people because the areas are so close to each other."

The one-year-old white mixed breed dog was found by a member of the public on February 9 and picked up by an SPCA inspector.
MORE>>

I think that the person who wrote To hell with animal rights. A bullet's the only answer to savage dogs (February 20, 2006 , seen on this blog) that we should shot all dogs that are dangerous, (I mean, we should all carry a gun at all times) would really like this story.

Doggy bags just the latest

And this makes the news!! You've been able to buy bio degradable dog bags for years....

Are these bio degrad dogs? They should have taken a picture of the bags, not the dogs!! Opps, I just saw the bags...

Timaru now has biodegradable bags for doogie doo - but don't expect supermarkets to do away with their plastic bags any time soon. Ashbury Veterinary Clinic has just started stocking the bio-doggy bags.

Clinic manager Ruth Hopkins said they had no idea how popular they would be.
"We got them because they are biodegradable. I am sure there are people out there who would want to use them." A bag of 50 cost $15.

The bags are as natural as a dog's droppings, and were made to decompose in 40 days when placed in a regulated composting environment. Regular plastic takes over 100 years to degrade.
MORE>>

Owners are problem, says dog breeder

Money spent putting microchips into dogs would be better spent on registering owners and ensuring they had training in controlling their animals, Marlborough dog breeder and international dog trialist Ken White says. (hey, that's what I said!!)

"Politicians are using scare tactics as a knee-jerk reaction to recent dog incidents. Putting a chip in a dog isn't going to change its behaviour."

Mr White said the move to extend the chipping to farm dogs defied logic. "Farm dogs are very valuable. Farmers don't let their animals wander and the dogs involved in attacks are often wandering mongrels or family pets who have escaped."

In addition, he said there had to be some doubts about the reliability of the technology being used. (this is something that people don't realise. Microchips come in all different types of machines... Buy shares in those companies..)

MORE>>

Kaikohe dog attacks on the increase

Yet another Kaikohe resident has become the victim of a vicious dog attack while walking home.

Jason Tana, 28, was using his cell-phone when he approached an intersection notorious for an aggressive dog that usually only barks. Unfortunately for Mr Tana, the dog was accompanied by another more menacing companion which attacked him, leaving him with puncture wounds to his leg, wrist and neck.

...

Northland MP John Carter said recent serious dog attacks in Kaikohe and across the district were worrying and urged the Far North District Council to use its authority to act.

"A campaign targeting irresponsible dog owners could be of use, authorities must connect with these people by working with them as well as making tougher laws," he said. Now a politician is making sense... work with the dog owners, instead of the heavy-handed approach of most dog officers?!?

Mobile animal clinic offers desexing

21 February 2006

The SPCA's new mobile clinic has hit the road.
The clinic is designed to encourage the desexing of dogs and cats.

Miss World New Zealand 2006 Kay Anderson sent it on its official way at a ceremony at the SPCA's Auckland animal village in Mangere.

Housed in a specially-designed eight-metre caravan, the clinic will provide free desexing for dogs and cats owned by people who can't afford veterinarian fees.

Educational programmes on the importance of desexing and on animal welfare in general are also planned.

"If more cats and dogs are desexed, we will substantially reduce the need to euthanise unwanted puppies and kittens," says SPCA national chief executive Robyn McDonald. MORE>>

Canine worries

A Turakina Valley farmer says new microchipping legislation for farm dogs is illogical, unresearched and will impose unnecessary costs on farmers.

Mike Webster says farm dogs have never attacked anyone and putting microchips in each working dog is an attempt to "solve a problem that doesn't even exist".

The new requirements have upset farmers.

Taranaki Federated Farmers has threatened that its members will take their farm dogs to Parliament to "piss on the steps".

Other provinces have asked Federated Farmers to support a campaign of civil disobidience which encourages farmers not to register their new dogs.

Mr Webster says farmers are generally law abiding people and they are not known for overt actions but there is an undercurrent of "non-compliance" over this issue.

Federated Farmers says while the chip is only $12, by the time vets' costs are included as well as the cost of running a national data base, it expects the microchipping procedure to cost between $70-100 per dog. MORE>>

Dog destroyed after attack

Flesh around a man's nose was left in shreds after he was mauled by a pit bull dog at the weekend.

The dog was put down yesterday.

Masterton District Council dog control destroyed the dog, which attacked the 66-year-old man early on Sunday. The wounds in the man's face needed 25 stitches.

It was the second dog attack in Masterton in less than a week that has left its victim with the prospect of permanent scarring.

Ranger Craig Robinson said that in the latest attack, a pit bull terrier had charged from a Winslow St house and lunged at the victim's dog as they were walking past the property.

As the man tried to pull the attacking dog off, he was savaged about the face. MORE>>

Nine-year-old mauled by pit bull in Kaikohe

A nine-year-old Northland boy is in hospital with serious injuries after a dog attack in Kaikohe last night.

The boy had his upper body mauled by a pit bull as he was walking down a shared right of way about 5pm, National Radio reported.

Animal control officers caught the dog and intend to prosecute the owner.

Far North District mayor Yvonne Sharp said there had been a number of attacks in the same part of Kaikohe and the council was looking at toughening its bylaws.

(What about dog education, and dog owners classes?... a dog license should come with having to sit a test. Of course, this would mean having more qualified dog trainers around the country. Hey, a whole new industry, sort of)

Many benefits in dog microchips, says vet

Temuka vet Will Wilson is concerned the benefits of microchipping dogs are getting lost in the controversy surrounding Government plans to make the procedure mandatory.

... Mr Wilson came to Temuka from Northern Ireland, where microchipping has been compulsory for some time, and is an advocate of the procedure.

"It is a completely safe and harmless form of permanently identifying animals," he said.

When microchipping dogs became law in Northern Ireland the cost equated to about $50 per animal but was forced down by competition from animal welfare groups and others who set themselves up in the business, and is now about $18.

Mr Wilson expected New Zealand would follow this trend. (hum... not sure as there isn't the population for competition. Kindda like the petrol prices:) )

He questioned the $50-$110 per dog quoted by Federated Farmers in their stand-off with the Government over the cost of complying with the legislation. MORE>>

Dog destroyed after Masterton attack

Flesh around a man's nose was left in shreds after he was mauled by a pit bull dog at the weekend.

The dog was put down yesterday.

Masterton District Council dog control destroyed the dog, which attacked the 66-year-old man early on Sunday. The wounds in the man's face needed 25 stitches.

It was the second dog attack in Masterton in less than a week that has left its victim with the prospect of permanent scarring.

Ranger Craig Robinson said that in the latest attack, a pit bull terrier had charged from a Winslow St house and lunged at the victim's dog as they were walking past the property. MORE>>

Thousands of dollars wasted on farm kill dog food vet nurse

An Alexandra vet nurse says farmers are wasting thousands of dollars each year feeding dogs on farm-kill.

Carmen Hodge, of Central Vets in Alexandra, used five working dogs during a two-month study and overall found dogs performed better on quality dog food.

Farm kill cost $2 a dog, including labour and freezing and kibble dog food was $1.48 a dog.

Ms Hodge said the primary reason for the lower cost was the high level of quality fats and proteins in the kibble (Eukanuba Premium Performance Large Breed was used in the trial) which meant only relatively small amounts were required to be fed.

Ms Hodge said she did the study after seeing the long-term effects of feeding farm-kill to dogs.

These included constipation, twisted stomachs, diarrhoea, poor performance and often fatal injuries caused by the bones.
MORE>>

To hell with animal rights. A bullet's the only answer to savage dogs

AN opinion on an opinion

20 February 2006

By FRANK HADEN
Dogs attacking people should be shot on sight. (So we should all carry guns when we walk our dogs!) As we saw at Tuesday's sentencing of a Papakura woman who sooled her mastiff-cross killers on to police, the recent gutless changes to the dog control laws are not going to make any difference to the frequency and savagery of attacks. (I agree. She got a $400 ticket where as a dog that pissed on a neighbours fence unsupervised gets a $300 fine...hum... Council does need to have a look on how they issue their fines.)

We've become altogether too forgiving, too tolerant of the irresponsible behaviour of many dog owners. (too tolerant? Dog officers aren't)

We read the news report headlined "Boy savaged by dog that pulled him out of tree", nod wisely when we find it was the sixth recorded attack by pitbull- type dogs in New Zealand last month, think comfortably that our own dog would never do such a thing, and move to more entertaining stories. (I don't quite beleive that. More dogs get put down because of an attack. Check out the other dog stories on this blog. 99% of dogs that maul get put down. )

Its not good enough. The only sensible thing is to instruct police to attend all dog attacks fully armed, authorised to shoot first, in the street or anywhere else, and ask questions later. (yup, and lets pledge allegiance to the American flag too! Or why don't we just get the sheriffs from the States to move here. They don't need training, they do just that! )

The latest amendments to the Dog Control Act didn't stop the woman in Papakura, who pleaded guilty to using her dogs as assault weapons. When the officers sent to deal with her retreated and called for reinforcements, they showed how inadequate the new laws are. (yup, I and other responsible dog owners agree. Just like microchipping, the laws are an ass.)

After playing the fool with schoolboyish pepper sprays and wounding one dog, they got a court order to have both of them killed. There should have been no need for court permission. (nah, hell, the next guy that cuts me off at the intersection, I won't just fume, I'll take action. If we can kill dogs on sight, we can kill idiots too. Those are the ones that own the dangerous dogs in the first place)

Never mind the protests a shoot- on-sight policy would provoke from animal rights pressure groups and neighbours upset at their children seeing the executions. Police should make pre-emptive strikes as soon as they know there has been a dog attack.

No one should be allowed to own dangerous dogs. (Remember, dogs don't come dangerous, it's the owners that are dumb and eventually dangerous to themselves!) The latest laws went some way toward restoring order to the community by creating a category of "menacing dogs" that have to be muzzled in public, but there are no satisfactory arrangements for enforcing the rules. (yup, and when I submitted to Parliment about these new dog laws, I actually called for Dog Education. I even told them that Victoria, Australia has been successful with their programme. Why reinvent the wheel.. Did they listen? )

The trouble comes from leaving enforcement in the hands of voter- sensitive local councils. (wrong)

The laws say the councils "may" declare a dog a menace once they have established it poses a threat, but "may" is not good enough. Councils should have no option. They already have no option about proclaiming an animal a menacing dog if it is an American pitbull, dogo Argentino, Brazilian fila or Japanese tosa.

At this point, however, the lawmakers lose their nerve. After stipulating that a dog classified as menacing must wear a muzzle, they leave it up to council officers to decide whether or not it should be neutered. (I think that all males that display ANY violence should get neutured too. Our prisons might empty out a bit. And we might prevent violence too. ) And if it is not neutered it is certain to be used for the lucrative business of breeding. ( lucrative?... when you only have 'official' breeders, then ya get into trouble. )

The other day, as I walked along thinking how nice it would be if I were allowed to carry a weapon to defend myself against onrushing dogs, I was astounded to see, stuck in a shop window, a photograph of red-eyed little monsters. The picture was offering pitbull pups for sale. Did you know that most dog attacks come from Labradors? YES! those sweet little pet dogs.

The damnable things are in the country because of the pigheaded refusal of a previous National administration to bow to widespread representations and ban them. Now the present government is doing nothing to stop them breeding more generations of child- rippers. Pitbulls are getting a bad rape lately, but if you think of those dogs, would you let your little Bichon play with a pitbull? Would you walk on the other side of the road when you see a pitbull? If so, how do pitbulls get socialised? As with all breeds of animals (including children), playtime is a learning time. Without playtime, you get an unsocial dog. I personally don' t like pitbull-type dogs especially when my own dog got attack by one. However, I do know that dogs will be dogs, and it was an unfortunately accident. (thankfully my dog still greets dogs, but has a weery eye on pitbull looking dogs. )

Today's lawmakers also lack courage when they allow everyone to simply carry a leash when taking dogs for a walk. That's a waste of time. As soon as you give people walking dogs the right to unhook them and carry the leash, any protection the public might have had evaporates. (you are obviously NOT a dog owner, nor do you understand dog behaviour)

Similarly, the law says dangerous dogs can get about in public if they stay on a leash. This shows an incredible lack of common sense in the legislators. If dogs are dangerous, they have no business being anywhere but in secure enclosures at all times. (now you are showing your ignorance about dogs...)

Some dogs are just about as dangerous as lions and tigers, and no one suggests giving zoo authorities or circus owners any option about keeping their big cats locked up. The new laws also hesitantly leave it to councils to decide whether to disqualify people from owning a dog if they commit offences under the Dog Control Act. hesitantly?? nah, they don't hesitate. You haven't spoken to one lately, have you? Dog control officer tell lies. They tell you it's just a warning, then you receive a fine through the mail the next week. And you wonder why there is civil disobediency...

Such miscreants should be disqualified automatically.

There is some encouragement in the regulation that from July this year all newly registered dogs, and all dogs classed as menacing, must have transponder microchips implanted under the skin between their shoulder-blades. These miniature receiver-transmitters will enable central databases to keep track of all dogs.

We must hope the government sticks to its uncertain principles in the face of opposition from lobby groups such as Federated Farmers, who say microchipping is a waste of time and they don't want the country's farm dogs subjected to it. What does microchipping have to do with menacing dogs?

# If the politicians can't bring themselves to ban menacing dogs outright, they should at least write into their control legislation guarantees that it will be enforced. If you got a fine for every yellow light you ran through, the police wouldn't have enough time to catch burglars! They could start by deleting all those lily-livered phrases about what "may" be done. Life isn't black or white. MAY we live in the grey!
frankhad@xtra.co.nz

Putting on the dog at new expo

Ann Bennett's dogs are no ordinary canines. Koru the labrador and Timba the curly coated retriever surf the waves and ride on jetskis at Waihi Beach on summer weekends.
"The dogs just love the water. They even have their own little doggy lifejackets," the Papatoetoe kindergarten owner says.

The canny canines put their water skills to the test this weekend in the Purina SplashDog competition at the Greenlane Pet Expo.

Dogs compete in a long jump into water during the event.
"I've seen the American event on Sky Sport and I've thought I'd so love for my dogs to be part of that," Mrs Bennett says.

SplashDogs is big in the United States and this weekend's event is its debut in New Zealand. MORE>>

Vet's kiss of life fails to save dog

A Levin woman is praising emergency services and a local vet for their efforts to try to save the life of her dog, which died in a house fire.
The five-year-old bichon frise-poodle cross, Benjie, died after being given CPR and oxygen at the Kawiu Rd property yesterday afternoon.
"The vet even tried mouth-to-mouth to save him," owner Deborah McDonald said.
The house, which was empty at the time except for Benjie, received extensive smoke and fire damage.

Dogs decimate mob

Balclutha couple have been left reeling after their mob of breeding ewes were killed in a frenzied dog attack last week.

Colin and Alison Ward's ewes were attacked last Thursday night, on their 1.8ha semi-rural lifestyle block at the northern end of the town in Essex St.
Thirteen ewes from a mob of 18 were killed in the attack, with four injured so badly they had to be destroyed.

Some of the mob had belonged to the couple's grandchildren who had reared them as pets.
Mrs Ward said her husband made the grisly find on Friday when he went to check the stock after work. He returned home deeply shocked, she said. "I actually thought he'd had a heart attack – he was perspiring and shaking." MORE>>

Dog day afternoon at the SPCA

Canine companions dressed up and donned blue bandannas on Sunday at the SPCA Open Day in Mangere.

The open day, which attracted more than 2500 people, doubled as a Dog Reunion for adopted dogs and their SPCA attendants.

Throughout the past 10 years the Auckland SPCA has found homes for almost 10,000 dogs. Event coordinator Craig Montgomery was pleased about the number of past adoptees at the event. MORE>>

Councils deplore proposals for dog microchips

South Canterbury's three district councils are opposing microchipping of dogs, with one mayor stating his council will not "go out of its way to enforce it". (YES!!)

Their comments follow on from South Canterbury farmers who suggested earlier this week their national organisation Federated Farmers mount a civil disobedience campaign and direct farmers to ignore the microhipping law unless working farm dogs were made exempt.

Waimate District Council mayor John Coles said his council "strongly opposed" the new legislation and would be prepared to join forces with Federated Farmers to put their case to the Government.

Mr Coles will be attending a zone five meeting next week, for local bodies from the Waitaki River up to the top of the South Island. At his meeting he plans to re-raise the issue of dog chipping.
MORE>>

Editorial: Microchip madness

The Government had better beware, the workers of the land are mobilising. Shades of French farmers blocking highways, upending trucks, burning cars. Escargots and onions at 50 paces. Well, not quite, but it is true to say Kiwi cockies are mighty upset over plans to microchip dogs. And rightly so.

It is a nonsense to suggest that litters of dogs down on the farm be given the expensive implants. What would that solve? Would it stop one single dog attack, one single incidence of stock being worried? It is not as if a microchipped dog can be suddenly beamed up into the sky as they lunge at a target, or dealt some debilitating blast. In any case, how many serious attacks by farm dogs are we talking about? South Canterbury Federated Farmers meat and fibre producers chairman Alistair Young says none, and he is probably not far off the mark.

MORE>>

Raceday to boost guide dog funds

A new house roof will be auctioned at the Winton harness meeting on Friday.

Marshall Industries Ltd, of Invercargill, has donated the colorsteel roof and all proceeds from the auction will be given to the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind guide dog services.
The auction is scheduled to begin soon after the last of nine races at 5.50pm.

The first 500 people on course to give a donation to the guide dog services will receive a blue cap. Every cap has a number that could win a prize. MORE>>

Farmers oppose microchipping

South Canterbury farmers want their national organisation to tackle the Government head-on, and issue a directive to farmers to ignore the microchipping of dogs law that comes into effect on July 1.

"Farmers are sick and tired of forever being told what they can and have to do. It is time for some militant action," South Canterbury Federated Farmers meat and fibre producers chairman Alistair Young said yesterday.

(...) "Micro-chipping is an added cost that is unnecessary. There is no evidence that any serious dog attacks on humans have ever been done by a farm dog.

"Our main gripe is the dogs that are causing the problem generally are not registered anyway and they do not come off farms."

Micro-chipping is estimated to cost between $50 to $110 per dog and for a litter of working dogs can cost between $500 and $600 of which only one could prove to be any use on the farm, he said.

MORE>>

Crackdown warning to owners after spate of dog attacks

An increase in dog attacks in Otaki has prompted a warning to the owners of aggressive and uncontrolled dogs.

In the latest attacks, a woman fended off a pit bull terrier-cross dog with a stick on State Highway 1 when it attacked her doberman, a bull mastiff chased a cyclist at Otaki Beach and a German shepherd savaged and killed a neighbour's rabbits.

for more of the same. I don't see anyone seeking solutions, except for fines, and more fines.

She's all right, Jack

Daisy the dog should be dead.Firefighters from two volunteer brigades searched for her in dense bush at Piha to no avail.

But another dog eventually led rescuers to the labrador-staffordshire cross whose broken chain was tangled in thick foliage.

Animal Welfare officer Malcolm York says Daisy could have died from dehydration if left any longer.

It was his search and rescue dog Jack, an animal used to locating missing people, that saved the day.

"Jack is not trained to find other dogs," Mr York says. MORE>>

Spook appeal lost but owner fights

Spook the dog just refuses to roll over and die.

The bull terrier – facing a death sentence for biting a woman and another dog – lost an appeal in the High Court at New Plymouth yesterday.

But owner Michael Cooley said he was now considering another legal appeal, and even a private prosecution against witnesses he said had perjured themselves. (Why I do somehow believe him??)

Council enforcement officer Lloyd Crow said now the appeal had been dismissed, the council would come looking for Spook.

"Let's face it, there is still the destruction order that has been put out, so we owe it to the community to make sure that is carried out," he said
MORE>>
___________________________________
An opinion article below:

Spook's minders are making fools of the council and the court system, says the Taranaki Daily News.

It is no doubt very amusing for those associated with this dangerous dog to play evasive games and to accumulate a mounting list of charges and penalties – and, of course, it delays the eventual day of reckoning – but the sport is damaging the authority and public credibility of the local government and the judiciary.

The saga is encouraging the very people who should be discouraged from owning untrained and unfenced animals, and is disheartening for neighbours and entire communities who expect dog owners to abide by the law and society's expectations. (Ya, and even those are penalised!)

The five-year-old bull terrier-cross, Spook, has attacked two people and another dog in the last three years – two of the incidents happening in the street outside the owner's Waitara home.
The most serious attack, on January 6, 2005, was against a neighbour who had visited Spook's home property to sell potatoes. (I guess we now phone our neighbours, hein?)

It resulted in Nigel Halliday admitting a charge of owning a dog that attacked and bit someone, causing injury, and his being fined $400.

Since then, the case has ballooned to nine court appearances by two different people identified as the dog's owners – and two others who might have been at various convenient times – and several charges, all but one of which have been proven and upheld. MORE>>

Woman struck dead after chasing pet across road

A woman killed after being struck by a car near her home on Auckland's North Shore when she was trying to help her dog has been named.

Oh Young Ok, 49, a Korean national, died after the collision at the intersection of East Coast Road and Aberdeen Road in Castor Bay about 9.10am.

Constable Blair Atkinson, of the North Shore Police serious crash unit, said Mrs Oh had just pulled out of her driveway on East Coast Road when she spotted her dog near the road.
Worried that the dog may be in danger from traffic, she stopped her car and got out and was struck by a southbound vehicle. more>>

How sad...

Kenyans grateful for protein supplements

Starving children on Rusinga Island in Africa's Lake Victoria have accepted the controversial donation of New Zealand protein supplements which stirred controversy over perceptions they were being offered dog food.

Residents of Rusinga Island in Nyanza yesterday said the donation from New Zealand would "make a difference in the lives of helpless children", the East African Standard newspaper reported in Nairobi.

Members of Rusinga Development Forum defended New Zealand dog food manufacturer Christine Drummond from criticism over her offer to donate 42 tonnes of supplements, describing it as "a noble gesture". MORE>>

Nice to see that some people appreciate kind gestures and are willing to help the needy...
Articles about this appear on this blog.

SC campaign to take the menace out of mutts

Teaching young children about dogs and how to behave around them is soon to be a part of primary school activities, thanks to an initiative by the Timaru District Council.

The council's new Dogsafe campaign focuses on teaching young children the areas of danger that contact with dogs can present, as well as providing tips on how to interact with the animals in a non-threatening manner.

(...) "By introducing this programme at the primary school level, it is anticipated that the children will pass the message on to their parents," Mr Vince said.

The Dogsafe package is based on the highly successful Christchurch City Council educational package, but is tailored for the Timaru District. It involves a 30 to 40- minute presentation by an experienced dog control officer and includes training on dog behaviour, how to be safe around dogs, "and lots of little treats for the children". MORE>>

From what I read, it still doesn't stack up to the initiative in Victoria, Australia.

End of the line for 47 dogs at pound

Forty-seven dogs have met their end at the Timaru District Council pound over the last six months.

Higher pound fees are thought to be contributing to the number of dogs destroyed, as owners make the call on how much their pet is worth to them.

In the last six months of 2005, 275 dogs were impounded, and while 115 were collected by their owners, 47 – or 17 per cent – were destroyed.

(...) Of the 714 dog complaints received, 130 were about a dog wandering, 188 about a dog being lost by its owner, 159 about a dog being found by a person, and 105 about a barking dog.
MORE>>

It is interesting to note how the city council classess a COMPLAINT. Is a complain about a dog being found?? or a lost dog?? is THAT a complaint??

Dogs' bloody carnage shocks family

A single hind leg was all that remained of one of Cassidy and Ethan Brindle's six pet rabbits mauled by dogs in Gillies Ave.
Kelly Brindle is angry and frustrated that dogs mauled his children's pet rabbits and it's the third time it's happened. "The kids were gutted," he says.
"Especially being the third time, we wonder if there's any point getting any more."
He works night shift and found the dead rabbits about 6.30am on Thursday.
"They wrecked the hutches to get at them," Mr Brindle says.
The wire on one hutch has been caved in and the metal roof twisted and broken. MORE>>

Ya know when Parliament is still on vacation when newspapers have a great big story about a dog eating a rabbit...

It'll be a dog's day

Whenever Allan McKernan digs in his pockets for spare change, he usually comes out with a handful of cat biscuits instead.

The biscuits are rewards for kelpie canine, Athena, 3, who will be competing with the 75-year-old Green Island resident in the dog handling at the Masters Games, this weekend.

Age categories for dog handling based on the handler's age, not the dog's start at 35 years, and McKernan will be competing in the over 55 years section.

McKernan and Athena will be competing in the flygility, agility and cross country events, although this year McKernan said he had down-graded from the long to the short cross country.

Flygility involves the dog ... more>>

Dogs' bloody carnage shocks family

A single hind leg was all that remained of one of Cassidy and Ethan Brindle's six pet rabbits mauled by dogs in Gillies Ave.

Kelly Brindle is angry and frustrated that dogs mauled his children's pet rabbits and it's the third time it's happened.

"The kids were gutted," he says.

"Especially being the third time, we wonder if there's any point getting any more."

He works night shift and found the dead rabbits about 6.30am on Thursday.

"They wrecked the hutches to get at them," Mr Brindle says. more>>

What I don't understand is... how do 'they' get these stories. I mean..really. So your pet rabbit died. Get over it, and build a bigger cage?!

"Oh those nasty nasty dogs. I'll ring the Press and tell them all about it because they like nasty dog stories??!" family thinks.

The dogs have teeth - unlike law

It's an event that happens with predictable regularity. (doglinks editor: ?!?! predictable regularity??) Innocent folk going about their business being mauled by dogs not under control of their owners.

It has happened for decades, but vicious breeds that have become popular in recent years have accentuated the problem.

Last week a young woman walking through Flaxmere was mauled by two mongrels. What was supposed to be a brisk walk to her cousin's house ended in a vicious attack for 23-year-old Saydee Lewis on Thursday afternoon.

Dog control laws were tightened .... read more>>

Doglinks' editor says:

Answer me this question, and you'll see why dogs go unsocialised. Ifyou were walking your cute dog and encountered a pitbull-looking typeof dog, would you allow your dog to come close to it or would youswitch sides of the street?

Now answer this one. If you owned a pitbull-looking type dog and dogowners didn't want their dogs to socialise with your dog, how do youteach your pitbull-type dog "dog manners"? Only dogs can socialiseother dogs. The scenario finishes with the pitbull-looking dog locked away in thebackyard because the dog owner is too afraid of taking him out for awalk because his dog is now unpredictable. This dog escapes, as boreddogs do. You finish the scenario.

The last question is: Would you trust your dog to escape and have thedog manners necessary to walk the streets sniffing and marking theirterritory and walk back home? If you answer no, find a dog trainerreal quick.

Couple turn to expert after dog dies at vet

A couple is seeking an overseas expert's help after a two-year battle with the Vet Council whom they believed whitewashed the circumstances of their dog's sudden death during surgery.

Angus and Caroline McDonald's yorkshire terrier Bobby died in February 2003 after going to a Wellington vet for a routine dental clean.

The Waikanae couple has since spent about $20,000 in lost earnings and costs fighting the council after complaining.

The couple was at first told by the council that it could not understand how Bobby died and found no specific factors that would have led to his death.

The McDonalds believe Bobby's heart was not monitored and his drug dosage was too high. They believe a letter from the council to the vet, which raised concerns about the drug dosage, was underplayed in a letter to them.

Vet Council registrar Julie Haggie said the McDonalds' complaint was dealt with fairly and thoroughly. She was "very sorry" Bobby had died, but there was no way to confirm the issues raised by the McDonalds had contributed to his death. more>>

Dog food not for children - producer

Mighty Mix dog food will never be sent to starving Kenyan children, says its producer Christine Drummond.

The Canterbury businesswoman who founded the Mighty Mix dog food company in Blenheim in 1992, said incorrect reporting of her offer to send protein supplements ? not dog food ? to an orphanage in Kenya had embarrassed New Zealand and offended Kenya.

But it's an ill wind that blows no good and the flurry of publicity following that "confusion" has opened up a "huge, huge export opportunity" for Mrs Drummond, who is now developing a product to meet a newfound demand.

She said the supplement she had sent to Kenya as a sample was made from ingredients supplied by an Invercargill meat company and a Christchurch mussel company and had never been used in her dog food, a natural product she developed after being snowed in with her dogs while farming at Kekerengu.

Recent reports saying she planned to send that dog food to starving children in Africa have induced a barrage of criticism, including comments from the Kenyan Government, which called the suggestion insulting. MORE>>

Dog Chipping Won’t Stop Dog AttacksFriday,

Press Release: Federated Farmers 3 February 2006

A recent spate of dog attacks has highlighted the idiocy of the government’s plan to microchip all dogs, said Charlie Pedersen, President of Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc). All dogs first registered after July 1, 2006, must be implanted with a microchip.

"Contrary to the government’s claims, microchipping will do nothing to stop dog attacks,”Mr Pedersen said. “Rather than aid identification of dogs that attack, the added cost of microchipping will further discourage people from registering their dogs -- increasing non-compliance. "Microchipping dogs, especially farm dogs, is a waste of time and money. It will do nothing to lower the incidence of dog attacks.

“If farmers were to comply with this foolish legislation, more than 60,000 farm dogs would need to be chipped each year at a cost of $3-$7 million,” Mr Pedersen said. “This week we had three media reports of attacks, but microchipping would not have made a difference in preventing the attack or bringing the owners to justice. “The government should abandon its ill-conceived law to impose microchipping,” Mr Pedersen said.
ENDS

MP queries dog rangers' conduct

National MP John Key has asked Rodney mayor John Law to investigate the conduct of council dog-control staff.

Mr Key says the staff members' behaviour could be considered "unfair and completely over the top".

But animal control and bylaws manager Wayne Knightbridge rejects that.

"Our officers work in difficult circumstances at times," Mr Knightbridge says. "Often when they are investigating a dog attack the owners are in an emotional state and can be difficult and uncooperative."

Council lawyers are considering a claim Brian Stokes made, which North Harbour News reported in December. Mr Stokes is seeking about $30,000 for costs incurred in defending a case brought by the council that would have resulted in his dog's destruction.

Mr Key has raised another case, relating to a poodle named Piper with the mayor.

"It would appear the owners have had a raw deal," Mr Key says. "It seems that the way they have been handled is unfair and over the top."

Piper's situation arose in September, after owner Janet O'Keefe sent a $94 cheque for the dog's registration. The cheque was returned because Mrs O'Keefe had not provided her date of birth.

Ya gotta read the rest of the article... What I suspected all alone with these Dog Officer who seem like the are wanna-be cops

Policeman hides his dog after attacks

An Otaki policeman spirited his bull mastiff dog away after being told it could be destroyed for twice savaging a neighbour's pet.

Barbara Growcott is angry that the officer was able to save the dog's life by sending it back to its breeders – despite attacks that nearly killed her yellow labrador Blue.

"I am outraged that the owner, who happens to be a police officer, has not been made accountable for the vicious attacks on my dog," she said.

In the first attack on November 12, Blue was bitten repeatedly on the shoulder outside the police officer's home. Mrs Growcott was at work at the time and an elderly man was walking down the road with Blue.

"The dog rushed out and ripped into Blue when the owner opened the gates. I pulled them apart, the owner put the dog back behind the gates and drove off, and I took Blue home," a neighbour, who saw the attack, said.

Eight-year-old Blue suffered multiple bite marks and abscesses and needed surgery, stitches and drainage tubes. But less than a month later, on December 7, he was again mauled by the bull mastiff – which chased the labrador into Mrs Growcott's kitchen.

"I went out to the kitchen and saw the bull mastiff and a dobermann, which lived at the same address, standing there. The bull mastiff saw Blue and started attacking him.

"I was so petrified I ran into my bedroom, scared I was going to be set upon as well, and rang 111. When I went back out to the kitchen the two dogs had gone and there was blood and flesh splattered all over the walls and floor." more>>

Dog food destined for starving children

Canterbury woman's plan to send powdered dog food to starving Kenyan children has not been given the thumbs up by Oxfam New Zealand.

A shipment of 6000 emergency packs of dog food mixture is bound for Rusinga Island on Kenya's Lake Victoria as part of a relief effort for the area's starving children.
Christine Drummond, founder of Mighty Mix dog food, said she was working with a Kenyan aid agency to provide the raw ingredients for a special nutritional food.
A shipment is due to leave Lyttelton in March.

But the scheme has failed to get the thumbs up from at least one international aid agency.
Drummond said the relief food, called NZ's Raw Dry Nourish, used the same ingredients as Mighty Mix dog food biscuits. more>>

CHECK OUT the CARTOON about this

Kenya upset by 'dog food' offer

A Canterbury dog-food manufacturer's plan to send food to starving Kenyan orphans has sparked outrage and offence in the troubled country.

Mount Somers woman Christine Drummond cooked up a plan to send nutritional supplements to drought-stricken parts of Kenya.

Her supplement is based on a formula similar to that used for her Mighty Mix dog food.

The plan, reported in the Press last week, has met with disgust in Kenya, with Government officials branding the proposal unacceptable.

In Kenya and other parts of Africa, dogs are considered unclean, and to call someone a dog is among the highest of insults.

Drummond's plan was widely reported in Kenyan newspapers, including national newspaper the Daily Nation, which quoted Kenyan Government spokesman Alfred Mutua. He said that any food aid must be up to standard.

"Kenyan children are not in such shortage of food to resort to eating dog food," he said.
more>>

Double dog attack puts woman in Hawke's Bay hospital

A woman is in Hawke's Bay Hospital after being attacked by two dogs this afternoon.

Acting Sergeant Andrew Clinton said the 23-year-old woman suffered puncture wounds to her legs in the attack at about 1.30pm today.

The dogs attacked the woman as she was walking along Ramsey Crescent in Flaxmere, Hastings.

Mr Clinton said several nearby residents intervened and managed to scare the dogs away.

Both dogs, described as mongrels, were later found at separate locations by police and seized by animal control officers. more>>

Attack terrifies dog's owner

A dog was taken to a vet bloodied and sullen after it was attacked by a bull terrier under the control of children in Palmerston North yesterday.

Jennifer Cossar was walking her golden labrador Monty on a walkway behind John F Kennedy Drive when the other dog crossed a steep drain and attacked about 11am, Sergeant Jeff Veale of Palmerston North police said.

The bull terrier was on a chain but was being looked after by two boys aged about 12, he said.
"The offending dog has seen the victim dog and just pulled out of the boys' hands, jumped across the river and had a go at the labrador."

Mrs Cossar broke her finger in an attempt to separate the dogs and was taken to hospital by ambulance. Monty suffered cuts to his ear and legs and spent most of yesterday receiving veterinary treatment, Mrs Cossar said. more>>

Dead kiwi prompts plea from Mayor

The mayor of Far North District, Yvonne Sharp, has urged dog owners to keep their pets under control after her husband found a juvenile kiwi weighing less than 400 grams lying dead near their home at Opito Bay on Wednesday.

Puncture marks on its chest suggested the kiwi had been killed by a dog and this was later confirmed by Department of Conservation scientists. "We felt quite devastated when John found the little fellow as it sounded like there were two of them right down in the bay the night before which was just fantastic.

"We live in a very special area and while I appreciate the companionship that dogs offer it is possible to enjoy your pet and protect our NZ icon," she said. more>>