K9 Perspective

Editorial:

Pet dogs on farms at risk

FOR this issue there are some concerns that have come to my attention about responsibility towards your pet and companion. I especially have worries about 'farm dogs' - a term many farming families seem to use as an excuse for not keeping their pets safe inside fenced areas. Working dogs are not in this category as they are usually either tied up after a hard day's work, or out working under the supervision of their owner.

But the same rules apply to both farm pets and those in towns or cities - if you don't want your pet run over because it was allowed to stray on to the road, or lost because it strayed too far while chasing 'game' or perhaps it was injured and unable to get home, or even fed on a tasty 'snack' or three on its way past a possum bait station, then you must provide a safe, dog-proof, fenced area where your pets can play safely when you are not supervising them.

How many times have you heard the tearful words after a canine fatality on a country road: "It's a farm dog so it goes where it wants to. The driver should have been more careful!"

In fact the opposite is true - as any schooled driver knows, it is (in New Zealand at least) illegal to swerve to avoid an animal that runs in front of a car. Of course no action would be taken against someone who did swerve on a clear road and manage to avoid a dog on that road. But if, in swerving, a driver caused injury or damage to a following or parked car or person, or if the driver's action caused a following car to run off the road or crash, that driver would be liable.

There is just one message for dog owners, country or city ... you, yourselves, are the only persons responsible for your pets' safety. Is your pet safe?

Following on from that question - if your pet does get onto the road and is injured, how will its injury affect you? If your dog gets cancer, diabetes, cataracts, or any of the many canine illnesses, can you pay for its treatment if it needs an operation or a broken limb set and plastered? Or for ongoing maintenance treatment? In the New Zealand scene today I would estimate that more injured or sick dogs are destroyed because their owners can not afford to have them treated, than dogs who actually die from their injuries.

This is a sad state of affairs but reflects the economic tone of the country. And it is a scenario that can even happen to the human animal!

First, I would hope that low-income owners would put even more effort towards making sure their pet does not wander onto the road - fences can be made or repaired with any type of materials, even river boulders.

What usually happens if you get your injured pet to the vet? Only one service is offered free - and not necessarily by all vets - and that is destruction, so unless your pet is obviously terminal you will spend money for diagnosis - and more money for treatment. The SPCA used to offer a loan scheme for animal treatments, but that has ceased fairly recently as money loaned was often not paid back and too much donated money was being lost to the SPCA's day-to-day requirements. Now, the SPCA also offers only euthanasia free.

For people without ready cash some of the city vets have formed affiliations with finance companies and the required amount can be borrowed short-term. This is quite expensive as far as interest goes, but it works for some.

For others it would pay to take out pet insurance. The premiums on this are not high, and it is just one method of making sure there is money available to help your pet in an emergency. Especially if you have more than one dog.

For the strong-willed the best idea could be to add up what you spend on your dog every year - worm tablets, inoculations, registration, group and club memberships, etc ... and then add an emergency amount of, say $500. Divide the lot by 52 and contribute the resulting amount to your 'dog fund' every week. But don't touch it if you have a large, unrelated bill to pay - you could need the money for your dog next week, or even tomorrow!

Another way to do it would be to set aside your 'dog fund' with an amount weekly until it reaches $500 or $1000 (whatever amount you think will cover your pet sufficiently). After that, keep your fund at that amount by repaying whatever you use from it for vet visits etc. This is your 'float' and you should never violate the requirements of your own funds or use it for other bills.

It is time we all gave a little more thought to the lives of our companions and planned for the possibility of their future illness or injury. Hopefully then, the disgusting record of unwarranted destruction will reduce, then cease. - Elezabeth