WHILE interstate recently on holidays we received a call from the so-called exclusive Adelaide Hills kennel housing our dog during recent bushfires. The caller said, We are evacuating and leaving your dog behind because we have no emergency contact number. I was then and still am in shock. You cant leave him behind, I pleaded. He could die a horrible death. Still came the same reply, We are evacuating and leaving him behind. We immediately packed the car and raced back home, all the while feeling very distressed with worry for our dog. Eventually all was sorted, but not before many phone calls on the road and much pleading to save our Dobe. This could have been handled much differently. MARK M,
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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
My girls are Misha, Maddy, Morgan and Muffin. RIP Jen, my princess.
RIP Molly, our dear girl who crossed the Rainbow Bridge 24/10/2016. A loyal and faithful companion.
How horrible for you Spook! Not knowing whether your beloved pooch was alive or dead. Yes it could have been handled a lot better. While we did not have an experience as traumatic as your own, we recently returned from a 7 day break and collected our pups from the kennels we have used before. Our pups were recently immunised against kennel cough (dog flu) and yes, they came home with the virus. Apparently the vet told us the vaccination is only good for a few months and really only is effective for reducing the symptoms. Waste of money?? However, they are now slowly recovering.
Spook, I do hope your dog is not too upset by his experience, any traumatic event for a dog leaves a lasting impression on them.
Those people were speaking to you on the phone - why couldn't they have taken the dog with them, after you had given them an emergency number (family or friend) who could collect the dog, from where they took it.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
What this means , I believe, is that if we leave our precious pet in a kennel we need to ask them just what is their disaster plan in relation to saving the animals.
Spook, do you know who/where the kennel was???? cause I'd say this would be one to avoid at all costs. Seems their policy must be "....no responsibility accepted"
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Steve, Di & Ziggy We named our Motorhome "Roadworx" because on the road works "On The Road Again" Ford Transit with 302 Windsor V8 conversion, C4 Auto, 9 Inch Ford Diff All Lighting L.E.D., 260 Amp/h AGM, 530 Watt Solar + Kipor Backup Gen.
Even if there is no emergency like that I will never be leaving mine in a kennel since an experience I (or rather my unfortunate dog) had in FNQ. When I took my blue heeler bitch there to board for a week, they showed me around lovely facilities and said all dogs got to spend time out in a fenced exercise yard and that she would spend only her nights in the concrete floor pen. I took her own bedding to leave with her. When I picked her up it turned out that whoever was doing the daily handling was afraid of blues and she had been left in the pen while they hosed it out with the result that she was soaking wet on soaked bedding and was a shivering wreck. Took her ages to return to her usual friendly and excitable self. The Italian greyhounds I have now are a rather nervy and timid breed to start with, and one was a rescue dog who has been abused, so I don't think they could survive poor treatment in a kennels. Possibly even with good treatment being left with strangers would be too much for them. But then, I'm lucky that if I really have to leave them for a couple of days my son can care for them at their own home where they may get a bit lonely but at least they're confident of their surroundings.
I know there are those who say we shouldn't ascribe human emotions to an animal, but tell me then, what does it mean if I can hear my dogs' mournful howling from the neighbours property 600m away when I've left them home while going out for a cuppa? And what did it mean when I had a bad turn out in the property and my dog sat next to me for half an hour licking me while I recovered enough to get back to the house and call for help? Oh, that's right, many humans don't care that much
-- Edited by HiAce98 on Monday 9th of March 2015 10:42:31 PM
