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COLLAR TRAGEDY |
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One dog died and another was injured at Stanpit, Christchurch, in a tragic accident caused by a loose collar. It happened when two golden retriever bitches were being walked at the recreation ground. NFDOG member Sheila Berry, from Christchurch, saw her dog Millie (2) enjoying a romp with 4 year old Lady, owned by Betty Foster, of Mudeford. The dogs and owners often bumped into each other and socialised together. Said Mrs Berry: “The dogs were rolling around and nuzzling each other when suddenly Lady flipped over. Millie started to scream because her bottom jaw had slipped underneath Lady’s leather collar and it was acting like a tourniquet. “Both dogs were fighting to get out of the tangle and we both got bitten trying to help them. But we could not free them. A passer-by arrived with a Stanley knife within a few minutes to cut the collar but it was too late. Lady was dead, apparently strangled. Millie’s mouth was badly grazed but she has made a full recovery. “It was horrendous and one of the worst things that has ever happened to me. I woke up night after night thinking what I could have done differently. “ NFDOG Membership Secretary Penny Gayler said: “ I experienced a very similar thing when I had young dogs play fighting at home. Fortunately, Mulberry was able to bite through the leather collar that was trapping him. That saved him and Tiffany from a similar fate. Since then, none of my dogs wears a collar at home. “However, the Stanpit tragedy happened when the dogs were out and about. I felt there had to be another way to obey the law that says our dogs must wear collars in public, and yet keep our dogs safe from similar incidents. “I have been surfing the web and found something called a ‘break-away’ collar. It was originally patented in America after a similar tragedy and is now available in England. Unlike ordinary collars that may become very difficult to undo when under severe strain, the break-away collar is designed to release if pressure is applied in-line, at an angle or twisted. In all other respects it acts as a normal collar. The only difference is that it has two D rings to which you attach a lead that overrides the break-away feature. “ Penny Gayler added: “Even if you decide to stay with a normal collar, it is important that it fits snugly, allowing one or two fingers, sideways on, between the collar and your dogs neck. A common error is to think that a dog will be able to escape from trouble if his collar is loose. In fact the opposite is true. He is much more likely to get hung up in the first place if the collar does not fit properly. My dogs only wear their collars in the car and on their walks. I take them off the minute we get home and would never leave unattended dogs with collars on.” Mrs Berry said that as a result of the tragedy, she now always takes off Millie’s collar at home. She has another bitch, English Springer Spaniel Meg, and will not risk a similar accident when they play together. “I keep on telling other dog owners about what happened and warn them not to have a loose collar on their pets,” she added. Meanwhile, the good news is that as she gets over the loss of Lady,
Miss Foster has a new golden retriever puppy. She will now only use
a harness rather than a traditional collar and lead. |
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