Timaru family sad at loss of dog

JOHN BISSET/Timaru Herald

GONE: Riley, 7, and mum Jaimee Broomhall only have a photo to remind them of the black labrador they tried to help.

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Timaru dog breeder Jaimee Broomhall is mystified by the city pound's response to her offer to foster a stray dog.

When a black labrador wandered up her Wilson St drive on Wednesday night, Mrs Broomhall thought she did the right thing when she notified the Timaru District Council and radio stations the next morning.

The dog, about six months old, made an immediate impression on her.

"He had obviously been looked after by somebody. He had been fixed and he was quite obedient," Mrs Broomhall said.

When the pound called her back on Thursday afternoon, Mrs Broomhall, who has bred dogs for four years, offered to care for the labrador while his owner was sought. If an owner was not found, with her breeder's contacts, she already knew of a farm which would adopt him.

Mrs Broomhall said she was told her offer was unusual and would need to be OKed.

When she spoke to the pound again she was told it "might have a possible owner of the dog and could they come and collect him?"

When a council worker arrived and did not find a microchip, it appeared the dog's owner had not been found, and the council still intended to take it to the pound – despite Mrs Broomhall and her husband suggesting they continue to care for it until its owner claimed it. "I thought he [was] obviously not thinking of the welfare of the animal at all."

Mrs Broomhall could not understand why the council would not work with her. "I couldn't understand why he wanted to take the dog out of a nice warm home. It's more money for them to look after than to leave him here. It's just totally selfish."

She was further frustrated when told she could have the dog back in seven days if she paid $100 to cover desexing, microchipping and registration.

Mrs Broomhall said she would have been willing to pay $40 – what she estimated it would cost to microchip and register the dog. She did not see the need to pay for desexing a neutered animal.

Council building and environmental services manager David Armstrong defended the council's approach, saying it was bound by the Dog Control Act.

Once the council was told of the situation, it had to take control of the dog, he said. "The Act puts onus on us to impound dogs and look after them in a certain manner. There's no provision in the act for fostering [animals]. Unfortunately we can't do that."

The Act ensured that if an owner did lose their dog the council would respond in the best interests of the dog. If an owner called and was told to collect their dog from a stranger, they might not be happy. The council's procedure was not to be taken as a reflection on Mrs Broomhall's ability to care for the dog, Mr Armstrong said. "That's not saying this lady wouldn't have done all these things."

Mr Armstrong said the situation was unusual because the dog had been desexed but not microchipped. He was willing to discuss the matter with Mrs Broomhall.

- © Fairfax NZ News