Dogs

Overview

Anti-barking collars act as a deterrent for barking dogs.

Details

Anti-barking collars are very sophisticated and deliver a very humane, even gentle, stimulation to the pet to eliminate unwanted barking behaviours.  As the name implies, these collars deliver a mild electrical stimulation which starts at a low level and automatically increases if the dog does not stop barking.  Once the dog stops barking, the collar automatically drops down a level.  

The stimulus is triggered by the vocal chords and is incredibly easy to use. Your dog quickly learns to avoid the nuisance barking and modifies his behaviour accordingly. Many customers and veterinarians have reported that dogs become more content with their surroundings. Bark control collars will assist you in training.

Who to Contact

Anti-barking collars are available for purchase at the following locations:-

Online:-

• Pet Control (Authorised Pet Safe Distributor) www.petcontrol.com.au or phone 1300 720 910
• Innotek Australia, www.innotek.com.au or phone 1800 786 608

Locally:-

• Tracys Pet Grooming, 110 Eighth Avenue Home Hill or phone 4782 2468

For any other queries in relation to this matter please contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07) 4783 9800 or email

Overview

All dogs bark, but some barking dogs become a real neighbourhood nuisance – greatly reducing the quality of life for their neighbours and increasing neighbourhood tensions. Barking dogs is the most common animal behaviour problem Council is asked to deal with. Ongoing barking is often a symptom of another problem, and taking time to understand what makes dogs bark – especially your pet or other dogs in your neighbourhood – is the first step towards solving this problem, both for the dog involved and your neighbours.

Details

Why Dogs Bark:

• Often bark when they are lonely
• Separation from an owner
• Boredom and frustration
• Seeking attention
• Fear of people, objects or other dogs
• Threat to territory
• Some breeds have a reputation for barking

You Can Control Barking:

• Walk your dog to relieve boredom
• Provide stimulants such as balls and chew toys
• Leave a radio on or leave one of your old shoes
• Give your dog a bone when you leave the house
• Construct a fence designed to restrict your dog’s vision
• Obedience training and discipline

Excessive Barking:

• 7am-10pm no more than six minutes of noise in any hour
• 10pm-7am no more than three minutes of noise in any 30-minute period
• Excessive barking is an offence and Council staff will respond to reported barking problems. Initially, the owner will receive an administrative letter.
• If the problem continues and further complaints are reported, the Council will investigate.

My Neighbour’s dog barks – what can I do?

Talk to your neighbour as soon as the problem arises. They may not be aware that their dog is barking or that their dog’s barking is bothering you.

Give your neighbour information and if the barking persists after a week or two, speak with your neighbour again to provide feedback.

If your neighbour is unapproachable, or does not agree that a problem exists, you should contact Concil for further advice.

Council investigation

Excessive barking is an offence and Council staff suggest that if you believe a barking problem exists in your immediate neighbourhood and the above options have not worked out, Council can be called on to investigate a barking dog to see if the barking is excessive. Initially, the owner of the dog will receive an administrative letter and barking dog information sheet.

If the problem continues and further complaints are reported, the Council will investigate. The cooperation of the dog owner will be sought to stop the nuisance. If noise continues, you will be asked to keep a diary of dates and times when the dog barks. You must be able to confirm that it is that particular dog which is barking. If the barking persists, Council officers will conduct a survey of other homes in the area to gather additional evidence. People who are affected by the barking must be willing to testify under oath in an open court of the existence of a nuisance and be able to identify the animal causing the nuisance.

Council is responsible for ensuring the welfare of the general community and, if your dog’s barking is found to be creating an ongoing nuisance, you may have to remove your dog from the property. Irresponsible owners who fail to comply with Council recommendations will face significant penalties including infringements fines.

Council staff can help you with barking problems in the community so that you do not have to suffer the nuisance caused by dogs that make too much noise.

Who to Contact

To report a barking dog…

Please contact the Customer Service Centre using the Online Contact Form.

You can also contact the Customer Service Centre using one of the following methods.

Overview

Council may declare your dog ‘dangerous’ and/or ‘menacing’ if it has attacked a person or animal, or repeatedly threatened to attack. Should your dog be declared dangerous and it continues to cause problems the Council will take such legal action to prosecute you for failure to comply with the notice. The person who your dog attacked or worried can also take civil action for physical or psychological damage.

Details

Once your dog is declared ‘dangerous’ and/ or ‘menacing’ strict controls apply. First and foremost you must apply for a Dangerous and/or Menacing Dog Permit for which a fee applies. In addition to the Dangerous and/or Menacing Dog Permit the applicable registration fee also applies. You then must comply with the folllowing conditions:-

• Restrain the dog when on your own land by a suitable fence or enclosure to prevent it from attacking any person or animal;
• Erect signs on your property, within 48 hours of receiving the Dangerous Dog Notice, saying ‘Beware of the Dangerous Dog’ in white lettering not less than twelve (12) millimetres in height with black background placed so as to be easily seen by persons entering the premises;
• Leash your dog at all times when outside your property (there are no exceptions) and have it muzzled to prevent biting;
• Ensure your dog is securely held by means of a collar and leash by a person over 16 years of age (only one dog to be held by this person at one time);

If you do not follow these requirements, or if your ‘dangerous’ dog attacks a person or animal on or outside your property you may be fined and face legal costs. Further the dog may be seized and an order issued for it to be destroyed.

Fees

The cost of a Dangerous Dog Pemit comprises of permit processing plus supplied peripherals such as the dangerous dog collar and warning sign.

Who to Contact

For further information contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07) 4783 9800 or email

Overview

Being bitten or attacked by a dog can produce serious physical, psychological and emotional effects, not only for the person who is attacked but also for the owner of the attacking dog.  Even if the victim is not bitten, the threat of the attack can cause lasting trauma. Think how you would feel if you were the victim?

Details

Aggressive dogs are often a sign of irresponsible ownership.  Pet owners are always responsible and leagally liable for the actions of their animals.  Aggressive animals have no place in public areas unless under close and direct supervision.  If your dog is aggressive towards or attacks a person or animal under the general law, you may be liable through civil action for any injury/damage to a person or animal as a result an attack by your dog. Also, under the Local Laws you are liable in the following ways if your dog attacks:-

• Be made liable for any injury to a person or animal or damage to clothing, whether or not you are at fault;
• Be fined up to $15,000.00 and be ordered to take additional steps to control your dog (such as fencing your property effectively;
• Have your dog declared “dangerous” or “nuisance”;
• Be ordered to have your dog destroyed; and
• Be ordered to apply for a permit to keep a Dangerous Dog.

All dog owners hope their pet won’t show aggression towards other animals or people, but it can and does happen for many reasons.  Tips for responsible ownership of your dog and to ensure your dog is never put in a situation where it might become aggressive follow these tips:-

• Always supervise children around dogs. Dog play can become rough and may sometimes result in a bite. Constantly monitor your children when a dog is around and never leave babies or young children alone with a dog;

• Keep children away from a dog if it is sleeping, feeding (especially chewing a bone) or ir recovering from an illness or injury;

• Always check to see that your fencing or dog enclosure is secure.  Keeping your dog confined will greatly lessen the risk to others in the community; and

• Always use a leash when walking your dog in public.

If you or your pet are unfortunate enough to be attacked or bitten by an aggressive you should report the following details to Council immediately:-

• Your name and address;
• The date, time and location of the attack;
• A full description of the dog (eg. colour, breed, size);
• The identity and address of the owner of the dog (if possible).

If Council can identify the dog and determine where it came from, legal action may be taken against the dog’s owner through Infringement penalties; and/or declaration of the dog as dangerous; and/or seizure of the dog.

Fees

There are laws to prevent dog attacks, and should your dog attack a person or another animal, you could be fined and may also lose your dog.

Who to contact

For further information, please contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07) 4783 9800 or email

Overview

Owners may keep Guard Dogs subject to a number of conditions.

Details 

The occupier of land on which a guard dog is to be kept must:

1. Display conspicuously at all times on each entrance into the property on which the dog is kept, a notice in black lettering on a white background, not less than 50mm in height and readily legible with the words “BEWARE-DANGEROUS GUARD DOG”;
2. Ensure that the dog is effectively contained on the allotment;
3. Demonstrate the keeper can exercise effective control over the dog;
4. Provide a mechanism whereby safe public access is provided for persons whose occupation requires entry on to the property to perform statutory duties or community functions;
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the responsibility of keeping a guard dog and a capacity to exercise appropriate control over such animal.

Fees

An application and associated fee apply to guard dogs kept at or on land/premises within the Shire per site.  In addition the applicable registration fee also applies.  See Council’s fees and charges for current fees.     

Who to Contact

For more information of the keeping of a guard dog please contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07) 4783 9800 or email

Overview

Basic obedience training is one of the basics of pet care. Dogs which have been given even the most elementary of obedience lessons make much better pets for several good reasons.

Details

Dogs are, by nature a pack animal or an animal that prefers to live in a social group and for a responsibly owned dog the dog’s human family is the social group or pack.  The process of obedience training gently reinforces in the dog the fact the dog’s owner is “Top Dog” and the dog is a lesser member of the family “pack”.  In addition, obedience training is a gentle means of giving a pup or dog the guidance it needs to prevent the development of unacceptable behaviour.  In a pack of wild dogs, it is quite natural for a puppy to be disciplined by the pack leader.  The puppy learns to respect the leader, and by observing and copying its actions, the puppy learns to become an integrated member of the dog pack.  In a human family situation, if a pup is allowed to grow up with no such guidance, it can develop unacceptable behavioural patterns, as it has never been told the difference between right and wrong by its owners.  Such pups grown into unruly and unmanageable animals and are usually very unpopular.  Their owners usually blame the dog for its bad behaviour when the owners themselves are at fault for not giving the pup the guidance it needed.  The easiest way to give a dog such guidance is to obedience train the dog.  Obedience training is an excellent way of gently putting a dog in its place. It is a constructive, progressive process which is good fun for both dog and owner.  Another real advantage of obedience training is that the dog is taught to behave in the presence of other dogs and other humans that the dog has never met before.  This practice is one of the best means of socialising a dog to its environment.  It does wonders to improve the self-confidence of nervous dogs and the demeanour of aggressive dogs.

Obedience Training Using the “Bad Dog-Good Dog” Technique

The key to making a dog do something that you desire is to make the dog enjoy doing it.  Thus the key to quick obedience training is to “ham it up” and use gushing, liberal praise whenever the dog does anything correct and short, sharp discipline if the dog does something incorrect during the training session.  Any discipline used should be followed by praise as soon as the dog stops the incorrect action and performs the desired command response instead.  In addition, correction for inappropriate actions must come immediately the action is performed, not several seconds later.  The temperament of your dog will dictate the type of guidance and correction needed.  Boisterous dogs need a firm approach while timid dogs respond better to encouragement.  However, it is important to distinguish between confusion and disobedience and react to the first with reassurance and encouragement and to the second with firm discipline.  While doing this you should develop totally different tones in your voice for praise and for chastisement.  To make all this easier for your dog try to develop a series of verbal commands which are used with a series of hand signals.  Always be consistent by using the same verbal commands and associated hand signals together for the same action that you require the dog to perform.  For instance do not ask a dog to lay down by saying “DOWN” one moment and “LAY” the next.  If you use exact repetition and a consistent, non-varying approach to each situation, the dog will begin to understand the actions that evoke a pleasant response and those that evoke an unpleasant response. To avoid confusion, the dog must get the same response to any specific reoccurring situation.

Equipment Necessary

The only equipment that is necessary for correct dog training is a leather or cloth lead not less than 1.2 metres long, a check chain collar and a large enough area to train in. Correct installation of the collar is imperative. With the dog on your left side, the chain of the collar should travel in a counter-clockwise direction around the dog’s neck. When installed in such a manner the collar will hang loosely unless the lead is tugged when the collar will tighten briefly to pull the dog into position and will then release. The correct use of a check chain does no harm to the dog.  It is important that your dog is always worked on a loose lead so that the lead can be used for correction when it is needed. This promotes a comfortable situation when the dog is following your lead but an uncomfortable situation if you and your dog are drifting apart.  In the initial learning phase of training, work with your dog for at least 10 minutes each day, or twice a day if possible.  Constantly revise and repeat procedures many times over to reinforce in your dog the actions you require.  There are several ways of having your dog obedience trained.  You can do it yourself at home by using a good book, of which there are several on the market.  Alternatively, you can attend the obedience classes provided by many local obedience dog clubs.  Basic obedience training is the key to having a well behaved pooch.  Once achieved, the dog is more controllable, more dependable and happier in itself as it has a better idea what is expected of it.  The effort is small but the benefits last a life-time.

Who to contact

For any further information on dog obedience contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07) 4783 9800 or email

Overview

Having pets is a basic right for Burdekin residents and one of the great joys of our community, but everyone who owns an animal must be aware of the responsibility it brings as well as the community’s expectations about responsible pet management.Owning a pet is great fun, but it does come with responsibility. Much of being a responsible pet owner is understanding your pet’s needs and being aware of your responsibilities to the community.

Details

Dog owners should do a few simple things to keep their pets out of trouble and their neighbours happy:-

• Make sure your dog is properly fenced in at home with an adequate sized fence and gate.  Also make sure the fence is low enough your dog can’t dig under, strong enough your dog can’t push it over and hole proof so that your dog can’t escape or attack people through it;  
• Buy your dog a good leash no longer than two metres long and USE it when outside your property;
• DON’T allow your dog to wander. Roaming dogs are at risk of being seized by the local Council Compliance Officer;
• Train them not to bark excessively;
• Stop them from being aggressive so that your pet doesn’t hurt other animals or people;
• Clean up after your dog, especially in public areas (parks, etc) using a plastic or paper bag. Remember, you are legally required to clean up after your pet;
• Register your dog within 14 days of ownership and make sure it wears its tag at all times. An attached name-tag with your address is always helpful.;
• Inform Council of any changes to your registration details within 7 days;
• Any dogs or cat born after 1st July 2010 must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age.  Anyone who supplies (this includes sell, give or exchange) an animal is responsible for the microchipping;
• Vaccinate your dog by consulting your local veterinarian; and

• A well exercised dog makes a contented pet, so responsible pet owners need to make time to regularly exercise their animals.

A DOG OWNER WHO DOES NOT FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE REGULATIONS CAN BE FINED ON THE SPOT OR HAVE THEIR DOG IMPOUNDED.

Who to contact

For more information please contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07) 4783 9800 or email

Overview

With the introduction of Chapter 17A of the Local Government Act 1993, Council’s across Queensland were required to implement the Restricted Dog Legislation as of the 1st June 2002.  Any owner/keeper of a restricted dog/s is required to obtain a restricted dog permit from the Council.

Details

A Restricted Dog is a dog matching the following description:-

1. Dogo Argentino;
2. Fila Brasileiro;
3. Japanese Tosa;
4. American Pit Bull Terrier or Pit Bull Terrier; and
5. Any crossbreed or offspring of the abovementioned breeds.

 As an owner of a restricted dog, there are several very important obligations to be maintained to ensure the health and safety of the public and other animals. These include:-

1. The owner must apply for a permit to keep the dog;
2. The dog must at all times wear a collar with an attached identifying tag;
3. An enclosure for the dog must be maintained at or on a place for which the permit has been given of which this enclosure must be 1.8m high above ground level, is to be childproof, self closing and self latching;
4. A sign/public notice must be placed at or near each entrance to the place for which the dog resides;
5. The dog must not be in a public place unless it is muzzled and under the effective control by a person physically able to control the dog.  This means that the dog, when in public, must be on a leash at all times, or tethered to a fixed object and is continually supervised by the keeper;
6. The desexing of the dog is required within three (3) months of the owner being issued with a restricted dog permit unless desexing is not in the interests of the dog’s health i.e. the dog is less than six (6) months of age;

7. The owner can not sell a restricted dog;

8. A member of the public can not purchase a restricted breed;
9. The owner of a restricted dog will be prohibited to breed the dog;
10. The dog is not allowed to be abandoned; and
11. The owner may not allow or encourage the dog to attack or cause fear.

A permit application is available from Council and must:-

1. Be made only for permises where there is a detached house and someone usually living in the house;
2. State the following:-
   • The applicant’s names and residential address;
   • Age, breed or type, colour, sex and any other noticeable distinguishing features or marks of the dog;
   • The address of the place for which the application is made and the type of each structure at the place – ie shed, garage, pergola, house;
3. A veterinary surgeon’s certificate or statement to show that the dog has been desexed of that desexing is not in the interest of the dogs health. 
4. Be supported by enough other information to enable Council to decide the application;
5. Be accompanied by a recent colour photo of the dog;
6. Be accompanied by the application and applicable registration fee.

Once all the above has been submitted to Council Council’s Compliance Officer will arrange a suitable time to inspect the premises to determine the permit application.

If you know of a restricted dog located in Burdekin Shire a written or verbal submission can be reported to Council, with the following information:-

1. Name, address and contact number of the person submitting the complaint;
2. Address of where the dog resides; and
3. Any other relevant information that may assist Council with the investigation of the complaint.

Under Chapter 17A the only people authorised to confirm or deny if a dog is of the type mentioned above is a veterinary surgeon.

Who to contact

If you require any further information please call Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07 4783 9800 or email

To a dog, there is nothing as pleasurable as a wholesome bone. Generally speaking, bones are good for dogs.

They are excellent source of protein and minerals and they perform the very useful function of keeping a dog’s teeth free from scale. To my mind the biggest advantage of a meaty bone is that dogs enjoy them so much. So often our domesticated dogs lead dull lives. They lay in the back yard for hours with little to interest them. No wonder they leap into a paroxysm of barking whenever a stranger or another dog walks past the front gate as this is probably the highlight of their dog. A bone can change all that.

A large raw bone will keep a dog content for hours. If you are in the habit of leaving your dog unattended during the day, leave a raw bone out for him occasionally. This will delay the onset of boredom and may help to stop the dog barking during your absence. This works even better if the dog is locked in a small comfortable room, such as a laundry at the same time, as the joy of gobbling up the bone will transfer to the fact that he is locked up in his own special room.

The best type of bones to feed are the softer types. The soft brisket bones are excellent, knuckle bones are good and so are the large marrow bones. Raw bones are far preferable to cooked, as raw bones can be digested a lot more easily.

By comparison, the wrong types of bones can certainly cause problems. Bones such as chop bones, ‘T-Bones’, chicken bones and fish bones should never be fed. These bones have a dangerous tendency to splinter into sharp fragments which, when swallowed, can perforate the dog’s bowel, with life threatening consequences.

When a dog crushes a bone it can also wedge inside the dog’s mouth. They often wedge transversely between the teeth on the left and those on the right side of the mouth or they can lodge over a molar tooth where they become stuck like a bulldog clip.

Dogs witha bone lodged in their mouth are most unhappy. They paw frantically at their mouth, they drool excessively and if the bone is stuck for several hours before it is detected, they develop breath that smells worse than a kilogram of decayed prawns. Bones lodged inside the mouth can sometimes be removed by levering the bone out with a blunt instrument such as the rounded metal handle of a strudy dessert spoon. However this can be very difficult and dangerous as the dog may be so frantic that it will try to bite. The best solution is a quick trip to the veterinarian.

Constipation is often caused by feeding excess amounts of bone to a dog. The bone fragments tend to cement the dog’s droppings together and the resultant lumps are so hard that they cannot be passed. This problem is especially common with Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and similar breeds with powerful jaws as they are easily able to crush a whole bone and to consume it in a matter of seconds where a dog with a less powerful jaw will take several days. It is not difficult to tell whether your dog is coping with the bones you are giving him. After your pooch has gobbled a bone, examine his droppings over the next few days. I he has difficulty in passing his motions, if his motions are excessively hard and dry, or if they contain visible fragments of bone, then he consumes the bone too quickly and does not chew them sufficiently. In this case, either eliminate bones from his diet, or give him bones much less frequently and when you do, give a smaller quantity and select bones that are a softer type.

If, a day or so after feeding your dog a bone, your dog appears to be straining excessively without passing any motions, then a visit to your vet is indicated immediately as serious constipation could have resulted. Many a Bull Terrier has required emergency abdominal surgery to remove a huge amount of impacted faeces from the lower bowel because too many bones have been fed.

When you give your dog a bone, remove uneaten remains after 24 hours because they are likely to become fly-blown. If left to ‘mature’ in the sun, the bone will harbour numerous dangerous bacteria which would cause a bowel infection if the dog were to swallow them.

For further information please contact an Animal Control Officer on (07) 4783 9800 or your local vet.

Dogs that are allowed to roam the street are at danger – danger to themselves and to the public. In fact dogs which are allowed to roam the streets usually have a short lifespan because they are often seriously maimed or killed by cars, are frequently baited because of the nuisance they cause to neighbours and they often roam so far that they become lost or stolen and are never seen again.

There are a number of ways to prevent your dog from roaming the streets. The easiest and most obvious solution is to construct a fence that is secure enough to keep your dog on your own property and out of your neighbour’s. In fact a simple rule of dog ownership is that if you have a dog you must have a fence.

Fencing

The style of fence is very important and it must be designed safetly so that the dog cannot become trapped by the fence. Many dogs are excellent jumpers and climbers and even a three metre high fence can be ineffective to contain them.

In such cases, the cheapest and most effective means of preventing escape is to construct a ‘lean-to’ section, inclined inwards, on top of the fence in a similar fashion to the security fences that surround factories. The lean-to prevents dogs from climbing over the fence and also presents a visual barrier to dogs that can jump over high fences. This is far easier and cheaper to construct than placing another vertical section on top of the existing fence – which is still likely to be scaled by some dogs.

For dogs which dig, a narrow concrete seam under the fence in combination with a tension wire an inch or two about the ground is very effective. Concrete is cheap, and a bag of cement costing a few dollars will fix a lot of fencing.

Be especially careful if you have a picket fence around your property. Such fences have caused horrendous wounds to the legs of dogs that have attempted to jump over them and have caught their legs between the pickets. A solid wooden fence is much safer.

People in rented accommodation have an added problem. Understandably, they are reluctant to pay to construct a fence on a preoperty they do not own. However they do have a sponsibility to prevent their dog being injured on the street, or becoming a nuisance to neighbours.

Fortunately there are two easy and inexpensive solutions. The first is to construct a small pen or run for the dog out of chain wire so the dog is confined safely. The run should include shelter from the sun and rain and, or course, watering and feeding facilities.

Running Leads

The second, though not ideal method, is to construct a running lead. This is a strong wire secured a metre or two above the ground between two strong posts. The dog’s lead is attached to this in such a fashion that it can easily slip back and forth along the wire. It is necessary to have some form of limiting device at either end of the wire so that the dog cannot move around the securing posts and become entangled. An even better version is to have the lead attached not to two posts but to two pegs driven into the ground either end of the wire so that the dog cannot get the lead tangled.

It is very poor practice to secure a dog to a chain attached to a single post. The dog’s freedom of movement is severely restricted and the dog is very likely to tie itself in knots. Almost invariably, dogs confined in such fashion turn into problem barkers because of the stress involved with the constant restriction.

Training

You can train a dog not to jump fences but this takes time. If you are present when your dog jumps the fence then simple discipline is often effective. Regretfully, most dog owners think that discipline means belting the dog with a rolled newspaper. This is totally inappropriate for a fence jumper, unless you just happen to be standing beside the dog with the rolled newspaper at the very moment the dog is attempting to jump the fence.

Once Rover has jumped over the fence and is running free, it is a ridiculous practice to call him to you and then thrash him with a newspaper or bare hand. The dog associates the discipline it receives with the last thing it did – which in this case was to come to you in response to your command.

Do not be surprised when Rover jumps the fence again, as he certainly will, and then refuses to come when you call him.

The “Bad Dog-Good Dog” Technique

Discipline needs to come before the dog has vaulted the fence. Keep a wary eye on him from a window and use voice discipline when he approaches the fence with intent to jump. Bellow “No” out of the window like a bull with a bellyache.

Then call the dog to you in a firm but pleasant voice and, when the dog obeys this command, praise it enthusiastically. This positive response makes the message clearer to the dog than a chastisement alone. Done often enough, it is possible to condition a dog to come to you for a pat instead of jumping a fence.

Another interesting technique that works in some circumstances is to get the fence to discipline the dog. For this you need a garden hose.

Attach the hose to the fence where the dog is most likely to jump. Observe the dog closely and, when it approaches the fence, turn on the hose. The dog will associate the discipline with the fence and not with you. Follow this by calling the dog to you for a pat, as with the previous technique.

Desexing

It is often very useful to have a problem dog desexed if it is regularly roaming the suburbs. Male dogs will roam looking for sexually active females, especially if the dog can detect the scent of a female in the neighbourhood. Castration is quite effective in preventing roaming if this is the reason for the dog’s wanderlust.

For further information on preventing roaming, please contact the Animal Control Officer on (07) 4783 9800 or your local vet.