Top story of the week: Greyhound attacked by dogs in Lonehill Park [GRAPHIC IMAGES]
WARNING – A greyhound was injured while on a walk in Lonehill recently and this article contains images that sensitive viewers may find disturbing.
A recent incident at the Lonehill Park has shone a light on the need for dog owners to know how to handle interactions with unfamiliar dogs in a public place.
On 30 December 2018 Vicki Hiscox and her husband had decided to take their two greyhounds, male Zephyr and female Jessica, to the Lonehill Park for a walk and some fun. Although many of the other human and dog visitors that frequent the spot are familiar to the family, two women walking a group of about six dogs of various sizes were unfamiliar.
“As Zephyr ran past the group, the pack attacked him and cornered him against the razor wire fence which injured him,” Hiscox explained.
“One of the women tried to call off the dogs, but they didn’t listen to her and go back.
“Perhaps they were also in shock, but they didn’t ask if they could help, or offered to follow us to the vet to see if he was okay. They just said ‘your dog’s badly injured’ and ‘you should get him to a vet’ and one lady gave me a shirt. I used it to tie a tourniquet around Zephyr’s leg.”
The Hiscoxes rushed Zephyr to their Fourways vet, where he had to get around 30 stitches on his right front leg to close the gaping wound created by the razor wire.
Greyhounds do not respond well to regular anaesthesia, meaning that two vets were needed to treat him, and he will spend the next three weeks confined and recovering. All in all, Hiscox spent about R10 000 on treatment after the incident.
“I would like the women to come forward and apologise, and maybe even offer to help cover the costs. But more than just the money, I’m hurt and angry that they didn’t want to help.
“I’ve certainly learned from this experience, and I hope that other owners learn from it too.”
Samantha Walpole, an accredited dog behaviourist and dog trainer for Be The Dog based in Fourways, offers some advice to avoid this sort of conflict.
“This is such an important subject matter,” she told the Fourways Review. “Negative dog incidents in park environments can so easily be avoided by educating dog walkers.”
Here is some of Walpole’s advice:
• A dog who does not respond to recall should be kept on a lead to avoid incidents.
• Entrance areas are a hotspot for conflict as the heightened excitement of dogs just arriving at the park is a common trigger for a fight. Do not hang around these areas and make sure the coast is clear before you let your dogs out of the
car.
• If your dog is not on a lead, make sure you stay away from dogs on a lead. They are leashed for a reason but still have just as much right to be in the park as other dogs, and being on a lead is in line with City Parks’ rules.
• Put your cell phone away. Be vigilant of your surroundings and keep an eye on your dog at all times – monitor them the way you would a two-year-old toddler.
• Do not walk head-on into other dogs coming your way. Rather arc around and create space as this is polite behaviour in dog language and takes the pressure off shy dogs and prevents a possible altercation.
• Practise the three-second rule: If your dog has good social skills and is meeting up with a new dog, allow the
sniffy exchange of communication for about three seconds then quietly start moving on.
• Dog parks are NOT for all dogs. A fearful dog who is forced to interact with other dogs will more than likely end up
biting. There are lots of alternatives to dog parks.
• Educate yourself on basic dog language and appropriate play skills. Know the subtle signs of when a dog is feeling uncomfortable or enjoying an activity or interaction. Be there to support and intervene if necessary, thus preventing a negative experience.
