They say a dog is a man’s best friend, and in a lot of cases it’s true. But what I’d like to remind people of is that as part of any household, we should always ensure we’re our dog’s best friend as well.
Two things have made me want to talk about dogs to Armidale residents today. Both are important to our community, so please take a moment to consider these if you’re a dog owner yourself or if you know a dog owner here in Armidale.
Firstly, I’ve read reports that there’s a dramatic increase in Canine Parvovirus infections here in Armidale. Dog owners should have their puppies immunised against the disease at 6-8 weeks old and 10-12 weeks old and annually thereafter; however with the increase in diagnosis’ it’s clear that the message hasn’t reached everyone.
If you have a young puppy or an older dog, and aren’t sure if they’ve been immunised, check with your regular vet. If you’ve noticed your dog cowering, not drinking water and suffering diarrhea and vomiting, seek your vet’s advice, as it is a potentially deadly disease. Don’t let your dog come into contact with other dogs and don’t let other dogs into places that your infected dog has been because it’s a highly infectious disease.
Secondly, I’d like to bring to ask what you think about the protest last Friday that campaigned asking for laws to be changed in allowing dogs to be tethered no more than 10 hours per 24 hours rather than the 23 hours that it currently stands at. The rally also brought to attention amendments that are needed to legislation such as ensuring outdoor shelters be weatherproof and appropriate for local weather conditions and the size and breed of the dog, amongst other things.
For any changes to be considered, 500 signatures are required on a petition. The purpose of bringing this up is to provide community support for dog lovers of Armidale to stand up for the rights of their beloved animals.
If you would like to sign the petition, you can do so at 175 Rusden St, the Armidale Dumaresq Council office, the Armidale Pet Shop in the East Mall, Furballz Grooming and Care Centre, 120 Taylor St, the Farmers’ Market and the RSPCA stall at the Markets in the Mall between now and the 23rd of April.
