Stray dogs on the loose...again

My husband and I were startled on Friday morning when we saw two Rottweilers, casually patrolling right outside our house and even inspecting the abandoned house next door.

Our cat Coco didn't even have to see them. She immediately took cover, high atop the wall in the bathroom.

For me, this was a revisiting of the traumatic events nearly two months ago when Toro was killed. I'm not afraid of dogs but I am afraid of the thought of dogs harming another animal. 

Although the police were called and passed by in a squad car, saw the animals and tried to find the owner, just having them lurking in the area was petrifying. A couple hours later, the owner arrived to collect the dogs, saying they somehow managed to open his gate and escape.

I thought the ordeal was over when I got a call from a friend in the neighbourhood on Saturday night alerting me that the dogs were loose again. Now, earlier in the day I was telling my husband that I was glad the dogs got away during the day and not at night, when cats usually roam. My worst fear had come to pass.

It was a fitful night for us all with our ears peeled for any anxious barking. The dogs must have been returned home as there were no further alerts.

This is a prime example of why there needs to be registration of all domestic animals and Animal Control Units to respond quickly and appropriately to these events. I am sure the owner got off with a warning from police but would it have taken the dogs harming another animal or a person for the offending owner to be charged? As it stands, I have no guarantee that it won't happen again and that makes me feel unsafe in my own home.

I am again pleading for the Regional Corporation to take action and responsibility for the care and protection of animals in the district and for the Attorney General and other Ministers to ensure the legislation is clear on which agency is responsible for providing the attending services.