More dog rangers?

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 21

More dog rangers?

Voluntary rangers to track down and catch strav dogs may be considered by the! Christchurch City Council. But the health and genera! committee of the council said that it would be necessary to gauge public reaction to volunteers catching dogs on the loose and taking them to a pound. “I can foresee disputes between dog-owners and volunteers,” said Sir Robert iMacIfarlane. The committee's chairman; j(Cr Newton Dodge) said that! the council would want to be! sure voluntary helpers were jnot "bounty hunters.” In a letter to the Municipal I Association, the New Zealand i Kennel Club has offered to i have its members serve as (voluntary rangers to remove dogs from the streets. Honjorarv rangers would be ap-| pointed from local clubs. A meeting of all groups in-' terested in the plan will be! ■ held soon. i During July, 186 residents; (complained about dogs. Manv; lof the complaints (T 27 were) iabout dogs at large in neigh-! jbourhoods. During the month,! | 130 dogs were put in the shel-l ■ter and 67 were claimed soon! : after by their owners. Thirty-one dogs caught for! ithe first time were returned; Ito their owners with warn-; i ings to keep them under con-1 trol.