DOG CATCHER'S LIFE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 16 July 1937, Page 7

DOG CATCHER'S LIFE.

NOT A HAPPY ONE. NAPIER COUNCIL OFFICIAL “TAKEN FOR A RIDE” (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NAPIER, Last Night. It is not often that John Citizen can claim a win over a member of that fraternity known as public servants, but one particular Napier citizen at present enjoys a good laugh at the expense of the Napier Borough Council dogeatcher, who was taken for a ride. The principals in this comedy are the dog catcher and a dog owner.

The story opened with the dog, an admirable animal in every way and'much prized by its owner but so singularly misguided as to strike up an acquaintance with the dog catcher while sporting a collar which did not exactly conform to the regulations. Into the pound at Marevva went the dog, there to enjoy the hospitality of the Napier Borough Council until such time as its owner should see fit to retrieve it.

Bailed out in the sum of five shillings —the impounding fee which the council exacts in such cases —the dog was free once more and the owner motored to Marewa to claim it. After a brief discussion the dog,catcher handed over his erstwhile prisoner. The owner and dog entered the car for the return journey.

Turning to the dog catcher the owner intimated that he was driving back to town and that he would be happy to give the officer a lift if he so desired. The offer was readily accepted. The owner then pointed, out, however, that he wished to call on a friend before returning to his office. As the delay would be a matter of a few minutes only, would it inconvenience the dog catcher? The reply was. in the negative, and the journey began. Out through Marewa travelled the car. A turn to the left brought it into Biverbeud road and a few minutes later it had covered a considerable distance in the direction of Meanee. Then the car stopped. Out got the owner to see what was wrong, but with a puzzled frown he returned to the driver's seat and asked the other man if he would be good enough to see whether he could discover what was wrong. Unsuspecting the dog catcher agreed, but no sooner had his foot touched the ground than the car’s engine roared, the gear lever moved and the vehicle sped away like a flash. A cheery wave of the hand was the last he saw of the occupant of the accelerating car that day. With dark thoughts in his mind and an unprintable exclamation on his lips the fuming dog catcher set out on his three-mile trudge back to the council offices.

The incident had its sequel when the dog owner appeared later still laughing over his ruse but with a bottle of whisky as a peace offering. It was then that the flog catcher exploded in a delightfully frank manner. He told the dog owner just what he thought of the whole affair at the same time declining the proffered gift in terms which the other man could hardly have failed to understand.

Though it may not have nmlerstool what it was all about the little dog is no doubt proudly aware of the presence on its neck of a shining new collar.