pipsqueak

thanks, good to know.

In NSW.

Asking out of curiousity... where do we stand legally if neighbour's cat enters our property and our dog attacks (and at worst kills) the cat. We keep our dogs in of a nightor this very reason, but always a possibility during the day. I respect that cats are legally allowed to roam, but where do we stand, as our dogs are legally contained on our property. If cat survived, are we legally responsible for vet bills (though I would probably be inclined to pay them anyway, regardless).

Not sure, but perhaps try Council?

found this one online... overseas but never used the company

http://www.k9-equipment-store.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=845

I know them as "rakes". Picked up mine in a pet shop ages ago. Many different versions, but the metal ones like that seem to be almost impossible to find... I always look but never see them, sorry.

Try Coreen Avenue Vet, Penrith... vet, but also does boarding.

How about something like this...

There can be a huge variance between bitches but will measure mine tonight and post

Thanks.

Just wondering of any Bull Mastiff owners can help me out, please? I am wanting to buy a collar for a friend's female Bull Mastiff, but I have no idea of neck size. Since I want it to be a surprise, I was wondering if any owners of female bull Mastiffs might be able to measure the neck soze and post it here for me. Many thanks.

Random thought... is she up for,the grooming, being on acreage and w 3kids?

This is simply an idea. To reduce costs to the kennel in a fire prone area would it be possible to ask every owner to supply a suitable crate that could be used in the event of an evac when they drop off their pet? And if new kennels are being built or old ones renovated could there be high shelf storage in every single kennel and these crates be put there so they are quickly accessible for each and every dog? I can't imagine staff having to drag crates from storage that may not have been used in eons and dragging them in to runs might cause some dogs to spook. I suggest this idea because many people choose kennels where they feel their dog is safe and cared for to certain standards rather than just for cost or location. If I used a kennel regularly/annually and was really happy with the service then this requirement would be fine by me. In fact it would seem sensible. Crates remain the property of the pet owner and so storage and maintenance is not an issue for the kennel owner. They would have to be clear about crate type as it would be no good if people tried to use cardboard cat carriers. And perhaps they are only a requirement in high fire danger periods. Why shouldn't a kennel owner ask a pet owner to share some of the responsibility?

My dogs are crate trained, however, we simply cannot get two large dogs and two crates in our current vehicle at the same time. Whilst it might work for people with small dogs, If a boarding place introduced this, it would preclude us from boarding (our dogs are 35kg each). Also, our crates weigh 16kg each, that would be a OHS nightmare for staff to get down from a high place. And, yes, we do have an evacuation plan that includes the dogs, just not the crates. It is the best we can do in our current situation. And yes, we have looked at soft crates, but the size we need still do not fit into our vehicle.

According to the Vic CFA site 'High risk' is one of the lower categories. Most of Victoria was 'extreme risk' on Saturday. Code red and you start peeing your pants....

Code Red is a bit more than peeing when you get that call.

Umm I have got that call. My property was under ember attack during Black Saturday.

Btw code red is a CFA term which means the highest fire danger. It doesn't mean your house is about to burn down. It means if you can't defend your house or don't want to then it would be a good idea to depart for the day. They can issue a code red with zero fires around.

Really people should know this shit.

Yes, people should know it, but it doesn't help when each state has different codes... hence my "error" before... since I am in NSW. I know what our codes are, and when we would leave (and, yes I have evacuated recently with pets as a precaution).

I just love reading the comments from experts on how simple it should be to evacuate & that i would own this & that .

Wouldn't it be wonderful if it was so simple & obvious when comments come from people who have no idea .

If evacs where so simple we would never have any loss of anything .

I have helped at evacs & offered to help at evacs for kennel owners who where well planned BUT what the fire does & what the authorities allow to happen is to very different things .Offers to help doesn't mean you can help .

When the water bombers have been used we aren't allowed to help we have to stay out & hope like hell will be good

Easy to sit back & bee an expert but dealing with it in real life is another thing .

Lets be real many pet owners with one animal get even get organized or prepared & live in high risk areas .

Fire plans are wonderful when all the stars align ,

We are high fire risk today & own boarding kennels ,we have a plan BUT like everything our plan is only as good as what mother nature hands out ,we have trailers & cars ready,we have many people who would assist IF they can & without risking there own lives .

TV programmes are no more worse than some of the tactless things people post

Oh don't be so absurd. No one on here is claiming to be an expert and no one has suggested evacuating a large number of animals is simple but clearly it can be done or the other boarding kennel would not have been able to evacuate all their animals on the previous day before it was dangerously urgent.

The boarding kennel whose animals perished in the fire received an offer to help take the animals to safety on the previous day when the road was not closed and evacuating the animals was not dangerous. They refused the offer and we all know the result.

Are there really uncontrolled bush fires in your area today or are you being melodramatic? If you've been advised that you're in high fire risk today due to fires in your area what are you waiting for? Why are you leaving the evacuation of the animals in your care until the last minute and putting both the animals and the people who are willing to assist you in danger.

Having a plan means getting the animals out before the danger is imminent, not taking risks and waiting until the last minute. A plan is only as good as those who are willing to action that plan. Mother Nature is not to blame for those who don't take timely action just because evacuating a number of animals isn't simple.

efs

High fire risk in an area does not necessarily mean that there are active fires. It means that the conditions are such that there is a greater risk of fires starting, and people should be an alert.

Absolutely frightful. How appalling for all those poor pets. Now over the bridge. So sad.

On facebook, it says offers were made to relocate the dogs yesterday and when owners phoned to ask if they should collect their dogs from the kennel, they were told "no" by the kennel owner, and that there was no danger.

Mr Hicks said "We went back to find the fire ... had burned down our cattery and had burned down a significant part of our kennels,”. Which I take to mean he was either not there, or had evacuated, but the boarding animals were still there to face the fire.

I wonder why there was no evacuation plan which was put into place yesterday - apparently there were offers of help, and offers of places for the animals.

I am the last person to criticise in this situation, but it bothers me that offers to help were rejected; moving 100 odd dogs and umpteen cats was going to be a long job. Perhaps they thought the fire would go somewhere else, and perhaps they didn't realise how fast fire moves, particularly bushfire with high winds.

Whatever, God speed to the poor pets crossing the bridge, fortitude to their owners to help them with their grief, and strength to the boarding kennel owners, who lost everything in the fire. My sincere sympathy to you all.

Thank you for saying what was on my mind, and not knowing how to say it. I was wondering if they had any opportunity to evacuate. Devastating for everyone.

We live in a fire prone area, and people laugh at me for choosing a boarding place, out of the area, based on it's location (basically surrounded by concrete, not bush).

Wiw, tough call! They are BOTH fantastic!

I used to get skinnies for our boy and was excited to see they bought out a durable one.

But alas I have a destroyer and the durable skinny toy lasted all of an hour

An hour is good compared to our monster... I think it was destroyed in 5-10mins!

I just bought one of these for Zig and love it.. My link

I think he loves it more than I do though as he just goes and sits in it whenever we are all in the lounge room.

may I ask where you bought this from? never seen one, but looks great.

I picked mine up at Pet Stock here in Canberra - I love it.. The side that is open, actually slides up an into the roof of the crate - so when we are home, it just stays open all the time and he can go in and out as he pleases.

Both ends open as well and the top has an opening as well.

It all collapses down easily and is on wheels and has a carry bag.

I paid $269

Thanks... would love to one in Sydney. That is a good price too!

I just bought one of these for Zig and love it.. My link

I think he loves it more than I do though as he just goes and sits in it whenever we are all in the lounge room.

may I ask where you bought this from? never seen one, but looks great.

Glad Sumo is home. Well done on your and your OHs quick actions. One of my worst fears, since we own a deep chested, sighthound mix... and why I also board our dogs at a vet when we go away.

sorry, I normally check, but looks like those guys might no longer have a website... they were based in Central Coast.

www.customcages.com.au

www.customcages.com.au

I am polite in my decline. I give money if and when I feel like it/want to.

I do realise that it is the persons job so that is why I am polite when I decline. However should someone push me or roll their eyes at me, then yes, I would tell them exactly what I thought of them/go elsewhere.

I have once or twice said, no I do not like their values, when asked why not as I am known as an animal person locally.

If I say no once and I am pushed I get very snappy very quickly, I only say no (or yes) once!

This... couldn't have said it better.

you could perhaps try a comfy cone...

http://waggle.com.au/all-four-paws-b42/comfy-cone-p583