In this week’s ManxSPCA column, general manager Juana Warburton weighs-up the pros and cons of dog crates to keep pets safe during what will be the busiest week of the year for the Isle of Man...
With the Isle of Man TT fortnight upon us, we know that responsible pet owners will be making extra efforts to keep their animals secure and away from busy roads. Dogs, in particular, can be escape artists and work out how to open doors and gates, or slip under what seem to be secure garden fences. Stray dogs are a constant issue on the island, and we were made aware last week of a sad incident involving a large dog that found its way onto farmland, and killed several sheep and lambs.
Isle of Man TT 2024: Roads closing as planned this evening Meet the man in charge of turning 37 miles of road into the Isle of Man TT racetrack Isle of Man TT 2024: Schedule - Wednesday, May 29 Isle of Man TT 2024: Schedule - Monday, May 27 The farmer could not contain the dog and had no option but to shoot it dead. But crating your dog is not the answer, although there are certain situations where crates may be beneficial – when travelling, in a veterinary setting, or when a dog is recovering from surgery. For many years crates were a fashionable, and it was thought that dogs liked being in them because of their ‘den-like’ atmosphere.
However, recent research has debunked this myth, with observations of free-ranging dogs showing that their preferences varied from open fields to well-lit enclose.