
We returned from our daily run last Wednesday to the news that our local zoo, Howletts, had managed to misplace 20 (or 10 or 14 depending on which raido/tv/internet story you read) wild dogs! They had escaped overnight and although 10 (or 12 or 14....) had been caught inside the park, 4 were footloose and fancy free. Howletts is about a mile away from us as the crow fly's, or the wild dog walks.
According to Howletts, the dhole's “...are similar in appearance and behaviour to a fox....They have been hand reared, and will probably want to return to their familiar surroundings. The dholes will be frightened, and will probably try to return to the park. Like a fox or any stray dog, the public should not try to approach them, but should contact the police immediately".
Now I have to admit to not living out in the sticks for long so I might just have got this wrong, but I dont phone the police every time I see my dog chasing a fox, which she dose fairly regularly. By Thursday morning half the escapes had been captured leaving only two at large. By Thursday evening one more had been nabbed and by Friday it was all over and peace had been restored.
Luckily, the fun and games didn't impact my on my dog's daily walk and she didn't see either a fox or dhole to chase. Still, it was reassuring to know that although a pack of 'wild dogs' had escaped, they had been hand reared, would be frightened and looking to return home. Wonder why, as they are so timid, we had a helicopter buzzing around for two and half days and a team of police marksmen on standby...........
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