COMPANIONS: Maureen Morgan does not feel safe taking her dogs Tramp and Sophie down town after youths untied them while she was in the shops. Photo: ELLEN JONES 0501ejdogs
AFTER 11 years of taking her dog Tramp to the shops, Maureen Morgan says the actions of a group of teenagers has forced her to leave him at home.
Mrs Morgan tied Tramp and her new puppy Sophie at the back of the Orange City Centre car park after travelling on Mrs Morgan’s mobility scooter through Post Office Lane.
She was in the Reject Shop when a security guard informed her that a group of youths had untied the dogs and brought them inside the centre.
“They took them up the escalator. The young fellows didn’t want the dogs. They just wanted to cause a nuisance,” Mrs Morgan said.
Security had been alerted by a member of the public who saw the boys taking Mrs Morgan’s dogs.
When the guard met the boys at the top of the escalator they dropped the puppy Sophie and put Tramp back on the escalator to go down by himself.
“It must have been terrifying for him. I’ve been taking him down the street for 11 years and never had a problem,” Mrs Morgan said.
Mrs Morgan thanked the people who helped her get her dogs back.
Orange City Council spokesman Allan Reeder said owners tying up their dog in a public place could face a fine if their dog became untethered.
“If there was a complaint or a particular incident came in the ranger would have a look at it,” he said.
Tying a dog up outside a shop does not appear to constitute an offence under the Companion Animals Act 1998 (NSW).
The Act states that a dog which is in a public place “must be under the effective control of some competent person by means of an adequate chain, cord or leash that is attached to the dog and that is being held by (or secured to) the person”.
However, the same section of the Act states that the rule does not apply to “a dog secured in a cage or vehicle or tethered to a fixed object or structure”.