Distress call just a stuffed dog story

AN animal control officer, who was dispatched urgently after a report of a “distressed dog panting in a car”, discovered just a stuffed animal in the vehicle.

The would-be hero was sent to the rescue after one of 78 612 calls to the Tasman District Council in New Zealand in 2015-16.

Other memorable interactions with the public included a request on the options for getting to the airport and concern from one caller about planes spraying chemical trails in the sky.

“The sky looks criss-crossy with trails and it is happening now . . . so why is it happening and what are we going to do about it?” says a report on TDC call centre and counter activity.

There was also mention of two incidents involving ducks.

“The little ducks at Washbourn Gardens need rescuing from the drain,” was one comment.

Another person complained that ducks were walking up the garden path, “pooing on the veranda” and knocking on a sliding door for food.

The report was part of the agenda for the community development committee meeting yesterday.

Committee chairwoman Judene Edgar said she had once been accused of have a “very unusual excuse” for being late for a meeting after she found 12 ducklings stuck in her swimming pool.

“So, I too, had to ring the council . . . Animal control came, and we rescued them and walked them down to the creek, ” she said.

There were mixed comments from members of the public about the on-hold radio programme outlining council happenings, with feedback ranging from “I don’t want to listen to that” to “Put me back to the on-hold; it was interesting”. – NZ Stuff