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Tinkerbell: A Cautionary Dog’s Tale!
By
Bill Knell
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In the midst of a busy
political season and with a Presidential Election looming,
it was a bit odd to find a story about a lost dog topping
the news. But that’s just what happened in August of
2004. The missing dog was a Chihuahua named Tinkerbell and
her owner was Paris Hilton. Even stranger, the dog has
become as famous as her owner. Tinkerbell captured the
imagination of many who watched Paris and her friend,
Nicole Ritchie, try to live THE SIMPLE LIFE on the Fox TV
Network. Tinkerbell was featured in a number of episodes.
In an effort to retain a degree of privacy, while still
trying to get the word out about her missing pet, Paris
released as little information as possible. In fact, she
originally tried to retrieve Tinkerbell via posters placed
throughout the Hollywood Hills. Listing the owner of the
lost dog as Wendy, she offered a modest $1000 reward and
didn‘t list the dog‘s name on the poster. When that
didn’t work, the story was leaked to the media. At that
point the real identity of the dog and her owner became
known and the story appeared throughout the world! Those
who could still find them, collected the missing pup
posters from around Hollywood and sold them on Ebay for
thousands of dollars.
Although details are still sketchy and some say Tinkerbell
was never lost at all, the dog was reunited with her owner
less then a week later. Whether Tinkerbell was lost or
merely left with a relative and forgotten as some have
reported, the incident brought to light the need for pet
owners to act responsibly when it comes to their pet’s
safety and security. Like Paris, many just assume that
their dogs are safe in the hands of electronic security
systems and amateur pet sitters. In reality, anyone can
find themselves suddenly faced with the tragedy of a
missing or stolen pet. The best way to help prevent such a
disaster is to act as responsibly toward a pet as you
would toward a child.
Responsible parents teach young children not to bolt out
of doors and set boundaries for them using security
systems, gates, fences and locks until they learn where
they can and cannot go. The same should be true of pets.
While security systems, gates, fences and locks are
helpful, they are poor substitutes for training a dog not
to bolt. Your pet should be taught what territorial
limitations are best for its safety. A variety of training
methods and tools are available to accomplish this. Visit http://advice.azpuppies.com
for free training tips.
Not all dogs respond well to territorial training and they
may need to be restricted to one area while their owners
are out. The old school thought of letting a dog roam the
property outside a house to protect it and avoid a mess
inside the home is not practical today. Not only does this
place the animal at risk of being stolen, but it also
places a pet owner at risk to litigation if the dog
escapes and harms someone, attacks another pet or does
some sort of property damage.
If you want or need a guard dog, then you should purchase
one just for that purpose and pay for professional
training. Leaving the family pet as a guard dog to watch
over things while you’re out is like having a young
child home alone to take care of the house and guard
against robbers. Even worse, many people ask their
friends, relatives and neighbors to take on the
responsibility of watching their pets. People just assume
that a dog will respond to others the way they do to them,
but the opposite is usually true.
I recall getting an email from a person who had what she
considered to be an obedient dog. The animal was about two
years old and showed no tendency towards bolting or
running away. Given that, this person offered to pay her
next door neighbor’s teen daughter to feed and care for
her dog twice a day during a planned two week vacation.
The dog was a valuable breed and the owner was hesitant to
board the beloved pet at a kennel. She was afraid the
animal would be harmed, contract an illness or be
mistreated.
Just two days into the vacation, the owner received a
call. The next door neighbor told her that the dog had ran
out the door while her daughter was entering the house to
feed, water and walk the animal. Needless to say, the
owner was beside herself and became convinced that the
neighbor had been careless and allowed the dog to run
away. Then she imagined that the neighbor might have
stolen the animal and sold it. The end of this story is an
all too common one. A beloved pet is gone and friends
become enemies over poor choices on both their parts
regarding animal care. The better choice for this pet
owner would have been to use a professional pet sitter or
licensed kennel with a good reputation and excellent
references.
Every dog owner can take some simple steps to protect
their pet:
PHOTO IDENTIFICATION: Regularly take photos of your animal
from all sides for the purpose of identification.
DNA: Have a DNA sample taken in case a pet is found and a
dispute occurs over ownership.
LICENSE YOUR PET: Be sure you have adhered to any local
laws regarding dog licenses. This can also help identify
your pet and get it home quicker it the unthinkable
happens.
DOCUMENT YOUR PURCHASE OR ADOPTION: Keep any and all
papers related to the purchase or adoption of your pet.
WORK WITH YOUR VET: Be sure your Vet keeps clear and
complete records of any vaccinations, treatments and
examinations involving your dog. These could be useful if
an identity dispute develops or in case your dog is
involved in an altercation of some sort.
USE LOCKS: Lock up yard gates and other access points to
any outside or indoor areas your pet is kept in. Most dog
thieves look for animals that are the most valuable and
easiest to abduct. An unlocked gate or dog allowed to
wander unescorted in a front yard or on a porch are a
Welcome sign to criminals.
HIRE PROFESSIONALS: Use insured kennels or pet sitters
with impeccable references when you need someone to watch
your pet.
LEAVE QUIETLY: Do not upset your dog by picking up, acting
out, hugging or holding them when you go out. Just go!
They will quickly learn that coming and going is a normal
part of your day and will not get upset when you leave.
ASK YOUR VET ABOUT MICROCHIPS AND TATOOS: They are not for
all dogs, but can be helpful in identifying a lost or
stolen pet.
RESTRICT THEIR TERRITORY WHEN YOU’RE NOT HOME: Select a
safe area to keep your pet in when you go out. This area
should be inside your home. It can be a baby’s playpen
for tiny dogs or a room for larger ones. Place food,
water, their favorite toys and a comfortable doggie bed or
blanket to sleep on with in them. Use newspapers, wee wee
pads or a litter box for potty needs. Make sure this area
is always available to them (even when you’re at home)
so they do not feel that being placed there is punishment.
If this area is a lockable room, lock it! Anyone who might
burglarize your home is unlikely to go through the trouble
of breaking into a room with a dog of unknown temperament
in it. This will not save your belongings, but it might
save a beloved pet from being stolen or lost during a
burglary.
Remember, no one will ever care as much about your pet as
you will. It’s up to you to take the steps necessary to
protect your dog and act responsibly when it comes to
their safety and well-being.
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