janet_rose
Posted : 4/11/2008 3:57:29 PM
kle1986
Well here's the info on the nurse. She just got hired on. And she isnt a nurse like they told me. She is a part time kennel cleaner. And she quit after finding out that Ginger wasnt found safe and sound. The vet office did pay the expenses occurred.
I was afraid of that. They gave an inexperienced person responsibilities she was not trained for. That makes the situation TOTALLY the responsibility of the vets. No amount of remodeling can make up for not training your personnel. That woman may have never even owned a dog.
I owned a terrier for 16 years and after that a Basenji still had a few things to teach me about how to keep a dog on a leash. Thank goodness he was not an escaper. Just for the record, a Basenji can chew through a flexie in about 5 seconds. 
I hope the clinic plans to put in a yard with a solid fence (smooth side in) which is at least 8 ft tall. Some breeds (like Basenji's) may treat a chain-link fence as a ladder. There is even a story of a Basenji being the only dog to ever escape from a 12 ft chain-link kennel in California. It is quite common for a Basenji to catch unwary squirrels sitting on the top of a 6 ft solid fence, so that would not do.
About 12-18 inches of crushed rock below the fence line would also be advisable. If they say that dogs will never be left alone in the yard for exercise, I would ask them to put it in writing that they will never board dogs. I bet that document never exists. 
Even an 8 ft solid fence and crushed rock below the fence line will not stop some Basenji's. Those dogs require a fence "overhang". See this site for a picture.
Lastly, a good Basenji yard will have a double gate (like a dog park). The first gate is closed before the second gate is opened.
Some folks use the word "planning" when they actually mean "wishful thinking". My folks planned to buy a new house - planned for many years before it actually happened. I would ask for
- actual construction dates for this "planned" remodeling
- the name of the construction company/companies (and permission to talk to them)
- where the yard will be and how it will be built (You can probably influence this.)
- reasons why the fence can not be built now (could be modified later)
Are they making any procedural changes in the meantime? Even double leashing would be better than nothing. Unfortunately, that still wouldn't help if a dog suddenly took off and pulled the leash out of the walker's hand. I considerably (nope, won't say how much) outweigh my brother's 60 lb Golden Retriever, but I won't walk her until she learns loose leash walking and mellows out a bit. She is a very sweet dog, but if she saw a squirrel, I would either lose the leash or be off my feet instantly - or both.
kle1986, I am glad that Samantha is taking this fairly well, but she, you, Ginger, and the woman should never have been traumatized like this. I hope you plan to be a pain in the clinic's "you know what" until they have a fence up. Newspaper articles and picketing would be among the things I might try if I didn't see progress. Pictures of Ginger after the accident would make a powerful flier or picket sign.
ETA: Scratch that last sentence. I missed where you said that you had already buried Ginger.
Ginger, run free little angel and help your mom growl as much as she needs to.