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K-9 Corner: Don't let small dog become dinner for birds of prey

June 15, 2010|By HELEN PALMER | Contributing Writer

In the June issue of the AKC Gazette, the toy fox terrier column mentions summertime safety and care for small dogs and especially for puppies. The first item covers watching for hawks in the daytime and owls at night.

These are birds of prey and they are protected by federal law because they are helpful in controlling the mouse, vole, rabbit and rat populations. There is a hefty fine for anyone harming these birds. In fact, no one is allowed to provide shelter to an injured bird of prey unless the government has issued that person a license to care for it. As an example of how concerned the Fish & Wildlife agency is about individuals trying to help an injured bird, even those that are licensed are required to release the birds once they have recovered.

In the event that the bird is permanently disabled, the sanctuary must either use the bird while giving programs to groups of people or if that is not possible, the sanctuary must humanely destroy the injured bird. I emphasize this particular law because so many of us would like to “get rid” of anything that might harm our beloved dogs and puppies. If a bird of prey selects your property as a hunting ground, you must provide for your pup’s safety.

This can be done by discouraging these meat-eating birds, not harming them. When I got my first toy breed puppy, she weighed only 3 pounds, 9 ounces. I turned her into one of my 50 foot dog runs and went inside to do the laundry. Fortunately, there is a window in the laundry room and I was alerted to danger when I saw a very large shadow glide across the yard. I went outside and saw a large hawk circling the pen. When I brought the puppy inside, the bird disappeared.

Garbage can solution

One of my friends suggested that I place garbage cans at 10- or 15-foot intervals down the pen because a hawk swoops down like an airplane landing, snatches its prey and promptly accelerates like a plane taking off.

The garbage cans blocked the bird’s flight path and I never saw another hawk. Owls are different. They hunt at night and fly silently, no whirring of air through their feathers. They also are capable of descending like a helicopter snatching the prey and then ascending straight up. If you have puppies or small dogs, don’t risk their lives if you have heard owls communicating in your neighborhood. Keep the dogs on a leash and let your presence keep them safe.

Vultures and buzzards also are birds of prey, but they prefer cleaning up the environment and not chasing down live prey. However, up in the sky, sometimes it is difficult to identify a large bird circling the area, make sure your pup is safe or take her inside.

Yes, these large birds are in towns as well as in the country. They normally feed on squirrels, rabbits and pigeons. Be alert and be prepared.

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