Ballymoney Council run dog safety workshop

Ballymoney Borough Council’s Environmental Warden, in conjunction with Dog Trust’s Education Officer, Cathy Clyde, invited local Primary Schools to participate in this project.

The following schools responded and participated: Garryduff Primary School, The Model Primary School, The Leaney Primary School, Rasharkin Primary School and The Independent Christian School.

The news was revealed during a recent Health and environmental Services.

THe report explained: ‘During March each of the schools were visited. A special guest appearance was made by Dog Trust’s Education dog “Jed”, a three year old Border Collie extremely well trained which Cathy Clyde had rescued as a puppy.

‘The children were all given the opportunity to meet and greet “Jed” after they had been taught how to properly approach a strange dog. The session also included instruction on: How to properly care for a dog; Keeping your dog on a lead when in a public place and clearing up after your dog when it fouls.

‘One other important instruction to the children was to “never” leave a dog in a car on a hot day even if a window is left open. A dog can die within ten minutes of being left in a car on a hot day. The dog does not actually suffocate but its organs fail. The age range of school children participating in the event was 4-11 year olds.’