Working dog in need of owner

COME FORWARD: Malcolm Falk believes this huntaway bitch found wandering on Lees Pakaraka Rd two weeks ago is a working dog.

To the dismay and frustration of dog rangers, no one has yet come forward to claim a working dog found roaming.

The huntaway bitch was found wandering on Lees Pakaraka Rd on August 20, featuring in the Times-Age two days later.

Dog ranger Malcolm Falk said he believed the dog was a working dog belonging to a local farmer.

However, council spokesman Sam Rossiter-Stead said no one had come forward to claim the animal.

But there is no shortage of people wanting to give the dog a new home.

"We've had quite a few people offering to give it a home ... if dogs are suitable for re-homing we will re-home them," Mr Rossiter-Stead said.

Meanwhile, another dog, a male black bearded collie, has since been picked up from the same general area, on Te Whiti Rd, also without a microchip or registration tag.

The second dog is described as "very skinny" and "very friendly".

Dog rangers were disappointed at finding the animals not microchipped, he said, adding: "It's frustrating when you can't reunite a dog with its owners."

One Martinborough dog, given up for dead by its owner, was found and returned home because it had a microchip fitted with the owner's details lodged on a national dog website, Mr Rossiter-Stead said. He urges dog owners to get their pets microchipped and to tell council the number and record it with their information on the national database. Meanwhile, if you are missing a huntaway or bearded collie contact Hannah at Masterton Council on (06) 370 6300.