love my job. No it's true, I really do, and I genuinely believe it would be impossible to do if I didn't. Now before you run for the nearest bucket, that wasn't a sycophantic attempt to try to ingratiate myself with our new chief executive, I'm not even sure if he reads this. I read his internal blog, and a jolly good read it is (that was deliberately sycophantic in a tongue in cheek sort of way) so it would be nice to think he reciprocates and reads mine, anyway as I was saying, I do enjoy what I do. That's not to say that if my balls came up this weekend I wouldn't be out of here before the ink dries on the cheque, come on, even I'm not that stupid, but it is the real world, we all have to work, so why not do something you enjoy.
One of the great benefits in a job like mine is doing something that really makes a difference. Recently we had the Dog Health Check and Micro Chipping days across the borough. I'm pleased to report that because of these events, over 180 extra dogs are now micro-chipped. It was a brilliant response, and certainly something we will look at repeating.
For the last few weeks it's been another rubbish summer weather wise, however the nights have been surprisingly warm, which of course means sleeping with the windows open (where appropriate). With this comes an increase in the complaints about dog barking at night. Look, if you own a dog, please don't let it cause a nuisance to other people. Just because you may not go to bed until the early hours of the morning, and insist on letting Fido out for a night time wee, doesn't mean that others aren't affected when Fido investigates a hedgehog scurrying across the lawn and decides to have a good bark at it. Think about other people; don't let your dog cause a noise nuisance at night.
Back to the loving my job bit. I think the diversity of it is a great attraction. Although I try to plan ahead, I never really know what's in store for me as I trudge my way through the maze of corridors and dark passages that lead to room 150, the home of the environmental response team. Yesterday for example, I attended a standard stray dog call. "Little terrier type dog on a farm" was all the information I was given.
On arriving, the farmer introduced me to this fluffy bundle of fun, who had been camping out under one of his trailers for the last few hours. "Hello little one" I said in my best Sharon Osborne voice, I find that pitch seems to work best with dogs.
One thing you learn very quickly doing this job is to read a dogs body language, it therefore became very apparent that this furry piranha fish of a dog was not going to give up without a savage fight. I can best describe its actions as a set of those comedy wind up false teeth, break dancing at double speed. OK this needs the special equipment, so I take my grab pole from the van and attempt to secure the dog that way.
After many attempts, working in a very confined space, it became obvious that my short pole would not do the job. Handing it to farmer, who willingly volunteers to stop the dog running out of the other side of the trailer; I fetch my even longer pole. Battle commences again with me kneeling in the dirt still trying to secure the dog under the trailer. After about ten minutes of this "cat and mouse" game, with me on the verge of implementing plan C, the dog is safely secured, not by me, the highly trained animal control officer, but by the farmer.
Whilst I was very grateful, and immediately took control of the dog, placing him securely in the van, it does make you spit when someone who was only trying to block its exit, actually did the job better than me. Still, there is one thing I'm grateful for, I hadn't at that point worked out what plan C was. I know it involved trying to find a cooked sausage from somewhere, but they aren't that easy to locate in the middle of a field, so please don't tell any one will you.
Finally, I notice my blog entries have a small official disclaimer at the bottom. Now I like this, as it clearly demonstrates that "what I write is what you get", without any censorship.
Please note, no animals, dog wardens or farmers were hurt in the writing of this blog.
One of the great benefits in a job like mine is doing something that really makes a difference. Recently we had the Dog Health Check and Micro Chipping days across the borough. I'm pleased to report that because of these events, over 180 extra dogs are now micro-chipped. It was a brilliant response, and certainly something we will look at repeating.
For the last few weeks it's been another rubbish summer weather wise, however the nights have been surprisingly warm, which of course means sleeping with the windows open (where appropriate). With this comes an increase in the complaints about dog barking at night. Look, if you own a dog, please don't let it cause a nuisance to other people. Just because you may not go to bed until the early hours of the morning, and insist on letting Fido out for a night time wee, doesn't mean that others aren't affected when Fido investigates a hedgehog scurrying across the lawn and decides to have a good bark at it. Think about other people; don't let your dog cause a noise nuisance at night.
Back to the loving my job bit. I think the diversity of it is a great attraction. Although I try to plan ahead, I never really know what's in store for me as I trudge my way through the maze of corridors and dark passages that lead to room 150, the home of the environmental response team. Yesterday for example, I attended a standard stray dog call. "Little terrier type dog on a farm" was all the information I was given.
On arriving, the farmer introduced me to this fluffy bundle of fun, who had been camping out under one of his trailers for the last few hours. "Hello little one" I said in my best Sharon Osborne voice, I find that pitch seems to work best with dogs.
One thing you learn very quickly doing this job is to read a dogs body language, it therefore became very apparent that this furry piranha fish of a dog was not going to give up without a savage fight. I can best describe its actions as a set of those comedy wind up false teeth, break dancing at double speed. OK this needs the special equipment, so I take my grab pole from the van and attempt to secure the dog that way.
After many attempts, working in a very confined space, it became obvious that my short pole would not do the job. Handing it to farmer, who willingly volunteers to stop the dog running out of the other side of the trailer; I fetch my even longer pole. Battle commences again with me kneeling in the dirt still trying to secure the dog under the trailer. After about ten minutes of this "cat and mouse" game, with me on the verge of implementing plan C, the dog is safely secured, not by me, the highly trained animal control officer, but by the farmer.
Whilst I was very grateful, and immediately took control of the dog, placing him securely in the van, it does make you spit when someone who was only trying to block its exit, actually did the job better than me. Still, there is one thing I'm grateful for, I hadn't at that point worked out what plan C was. I know it involved trying to find a cooked sausage from somewhere, but they aren't that easy to locate in the middle of a field, so please don't tell any one will you.
Finally, I notice my blog entries have a small official disclaimer at the bottom. Now I like this, as it clearly demonstrates that "what I write is what you get", without any censorship.
Please note, no animals, dog wardens or farmers were hurt in the writing of this blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment