travelling Oz with small dog

Ray, thanks for your response. How did you 'pick where you stayed'? We will be travelling in a Ford falcon towing a camper trailer so not your real outback rig! just breaking ourselves in gently to this whole explore Oz thing. But boy, we can't wait to go! And ExploreOz just whets my appetite every time I logon. Gotta join up as a member as its been so valuable so far as a mere visitor.
nicki

Can't agree more Mike, and all those feral wild dogs don't seem to have a problem leaving their refuge to violate domestic cattle, sheep, and in some instances, human beings. Crazy law.
Fred

Even crazier is having one rule for the rich & one for the poor, so to speak!
I can't believe that indigenous Australians dogs are beetr than ours!

'better' dammit!

Gundabooka National Park (south of Bourke) have their own resident Blue Cattle Dog who comes out and welcomes visitors.

Maybe the dog is an honorary National Park Ranger to live there. The bugger wasn't wearing NPWS Patches on his shoulders.


Ian

Gidday Fred

By cripes the camp is looking good.

You've done a good job.

Regards

Kim

Mike, and any others with the same attitude,
You take your dog into any National Park where they are banned, it takes a bait and dies......................... Serves you bloody right!

No sympathy from me.

Disco.

Disco

Your a bit of a strange fella. Why all the red neck chest thumping stuff?

Nicki posted a creditable question, asking for advice.

I reckon you you need to back off a bit!

Regards

Kim

Kim,
I used 1080 for more than 22years in my last occupation before retirement.

I'e regularly seen what happens with it when dogs,feral and pet, foxes and feral pigs take the baits.

NOT PLEASANT and definitely NOT a NICE way to DIE.
But sadly....................... Essential to control feral animals..

Anyone who disregards the signs, "No Dogs" and/or " 1080 Poison Laid in this Area" runs the risk of this happening.

I would rather be blunt and spare others going through what happened to me ( see further down this post.)

Hence my comments.

Disco.

Gidday Disco

Yer I know about that mate, lost a few of my own dogs to 1080. Won't have a bar of it anymore.

Given that National Parks are not much more than restricted caravan parks, I think Nicki's question is valid.

What's the point of having a National Park if you can't use the bloody thing.

Not having a go at you mate, but more so, the bull bleep that buggars a lot of us who do the right thing. Including control of a dog.

Regards

Kim

Kim

Better clarify...if you are a member of this site, you can access much more than as a visitor...The read of the story I am referring to is worth the price of membership alone.

Once again I'm blown away by the rapid responses and good advice!
TIger is a small Heinz-57 varieties. I have only just acquired her after loosing my 18 year old Jack Russell Foxy in May. I have fallen in love with this little bitsa and would be thrilled to take her with us.
I have seen sites where you can leave dogs to be minded whilst in National Parks-so this could be an option as well.Again, thanks to all.
I plan to become a member so will follow up the blog a member mentioned.

Willem
Jeddah-what a handsome and intelligent looking dog. I wouldn't leave him/her behind either!

Jeddah's mother was a Red Heeler and her father was just passing by. A bit of Heeler/ Staffy/Labrador. Now eight years old and mother of 7. Had her speyed and she is a real character. Loves boys but nips little girls. Very protective especially when inside the 4by. Had a devil of a time blowing into the bag once while she was trying to get at the policeman...lol On any journey she keeps one alert by barking at all passing trucks and caravans..we've got used to it!

Cheers

I'm impressed with how protective a small dog can be, let alone a bigger one! Jeddah sounds a great mate.
Nicki

Hi Steve, checked the site you suggested-and the fines appear to vary from $75 to $1,500! Not sure yet how we'll resolve all this-want to be responsible to environment, and may well go for the boarding option at least some of the time.
A small dog on a lead for short walks in most cases, must surely do far less damage than the feral dogs and pigs etc. especially if poo picked up!
Anyhow thanks for your advice!
Nicki

Hi Nicki andall the others,
One reason, among many others, why dogs are banned in National Parks is so that Park Management can use bait, usually with 1080, in an attempt to control the feral animal populations that Mike H and others are so concerned about.

In a past life, I used 1080 for Rabbit, fox and pig control in some Parks in WA. It is not a pretty way for your pet to die, and is even more stressful watching it happen. (I've seem it happen to one of mine..........through my momentary inattention with the poison).

Take others advice, take your pet with you but find alternative arrangements (kennels etc) when you wish to explore National Parks for a day or two.

Hope this helps your decision making.

Disco.

Thanks for the info-I've once 20 years ago now, lost a dearly loved dog to snail bait. And it was I who put out the snail bait. It was awful. Never used the stuff since. But you're right, its the moment of inattention thats the problem.
Think swapping care of dogs or on lead and watching or boarding will be the way to go. Just too risky otherwise..
Nicki

Steve

Meanwhile MAN encroaches upon National Parks using vehicles which belch out CO2, tourists who scramble over pristine country trampling everything in their wake, leaving litter and other unkind deposits.

I once caught a Park Ranger at Jim Jim crossing with his two dogs on board his work ute. He told me where to go when I challenged him. I wrote a letter but nothing came of it as the hierachy closed ranks. Talk about double standards. Hmmm and what about the 'locals' who may have their emaciated flea ridden, mangy dogs in the camps throughout some National Parks?

Environment Protection Agency...Ha! what a load of crap.


Cheers

Good suggestion. We'll try this hoping to meet others to swap care with on the road. Thanks, Nicki

Hi Ski-er
what a great idea, a play pen. She is really quiet, obedient dog-except when there is a reason to bark. Will take vac papers when boarding is required.
nicki
PS Did you feel you 'missed out' and were inconvenienced by taking your terrier? Obviously there will be costs, but hey, it costs to leave them behind doesn't it. My dogs have always been my family. A dog at home makes my house a home. Having been dogless for 4 months and now after my previous canine companion of 18 years died, having a dog again, I'm happy.Partner less keen, hence this post. (Think he's coming around)

Hi Nicki,

You do miss out on some things.

We were near to Innis National Park at the bottom of the York Penninsula.. a very pretty coastal park. Mrs and I had to do our look and see on separate days and missed the togetherness of the oos and aahs of the beauty of the place.

Big 4 (We call them Bad4Us) have a no dogs policy across Austrlalia and some Cparks do not allow dogs during school holidays and long weekends. There are very few Cparks in major cities that allow dogs... and if we are in WA we would want to experience seeing Perth and Freeo so that was where local kennelling occurred. Brooms only dog friendly park recently changed its policy to no dogs

Our remaining aged foxie (the youngest died recently) is FAMILY so we work around the difficulties and we wouldn't want to kennel her on her own for months on end to say nothing of the $$$ We are doing a 6 week stint on a cattle station next year home tutoring during their busy muster time.... the station owners didn't have a problem with us requesting to arrive with one dog.... "in the playpen at night on the verandah will be fine. " Our bubs will have to learn a new visitors profile with the station dogs

Another issue for us oldies and dog ownership is that some up market retirement villages do not allow some types of pets. We see our next move will be into one of these places. Consequently we may not replace our remaining foxie on her demise.

I am sure the 3 of you will love the trip.

Regards
SKI'er

Hi SKI-er
Thanks for your comments. I hate putting my dog into kennels-think its like prison. So will be choosey-but at times if in capital cities or near smaller parks will hope for dog care swaps or short term kennels. Never used one yet so will research how to know its a good kennel. Assume that there are standards for these things. Homelike and loving is pretty important too.
I feel for you with the looming retirement village problem. It seems WRONG to separate folk from an old mate, tantamount to cruelty, to both human and pet. Hope if ever I need to make such a move they have humanised standards to allow the usually older, domesticated pets incoming residents would have.
Having been without a dog for 4 months and now having one again I realise I have been pining. Life is too short to live without a dog if you ask me!
Interested that you did some tutoring. That could be right up my alley when we do our trip. Can't wait-even though we are only doing short trips in the next year. Wilsons Prom is first-and we won't take Tiger.
Cheers-and thanks again to you- and all the varied replies I've had.
Nicki