The
appointment was to be at the train station at Alice Springs on Thursday at 2pm
to meet John Hogan and Donna the worlds first hearing dingo guide dog.
John and
'Donna' his dingo were having a few hours stop over on their way to Darwin
aboard the Ghan.
They live in
Sydney and had travelled to Adelaide to board the train. Due to state laws in
South Australia dingoes are not allowed to be kept as pets, but due to Donna
being John`s life support and guide (Donna has saved John from snake attack/bite
twice) this dingo bypasses draconian and ignorant state laws that 'outlaw' the
dingo.
Donna the
dingo has travelled by plane, train, ship and overseas.
The archaic
laws in South Australia forbid pet dingoes hence Donna could not attend the
guide dog school there
because of her
breed. Donna was trained for two and a half years in Sydney by the police force.
Donna is a pure golden desert dingo and the first dingo guide dog in the world.
The rigid laws enforced against people owning a pet dingo are still in effect
in South Australia and Queensland.
This
highlights the stupidity and narrow-mindedness and the much needed alterations
to save the dingo breed from extinction.
There are
certain controlling aspects espoused by some people in positions of authority
that could eradicate these draconian laws to help the dingo breed sustain and
exist by conservation through domestication, this has not been the case as the
powers that be in place appear to have their own agenda and own vested interest
that forgets about the forgotten Aussie Icon.
Some of the
`self proclaimed experts` have damaged the breed’s prospects through ignorant
comments about the dog being a lousy pet. Nothing could be further from the
truth. A basic 'right' of the dingo is to be a recognised breed of dog ( it is
the parent of all dogs - canis familiaris dingo, after the wolf - canis lupus.
The dingo is
the most pure in blood strain having no alterations in the breeding pattern
until recently when formerly domesticated dogs now gone wild have bred with the
dingo and tainted the pure blood line .
The dingo has
a right to exist and it is strange that politicians set in place laws to
eradicate and make extinct this treasure.
The dingo does
not bark, it is neutral of dog odour and the most prolific of colours in the
breed are the red/tan with about 10% being black (woodlands) and only 1% of the
Alpine dingo that are white.
Aboriginal
peoples across the continent of Australia had pet dingoes. Warrigal or Tingo
(the first settlers mistakenly thought the word Tingo which means 'tame' was
dingo ) was the name given by indigenous people in Australia.
The first
European settlers documented testimonials about their pet dingoes.
It is ironic
that Donna the pet dingo guide dog would normally not be allowed in South
Australia but is 'free' to go where ever and when ever she pleases as a guide
dog. Donna has travelled in economy class with her owner, John Hogan next to
her, as she looks out of the window of a Qantas plane - imagine a dog in the
passenger craft, then imagine a dingo guide dog sitting in her own seat on the
plane!
In the wild
the dingo is breeding with former domesticated dogs, which is destroying the
bloodline.
| Pet dingoes
deserve the choice and rights that all other breeds have - a basic equality and
right including agility and competition, which will ensure and enable the dingo
survives for all prosperity. |
|
|
My pet dingo,
Lindy is an Alpine dingo having had DNA testing on her family stock at the
University of Melbourne, which came from Bruce Jacobs dingo farm in Castlemaine
(Bruce Jacobs served as the 'dingo father' of these animals dedicating his life
and knowledge of the breed to educate people about what wonderful pets a dingo
will make with nurturing, love and understanding.
Conservation
through domestication of the dingo was Bruce Jacobs strongest point which often
caused him abuse from those feeling threatened.
Unfortunately
Bruce Jacobs who was an expert in the field of dingoes died in November 2004.
He was found
on the property dead on the floor of his house with one of his favourite
dingoes asleep next to his side.
My pet dingo
Lindy is the most amazing dog. A beautiful animal that has a wonderful
disposition and every day is a joy to share in the company of this warm and
friendly two year old dingo.
Lindy is
funny and inquisitive and displays incredibly funny antics to those who know
her.
Lindy is
extremely intelligent and follows commands and understands many words directed
to her.
Lindy sleeps
on the end of my bed. Last summer she balanced on a surfboard in the swimming
pool and enjoyed the frolic and laughs and splashes of the children in the pool.
Lindy is the
cause for much excitement when she visits the local football training sessions
and all in the vicinity come to have a glance and meet with Lindy.
I work in a
respite centre for people with disabilities and since Lindy was a very small
puppy I have taken her to visit the residents at the respite centre where she is
warm and friendly and displays her most beautiful character, all who know
Lindy love this friendly dingo.
One night
recently I was woken by Lindy who was licking my face to alert me of danger
after a cat had climbed the fence outside our house and a brick had dropped and
smashed on the ground. It was something I took in my stride as the more I learn
about this breed of dog the more astonished and amazed I have become.
Dinky lives
with Jim Cotterill at Stuarts Well 90km south of Alice Springs.
Tourists
regularly come to witness Dinky `play and sing' on the piano.
Dinky has been
immortalised in the game of trivial pursuit!
Jim
Cotterill`s daughter entered a competition that was held by the game of trivial
pursuit and Dinky won a thousand dollars for their daughter.
After meeting
with Donna the guide dingo I called the Western Australian branch of blind guide
dogs after seeing an article in the newspaper about the cost in training a guide
dog.
Thinking it
might be a great way to attract donations from the community I proposed that
Lindy could be photographed with a golden Labrador for donations.
After a
meeting with the powers that concern this fundraiser I was informed that they
would not use a dingo as there were problems with even getting the most basic of
changes such as a black Labrador rather than the usual yellow for guide dogs in
Western Australia. This seemed quite stupid to me as the blind cannot see
anyway and would not care what colour or type of dog was a support as long as
they were supportive and if the dingo created more funds it would only be an
advantage for those requiring help.
Dinky, a
central desert dingo saved after the rest of his family fell victim to bait in
central Australia.
Dinky is
almost four years old.
Witnessing
Dinky play and sing on the piano was spectacular and wonderful.
Lindy`s jaw
dropped in awe as she heard the howl of another dingo for the first time.
Lindy is my
dingo and travelled to Alice Springs for this wonderful event.
A love affair
blossomed with Lindy and Dinky which had a small 'hiccup' when Lindy shared a
meal but ate the last piece of chicken!
The incredible
trip to Alice Springs from Perth and back again in a week included some other
funny experiences; in particular one early morning camped on an oval when the
sprinkler system started round 5am next to the tent. The exit and rush to the
car was extremely comical as three men and a dingo fled the spray of
high-pressured cold water.
It is hoped
that this article will provide a basis for important scientific research and
conservation measures needed to save the dingo from certain extinction.
The meeting
was a very quick connection with only a few hours availability before the Ghan
began its trek north.
But this
meeting was special because it wasn’t just with one dingo - but three!
This adventure
was a whirlwind trip, driving in a ford laser from Perth to Alice Springs and
back again in a week.
Paul Bradley
(photographer), Antony Macalvany (film-maker) and myself Nic Papalia who has
Lindy made this remarkable trip. With limited time, I could only get a week off
from my work place and we left Perth Sunday to arrive at the train station
Thursday at 2pm for the two hour meeting - with great haste and determination
we arrived in time for this amazing encounter.
We camped at
night and did not drive as the kangaroo’s were out in force and the danger was
overwhelming - a major hazard with constant 'roos' hopping across the road. We
were almost washed away one night after setting up tent and a huge storm
downpour had us cold and wet on the inside of the tent. We had changed the tent
direction a couple of times and I was tired and fed up with the alterations
wanting to just sleep, I uttered 'it is just a gentle mist' . Loud laughter
could be heard from all three of us as the 'heavens thundered and the lighting
continued to fork bolts of vivid flashes across the inside of the canopy all
night long'.
The trip took
on another angle when Lindy who had previously been in a car for no longer than
15 minutes came on heat.
We enjoyed the
country, saw eagles, camels, brumbies, kangaroos, foxes and wild dingoes (four
dingoes in the northern territory that we managed to film.)
At the
Nullarbor Roadhouse on the return to Perth we met a house keeper who told great
stories about the dingoes that were wild dingoes who visited the roadhouse
almost every day and night. He stated with anger that authorities from South
Australia came out and periodically shot the dingoes that posed no threat to
anyone . The diet they ate was rabbit and the workers at the roadhouse had
removed a bullet lodged in a dingoes head and still alive.
We were told
how the staff would ‘close shop’ and walk to their sleeping quarters down the
road 3 kms and the wild dingoes whom the staff all had names for always
accompanied them to the dwelling and then ran off to the desert but would return
next day to be the inquisitive and curious characters that the dingo is ,
creating many laughs as they cleaned the cabin rooms and made beds to be
surprised by a dingo peering through the door. The dingoes pose no harm or
danger to anybody and the staff at the roadhouse voiced their objection to the
mindless and cruel shootings that over zealous officials had carried out on a
regular basis.
We met
remarkable people and the Territorians themselves are a most friendly bunch.
It was a
unique connection at the train station with people mingling round the dingoes
and photographs being taken by journalists and locals at the station all
captivated by the presence of these remarkable dogs.
The meeting of
the three dingoes - Lindy from the west,
Dinky from the
red centre and Donna from the east in June 2004 saw these dingoes serve as
ambassadors for their breed.
It is hoped
this event will help eliminate some of the unjust hysteria that has been
created by the media in recent times.
Fourteen
thousand attacks on Australian soil last year by domestic dogs were reported
compared with the dingo having had three reported attacks in two hundred years
(as a result
of human intervention and mismanagement)
This has meant
the dingo has born the unjustified stigma that the breed is a savage and
dangerous dog.
It is clearly
obvious that such sensational and irrational information has denigrated this
Aussie Icon.
The Dingo is
an Australian Treasure.
Nic Papalia
