POLICE PUPPIES SETTING AN EXAMPLE FOR RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP

MERSEYSIDE Police's newest recruits, the "S litter" will be setting an example for other dog owners, by getting microchipped.

The six, 8 month old German Shepherd puppies were microchipped by the Dogs Trust at the Force's Mather Avenue dog site.

A microchip is a small electronic device, the size of a grain of rice, which is injected under the skin between a dog’s shoulder blades. The microchip is coded with a unique number that is stored on a database and which can be read by a scanner. If a dog is ever lost its owners can then easily be traced.

Inspector Neil Davies, in charge of the Dog Section said:- "It's important that we set an example for other dog owners and this is an easy and relatively pain free way of giving your dog permanent identification. The Dog's Trust has recently conducted a survey and on average on our region, 43 stray and abandoned dogs are now handled by Local Authorities every day. All our dogs have an important role to play in policing and our puppies are very valuable to us and have an important role to play. I'm sure other dog owners think the same of their dogs, so I hope that they will see what we're doing here and make enquiries to do the same for their dogs."

Merseyside Police's "S litter" are just at the beginning of their police career. At the moment some of the dogs are in the homes of volunteer puppy walkers, who care for them while they undergo their initial training, whilst a couple have already been given to police handlers. Dogs live at home with their handlers as well as working alongside them.

Once they reach 14 to 16 months old, they will then start their formal training and if they complete the 13 week course and assessment successfully, they will then become registered police dogs.

Denise Gilgallon, Dogs Trust North of England Campaigns Manager, says:- “Our national Stray Dog Survey results last year revealed that over 9,000 unidentified stray and abandoned dogs were put to sleep by Local Authorities - this is entirely preventable. In 2009 microchips helped reunite 15% of strays with their owners but our estimates suggest just a third of dogs in the UK are currently microchipped. If microchipping was made compulsory we believe upwards of 50% of strays could be returned to their owners. Collars and tags can be lost, but microchips are a safe, permanent way of identifying your dog. We firmly advocate microchipping, alongside education and neutering, as the most effective way of reducing dog numbers in the long term. In 2010 Dogs Trust aims to spend £250,000 on microchipping around 65,000 dogs across the country."

Picture One - Left to right, Sgt Steven Pennington, Con Stephen Whalley and Michelle from the Dogs Trust with Spike the German Shepherd.

Picture Two - Bailey the chocolate Labrador getting microchippedh

New Golf Event ‘Tee’s Up’ in the North West

‘GOLFACTIVE’ the North West’s very own interactive golf experience will be staged at Victoria Park Show ground in Southport from the 10 September to 12 September 2010. The event is for visitors from all around the region no matter what their golfing ability. Visitors will be treated to the full array of disciplines, facilities and equipment that the Golf Industry has to offer.

The event is brought to you by Southport Events Ltd this event promises to be the start of a number of events over the next few years aimed at keeping Southport and the North West at the forefront of event destinations in the North of England.

Support for the event has been fast to emerge with commitment from Sefton MBC, Visit Southport, The Mersey Partnership, England’s Golf Coast and European Regional Development Fund with many more exciting partners to be announced over the coming weeks. Keep an eye on the website to see our regular updates as news is released.

The event will be packed full of interactive golf related experiences supported by an exhibition mall, 300yd driving range, short play area, bunker zone, huge designated putting area, seminar / theatre tent, green keeping and range equipment, practise nets, outdoor entertainment area, food and drinks village within the show ground.

There will be a full and varied daily programme of demonstrations, competitions and interactive displays – something for everyone with an interest in golf.

Tickets will be on sale from the end of April 2010 and all the event details can be found on:- golfactive.net.

“What’s the forecast like for today?”

ANTHONY Lowe has been seeing even more blackbirds than usual in his garden this spring, and was surprised to glance out and see one taking a ride on his weather vane, with the revolving anemometer seeming to make little difference!

The bad weather may be on its way out but the RSPB is urging everyone to continue providing food and water as the next round of garden bird activity will be the breeding season, which is already underway with some species.

SERIOUS RTC MERSEY ROAD, CROSBY

MERSEYSIDE Police are appealing for witnesses following a serious incident in Crosby at around 9am on Monday, 12 April 2010.

Officers were called to Mersey Road to reports that a man was lying in the roadway. It would appear that the 54 year old local man had fallen off his blue bicycle as he travelled along Mersey Road towards Crosby, however the full circumstances are unclear at this time.

Officers would appeal to anyone who saw the man fall from his bicycle or who has any information about this incident to contact:- 0151 777 5771.