Protecting the guard dog

WELL LOOKED AFTER: Gavin Arthur, manager of Rural Buying Service, with the dog he saved from death row and now uses as a guard dog.

David Nielsen

A DOG saved from death row to become the security guard at a South Lismore business is now attracting the attention of do-gooders trying to set it free.

The Rural Buying Service has been vandalised more than half-a-dozen times over the past few months.

Store manager Gavin Arthur said vandals had been cutting the fence in order to free a two-year-old doberman/ridgeback crossbred dog which guards the premises overnight.

“They paint 'free the dog' in the car park,” Mr Arthur said.

And even though vandals had cut the fence, the dog had decided to stay in the yard.

Last Sunday they went a step further and threw paint bombs over a tractor.

“The damage is starting to mount,” he said.

The damage has been reported to the police on four occasions.

Mr Arthur said the dog was on its way to the pound to be euthenased when the store intervened about two months ago.

“If we hadn't rescued him he would be under a rose bush,” Mr Arthur said.

Since then the dog has had the run of several thousand square metres of yard each night.

During the day he is locked in a smaller kennel, which Mr Arthur believes might be the motivation behind the vandals' actions.

“He is there as a deterrent,” he said.

Mr Arthur said the dog was well cared for.

“The RSPCA came out and said he was better looked after than many dogs who live in small backyards,” he said.

Mr Arthur said the store was now being forced to leave flood lights on at night, which has led to complaints from neighbours in Caniaba Street.

Mr Arthur said he wanted the vandals to know they would be installing cameras, and the dog is staying put.