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Boston-area dogs using snowbanks to escape backyards

Boston-area dogs using snowbanks to escape backyards

The snowbanks are high in Weymouth, Massachusetts — and some dogs are making a run for it.

The Weymouth Police Department, which is located about 15 miles outside of Boston, issued a warning to pet owners on Facebook yesterday on behalf of local animal control:

“Please watch your dogs. We have been dealing with a large number of dogs that are running the streets. Most of them are getting out of yards that are usually secure because of snow banks.”

“Please leash your dog or tether them when they are out. When your dog gets out the only place they have to go due to the snow is in the street. When this happens your dog is being put at risk of getting hit by a vehicle. Besides putting them at risk of getting hit by a vehicle or having an encounter with wildlife they could be picked up by us.”

The police department then warned owners that they could be facing more than $200 in fees if their pets are picked up without valid license tags and placed in a shelter.

One commenter wrote that she had been lucky: Her dogs returned just minutes after their snowbank escape.

“I was shocked when my 12 & 15 year old dogs disappeared over my 4ft picket fence. This is good advice everyone should be extra careful of their fenced in yard. My dogs returned in 5 minutes but it only takes a minute for them to get injured,” wrote Facebook user Kathy Rae Murray Arams.

Tom Morse, a trainer with the Weymouth Dog Shop, said it happened to him, too. His black lab climbed a mountain of snow to escape the backyard. Fortunately, the canine only made it as far as the front yard.

“For the most part, a lot of dogs will just stay in that shoveled-out area,” Morse told WBZ NewsRadio 1030. “But if you’re got a dog that’s inquisitive, they’re going to look for something.”

Last week, Weymouth animal control officer Michael Parker told Wicked Local Weymouth that owners need to be careful they aren’t creating escape ramps for their pets.

“People need to know dogs are getting out because of snowbanks,” Parker said. “If you have a four-foot high fence in your backyard, your dog would normally be secure, but with all the snowbanks they can get out. If you have a driveway and blow with a snow blower you can create a ramp for them to get over the fence.”

Clear your driveways carefully, folks.