Long arm of law frees stuck paw

By BRIDGET CARTER

Florence McLisky woke at 4am yesterday, heard her maltese spaniel Bonnie crying out in pain and dialled 111.

Bonnie, aged 12, had somehow managed to get her paw stuck in or round her ear.

Mrs McLisky, 86, tried to free the paw, but her little white dog kept yelping in pain.

"I didn't want to hurt her," she said.

"I was terribly upset."

As Bonnie cuddled into her owner at her Browns Bay home yesterday, Mrs McLisky explained how and why she ended up phoning police.

She first called the all-night vets and got a fax machine tone, so her next reaction was to dial 111.

A "very nice" woman on the other end of the phone said she would send help.

Within minutes, a policeman arrived and managed to released Bonnie's paw.

"They were very thoughtful," said Mrs McLisky. "The man kneeled down and just moved her paw. When I tried she was screaming her head off."

The case was the talk of North Shore police stations yesterday, said police spokesman Jayson Rhodes.

He said Mrs McLisky could not drive to the vets and a night-shift officer was sent at 4.19am because vets were unable to respond.

Mrs McLisky, who is Scottish, said calling the police was something she was always prepared to do.

"Where I come from, there was always a bobby who would walk around and nobody was ever scared of the police," she said.

"I feel the same way about the police here."

She had had dogs most of her life and found Bonnie three years ago at a kennel where she had been left by a couple who had split up.

The dog was in "an awful state" with no hair on her lower back or tail. When she was passed over it was like handing over a parcel.

"She wasn't interested in where she was going. Now she always wants to know where I am."

Mrs McLisky said Bonnie's leg became stuck as she scratched mites near her ear.

Antibiotics from the vet yesterday should cure the itching.