Honey the kelpie is set to become a therapy dog at the Bellorana aged care home in Bellingen, New South Wales, after her constant escaping led her owner, Justin Brow, to be hit with almost $4,000 in council fines.
Mr Brow tried to dog-proof his backyard, but Honey kept finding new ways to escape.
“She’s the canine equivalent of Houdini. And my yard is like Fort Knox,” he told the ABC.
The result? Dozens of fines from the local ranger that have forced Mr Brow to set up a payment plan with the council.
A new home
There has been a happy ending for the canine escape-artist – Bellorana plans to adopt Honey as an official therapy dog.
“She has a really sweet energy and I think as a therapy dog that’s perfect,” Mr Brow said.
Honey has already spent some time at the facility, which is run by the not-for-profit Royal Freemasons’ Benevolent Institution, to a positive response.
“The doctor told me there had been one guy who had a stroke and couldn’t use his hands, and when Honey turned up he started patting her totally normally.”
