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Escaped dog travels 160 kilometres across Switzerland in one night

An escaped border terrier named Lucky made an epic 160-kilometre journey across Switzerland on the eve of the country's national holiday before being found and returned to her owners.

Published: 5 August 2023 08:20 CEST
Lake Geneva in Switzerland
An escaped border terrier named Lucky made an incredible 160-kilometre journey across Switzerland before she was found near Lake Geneva (pictured) on Tuesday morning. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

Lucky’s owners had left her in kennels in the Bern canton, but the 14-year-old dog broke out on Monday evening.

The following morning she turned up in Geneva some 160 kilometres (100 miles) away, the RTS public broadcaster reported.

“There was a hole in the fence” at the kennel, Lucky’s owner Jennifer Wagner told RTS.

The dog was found near Lake Geneva on the morning of August 1st as a sprinkling of fireworks kicked off celebrations for the Swiss national holiday.

A Geneva resident spotted the animal on the side of a road and alerted the authorities, RTS said.

Since Lucky was microchipped, police swiftly tracked down her owners, who were in Berlin frantically awaiting news of their escaped pet.

READ ALSO: Where and when must dogs be kept on a leash in Switzerland?

Besides a few ticks in her coat, Lucky did not appear to have been hurt during her journey.

“I feel lucky that she is healthy, and did not die, and was not injured,” Wagner told RTS. “It was a big fright for us.”

Wagner however thinks her dog had a little help for her epic journey.

She believes someone must have picked up the very friendly dog and driven her to Geneva.

READ ALSO: Do I need to take out insurance in Switzerland for my pet?

“I don’t think it is possible she ran [the whole way]. It is 160 kilometres,” she said.

“That is impossible for a dog in such a short time.”

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PETS

What Zurich’s new dog law means for owners

If you own a dog – or are planning to get one – and live in Zurich, then you need to be aware of some changes that are coming as part of a new Dog Law (Hundegesetz).

Published: 26 July 2024 12:04 CEST
What Zurich's new dog law means for owners

Set to come into force by the middle of 2025, the new version of the law dictates that all dogs in Zurich, no matter what breed or how big, will have to complete compulsory dog training.

Owners will be responsible for ensuring their dog completes a minimum of four puppy training sessions and 10 sessions of young dog training.

Dogs between 16 weeks to 18 months will have to do young dog training and 10 regular dog training sessions, unless owners can prove the dog has already completed puppy training sessions.

READ ALSO: Which dog breeds are restricted (or banned) in Switzerland?

Dogs over 18 months will have to do regular dog training, while dogs over eight won’t need to do any training. 

You can find out more about the training requirements and other regulations on the Zurich cantonal website.

This is a change from the previous rules, which exempted dogs with two parents that were classed as ‘small’ from the compulsory training sessions, although these were still recommended.

READ ALSO: Where and when must dogs be kept on a leash in Switzerland?

This change of course means that thousands more dogs will need to be trained, so city officials plan to expand training locations and employ more qualified trainers.

Regulations surrounding the compulsory use of a lead in forest areas, banned breeds, dog registration, microchipping, insurance and tax are expected to remain the same in the new law.

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