A Lake Country man is doing everything in his power to prevent his elusive pet from escaping; to no avail.
Terry Singleto is the owner of the Shiba Inu named Bear, a well-known Houdini in the neighbourhood along Middle Bench Road and on a Lake Country Facebook page.
Bear escapes from his home a few times a week, which is something Singleto has come to terms with. When the family first bought Bear in 2016, they spent roughly $15,000 in fencing around their five-acre property.
Bear has also been equipped with a GPS tracking device.
“It’s been a real experience with a Shiba,” Singleto said. “We let him run around the property but he always finds a way to get out.”
“I got to know all the neighbours because I’m always picking him up in somebody’s yard. Sometimes the neighbours don’t even know he’s there, but I’ll walk with my GPS.”
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He said he doesn’t like the idea of tying him up, so he let’s the little brown and black dog run free in the yard.
“I wouldn’t have a dog unless I could let him run around in our yard,” Singleto said.
Singleto said his dog just likes to be free.
“If he sees a bird, he’ll chase it for 20 kilometres,” he said. “He knows if someone (catches) him we’ll take him home and lock him in the yard.”
Bear has been featured in numerous Facebook posts after his daring escapes.
“I’ve heard in the past posts about him that he loves to escape. I’ve also heard he lives on Middle bench and that he has a tracking device in his collar so his owners’ know when he’s gotten out from their property and can go get him,” Brooke Roshinsky posted.
“Hopefully this dog’s owner will read this comment feed and realize they should keep this dog safe at home,” Cody Walsh wrote.
The breed isn’t recommended as a first-time dog because it’s a lot of work, he said.
They called him Bear because he looks like a little bear, and real bears will sometimes visit the property.
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carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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