Let's hear it for Border Collies!

This is from today's on line Chicago Tribune. I think $45,000 is totally worth it if it keeps even one beachgoer from a lengthy hospital stay due to an E. coli infection.

Gull-chasing dogs getting more work

By Alexa Aguilar
Tribune staff reporter

June 21, 2007, 3:36 PM CDT

A team of border collies was so successful at scaring pesky ring-billed gulls from a local lakefront beach last year that the Chicago Park District will give the dogs even more work this summer, officials said today.

The droppings of the ring-billed gulls are a major reason for the E. coli counts that force beach closures throughout the summer.

Last year, border collies worked for four weeks chasing gulls at Foster Avenue Beach. Park District officials counted a 30-percent decrease in the number of gulls swooping around the lakefront there, so they decided to broaden the program.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, border collies will spend several hours a day chasing gulls at the Foster Avenue and 63rd Street Beaches — two beaches most often plagued by high E. coli counts.

The program will cost the Park District about $45,000.
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune

Aww man Tinny would love that job, she has a bird chasing obsession ;).

LOL, ours used to chase gulls on the beach when we took them on holiday. They'd have been great for the job.

There was one time when Mist chased them though and one of them couldn't fly and just legged it along the sand but it was nowhere near fast enough and Mist caught up with it and collided with it at full speed knocking it about 20ft further across the sand. I ran up quick and it was just a heap of feathers and then I saw a head and foot sticking out of them. Other than the fact that it was a little shaken up, it was ok...other than it was still unable to fly. We kept the dogs away and let it go then. It was an immature bird so I'm not sure if that was the reason for it not being able to fly but it did stop our breaths for a few seconds as Mist chased it and collided with it because we expected them all to be able to fly off.

All of our BCs have chased birds. They'd do it for hours so it's no surprising they have utilized this trait. They also use BCs to chase birds off airports so that they don't endanger aircraft and such in flight.

yup, and golf coarses too, BCs are often used to keep the geese away. gotta love BCs!

Hehe, that's great. :)
There are people that are quite upset about the city making the decision to use dogs to herd geese off of playgrounds because of the poop being hazardous to school children.

Obviously, these people are ignorant and know nothing of the word "herding", as they call it brutal and unacceptable. :rolleyes: