New hydraulic transport cages a safety boost for Rangers and dogs

22 May 2018

Wagga Wagga City Council Rangers have hailed Council’s investment into two new vehicles fitted with hydraulic transport cages, saying they are a positive step towards minimising animal stress and improving work health and safety.

City Compliance Coordinator Brett Burt said the Australian-made K9 Kube hydraulic transport cages, have been used to transport 54 dogs in a five-week period by Council Rangers.

“Some of the heaviest dogs were a Mastiff who weighed more than 70kg and a very overweight Labrador of about the same weight.

“Manually lifting and/or unloading these sometimes struggling dogs can be dangerous to the Rangers and increases the likelihood of injuries considerably.”

“With safety in mind, one ranger of any size or shape, can lift a dog – from Jack Russells to English Mastiffs – single handily, with nearly zero chance of being bitten or sustaining musculo-skeletal injury.

“The Kube has other advantages in that it reduces the total time needed to remove, transport and unload the animal, and only one staff member is needed to operate it.

“In the past, animals were lifted manually, usually by one ranger, leaving the ranger open to being injured and stressing the animal.

“Using the hydraulic Kube removes the likelihood of a stressed dog biting a ranger or injuring itself trying to jump out of the old cage. We have found the whole process less stressful for the animals.”

The Kube features a cage which is lifted off the back of the vehicle with a remote control-operated hydraulic lift. Once it is lowered to the ground the dog can easily move in to the ventilated cage which measures 1140 cm high, 1400 long and 1390 wide.

K9 Kubes were manufactured by a Swan Hill firm who has supplied nearly a 100 units to local councils across Australia.

Image and interviews available on request

Contact Kate Roberts 6926 9133 / 0409 079 663/ media@wagga.nsw.gov.au