Good Dog Rescue Story

Hitchener stars in dog rescue

Date: November 23 2012

Suzanne Carbone CHANNEL Nine newsreader Peter Hitchener enjoys a feel-good animal story but what viewers don't know is that he was the ''hero'' in a dog rescue. Travelling in a car with weekend newsreader Alicia Loxley to film community-service bushfire announcements in Eltham and Greensborough, she saw a whippet wandering across the busy four-lane Williamsons Road in Lower Templestowe and Hitchener, fearing for the dog's safety, said: ''We have to collect this dog otherwise someone will collect this dog.'' It was a natural instinct for the soft-hearted man who's the patron of Dogs Victoria. The 66-year-old who marks 40 years with Nine next year then plotted the rescue mission. The driver was instructed to mount the median strip and the duo tried to grab the dog but to no avail, so they got back in the car and parked elsewhere. Nine colleague Emma Norris found a packet of salt and vinegar chips in the car and the frightened dog was eventually enticed by the snack. A woman who saw the action took off her belt and with this makeshift leash, the dog was secured and Loxley rang Manningham council. The pet was taken to the pound and reunited with its owner. Hitchener told me: ''Thank goodness the dog wasn't hurt. It was a happy ending. It's a lovely story.'' Unfortunately there was no footage of the rescue to make the 6pm bulletin.