A TROUBLESOME terrier is in the doghouse after sparking a fire alert by turning on a cooker.

One-year-old Tai was home alone when he accidentally turned on the cooker at his home in Heathcote Close, Dorchester and caused the whole kitchen to fill with smoke.

Fortunately for the terrified pooch and owner Emma Wells, vigilant neighbours spotted the smoke and heard smoke alarms so they called the fire service straight away.

Emma, 28, was at work when Tai was getting up to his mischief yesterday morning, while her seven-year old daughter Chloe was at school.

Emma said: “I was at work when I had a phone call from my neighbour saying the whole kitchen was filled with smoke and they had called the fire service.

“I came home straight away and what had happened was the dog had jumped up and turned the dial for the hob on.

“He had also knocked over pile of magazines that were to the side on to the hob and that started smoking.”

Emma, who works for an out-of-school service, said she was immensely grateful to her neighbours who contacted both her and the fire service.

Thanks to their efforts Tai’s antics resulted in nothing more than some superficial smoke damage and a slightly traumatised mutt.

She said: “Luckily, thanks to the neighbours the damage wasn’t too bad.

“If it wasn’t for them hearing the smoke alarms that had been set off it could have been a lot worse.

“The fire service also came really quickly, they were there by the time I got there and they were really nice about it.

“Thankfully there has been no major damage. Tai’s just a bit scared and he doesn’t like being in the kitchen now.”

Emma conceded that she had actually been considering looking for a new home for Tai, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the latest incident had convinced her to give him up.

She said he would make a rewarding and affectionate pet for the right owner but she was unable to offer the full-time companionship he needed.

She said: “I was looking to find a new home for him anyway but this is was just the last straw and he’s scared of the kitchen now.

“He’s a lovely dog but he doesn’t like being on his own - he just wants to be with somebody all the time and I have to go out to work.”

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that two fire engines were called to a property in Heathcote Close yesterday morning by neighbours and extinguished a fire in the kitchen of the property.

  • Can you offer a home for Tai? If you would be interested in taking on the Staffordshire Bull Terrier contact Harry Hogger on 01305 269801.