NY city hopes border collie makes gulls 'doggone'

ELMIRA, N.Y. (AP) - An upstate New York city that has gone to the gulls is deciding whether it should go to the dogs instead.

Leaders in Elmira will vote next week on whether to use Sammi, a 7-year-old border collie, to harass and ultimately give some nuisance seagulls the boot.

The ring-billed gulls breed in the nearby Chemung (shuh-MUNG') River and have become a pain downtown.

The Elmira Star-Gazette reports the black-and-white Sammi was a competition dog for herding and has worked with ducks and geese. She will be trained to work with gulls.

Because of their herding instinct, border collies are generally content to chase the birds, not kill them. It's a method that animal rights groups support.

The council will vote Monday.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press