Narrow escape when bird bites husband and dog runs free (5,3,2)
I believe the answer is:
touch and go
'narrow escape' is the definition.
('touch and go' can mean close to going badly)
'bird bites husband and dog runs free' is the wordplay.
'bird' becomes 'toucan' (toucan is a kind of bird).
'bites' indicates putting letters inside.
'husband' becomes 'h'.
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'runs free' is an anagram indicator.
'toucan' placed around 'h' is 'touchan'.
'dog' with letters rearranged gives 'dgo'.
'touchan'+'dgo'='TOUCH-AND-GO'
'when' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for touch and go that I've seen before include "Uncertain up to the last minute" , "Fraught with danger" , "What swimmers do between laps" , "advice recommending the briefest of contacts?" , "Precarious" .)