Stray Dogs

[belle&sebastiansmom]

Ever picked up a stray?

There is a dog that has apparently been roaming our neighborhood for a few days. A small terrier mix. Cutest thing, very friendly. We've been out of town until today, and the dog won't leave our front porch!

DH walked him around the streets and we called a few neighbors to see if anyone knew where he belongs. He's now taking the dog to a vet to see if he's chipped and to see if he has a home. We feel sorry for him. It's so cold.

So, if he's not chipped, and obviously we can't find an owner, how many days would you give a "stray" before you called him your own? Before you paid the money for vaccines and such?

 

[Aimeedyan]

I have - much to my DH's dismay

Pixie the Shih Tzu was one I took in a couple years ago. She was obviously dumped in our neighborhood. I hung signs, checked for a chip, called the animal control to see if anyone listed her, and posted info on Craigslist and Petfinder. No one claimed her

We already had 3 so I had her checked out by my vet and listed her for adoption. Found her a great home after a month or so.

I think you should take the obvious steps to make sure she's not just lost - check for chip, call animal control, look on lost pet listings, etc - and then she's yours.

ETA: Definitely bring that little guy inside if you can! I've taken in strays that I later found their home before just to get them off the streets. Not only dangerous, it's also cold.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

Aimeedyan, we already have three dogs as well! We don't need a fourth, but I'm a sucker. I'd love to find his family. I know if we bring him home my dd6 won't want to let him go. Well, we'll sleep on it, but definitely bring him in for the night. Thanks, you gave me some good ideas for finding his family. But it's a shame that so many good natured dogs are just dumped.

DH just called and the dog doesn't have a chip. Ahh!! Now what!?

 

[Just Jan]

He claimed you lol.
You're doing the right thing bring him in and feed him. Unfortunately times are tough for some and a pet may just put them over the edge financially. Not that it makes dropping them off the right thing to do.

Jan

 

[louey]

You could may take a picture of him and post it at a couple of your local Veterinarian offices. Definately contact your local animal shelter to see if anyone has called about a lost terrier, add in newspaper.
What are you going to name him/her
I am also a Sucker as I have four dogs

PS Happy to hear that this dog picked the right house to hang out at, thanks for caring for a lost/dumped dog

 

[moon]

DH just called and the dog doesn't have a chip. Ahh!! Now what!?

Awww, looks like doggie has found a great home with a wonderful, loving family

Seriously, you are doing such a kind act. That doggy is lucky to have found you

 

[jjarman]

We took in a stray a few months ago and she is wonderful. DH called me at lunch and he saw this stray on his way home. We went back after I got home and found her. She was literally skin and bones. Covered in fleas, mites, lice, etc. She looked awful. I bathed her, took her to the vet and got her treatment for the worms and skin parasites. You should see her now. She is so pretty. We think she is half yellow lab and half blue heeler. She looks like a solid color yellow blue heeler. She is so smart to and so sweet. We have always had pure bred, registered dogs. I didn't have anything against mutts but I just like a certain breed of dog. She fit right in and is my younger dog's best friend. They sleep right on top of each other. She is truly a blessing. We had 3 dogs as well but somehow she fit in anyway. I really believe God put her in our path. Take the dog in and love it. It sounds like ti was meant to be.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Not with dogs, but between my parents and I three of our cats have been strays straight off the street. In all three cases, we immediately took them in. We did take them to the vet right away to get checked out and to find out if anybody had lost the animal. In all three cases we named the right away. Of course, in the case of my parenst they were always going to find the cat a good home, we still have them several years later .

 

[dakcp2001]

Sometimes we choose our pets, and sometimes they choose us. I would say bring him in, feed him, and make him a warm room to sleep in. Then take a picture and fax or bring it to all the local vets/shelters so his family can find him! Try neighboring towns too! His family may be very worried and if it were my doggy, I would hope some nice person would take him in and keep him safe and warm.

If he did get dumped or abandoned, well, he might be yours. BUt I would def try as hard as I could to find his worried family, in case there is one.

PS do you live near the other poster on the "My dog got out and I am in tears" thread? Maybe you found her dog!

 

[maciec]

We found one in June 2008 ..... here is the story that I posted here on the Dis
Petey's Story

So we are driving home tonight on some back country roads (for those of you familiar with Sussex Co. Delaware we were in the Swamp on Rt.54) and I see a dog on the side of the road - just standing there. I tell dh and he says go back. We find this dog and he is just a wreck. It took dh a good 40-35 minutes it seemed to get this dog to trust him enough to get close. Once dh got close enough the dog just became completely submissive and rolled over on his back. OMG! After about 15 minutes more dh gets to the point where he's got the dog by the collar and leading him to the van. Poor thing was so scared, dh picked him up and put him in the van.

We get this poor baby home and give him some food and water and he is just the happiest thing now! I'm calling him Pete for the time being because of Stinky Pete and that he does. We think he's been out in the swamp for about a week maybe two. He's in our garage now away from the girls (our 2 Samoyeds).

Anyway, we have no idea what he is. He may just be an Eastern Shore pure bred. We think he has the face of an Akita, but we aren't sure. In all of this I can't find the camera, but as soon as I do I will post a picture for help with identifying.

Here is his picture when we found him

Here he is in his forever home

The whole process was really rewarding and I am glad that we made the stop and that we were able to find the perfect home for him.

 

[mamamary]

I pick us strays whenever i can. Luckily I've always managed to find their owners (except one who I brought to the humane society and he got adopted from there). Many years ago my first lab got out and someone got him for me so I always try to return the favor. One golden retr. that I found 3 years ago I was considering keeping but found her owner too - who turned out to be owned by my DD's classmate - small world.

 

[Hercules10]

Take him to the local shelter or humane society or where ever you think a family might go to reclaim their pet. Don't assume the animal was purposely put out. Someone could be looking for it and they might not be local.

Ask the shelter to keep you up to date (some may even let you foster). After a set amount of time if no one has claimed the pet then consider adopting.

I know it's harsh to watch them hauled away in the pet paddy wagon...but you have to make sure. What breaks my heart worse is the thought of some little kid crying their eyes out because their pet ran off and can't be found.

...and so far I have adopted three large dogs and an pure-blood, pedigreed PIA cat.

Good luck and good job.

 

[lovin diz]

here is our story.....

About 2 months ago, I had to go to a town about an hour away for business. It was an all day thing, so that evening i stopped to get gas. Well there were 2 dogs --Stuck together. I went inside and asked the cashier what she knew about the dogs, and she said a man dropped them off, and gave each a hot dog, and left. She said she was going to call animal control, and i told her that i would take them. I quickly found a home for the male (black, maybe part pomeranian?) My dd however, begged and cried to keep the female. She is beautiful (looks full blooded spaniel) so we named her lady. She was very skinny, and could feel ribs. Wonderful dog. Well, fast forward almost 2 months.....
Lady is not skin and bones anymore. Her stommach is HUGE! Her teets are HUGE!! and yes, unless she have really bad gas, her stommach is movin and shaken. I dont know anything for sure, i just know that we are on day 57, so if something is going to happen, it will be soon.

I was so angry that some jerk would allow this to happen. Now i am thankful that i have another great dog. I am nervous about the next few days, yet it is kindof exciting in a way....



....We did end up finding Lady a home. She dug under the fence and got out a few times, so we had to find a home for her, where she could roam (no just our little yard), but we did keep one of the pups--Lucy--she has been so much fun. I too, am a sucker for dogs

Looks like this dog chose you. Strays usually make the best dogs! Have fun, and enjoy it!

 

[JerseyJanice]

When I was growing up in the 70s, it was much more common to see strays. Animal control around here has gotten very strict. I don't think I've seen a stray in the 15 years I've lived in this house.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

Still no owner for the dog. DH walked him all for about an hour this morning while people leaving for work. No one had seen this dog at all.

I called the Humane Society, and they were something else. They said they have not received any calls recently about a lost pet like I described and that I could surrender the dog to them, but they will keep him for 5 days before he is euthanized! That is insane. That hardly gives anyone a chance to even go "shopping" for a dog. I asked the Humane Society why they are kept for such a short amount of time, and the lady told me that they have over 300 dogs on most days with many coming in all the time, over 16,00 were put to sleep last year. That is a travesty. I was told that his chances were better for us to keep the dog or to rehome him ourselves.

I spoke to our vet who said that with no chipping or collar on the dog and that he'd been outside for a while (with temps in the low 20's) and that he's thin and was filthy and matted, looks like I have a new dog. I also called two other vets in town and no one has reported him missing. This dog was too sweet to take to the Humane Society to possibly be put down before the end of the week.

So the dog is going to the vet to get a work over, heartworm test, test for worms, and if he's already neutered he'll get microchipped. He's also going to get a grooming. We've bathed him and got rid of the bark and leaves that were embedded in his coat, but he still needs a good haircut. The hair around his eyes is so long he cannot even see, his eyes are completely covered. He may be a sweet, friendly dog, but if he had owners, he wasn't taken care of very well. Once he's cleaned up and has a clean bill of health I'll let him around the other dogs and the kids.

 

[louey]

Aww thats nice to hear your keeping him, three of my dogs are rescues and I will only adopt from now on. It is soooooooooooooooooo sad at how many dogs are put to sleep every year in every state Its INSANE!!!!!!
Please post a picture of him when ya can I would love to see him

 

[Dee & Greg]

Good for you! All three of our dogs were strays or rescues, and we currently have a Great Pyrenees we're fostering (she's been adopted, and heads out in a week for the East Coast!). Our foster was a stray and so thin! In 9 weeks, she's gained 20 pounds and is the most beautiful, sweet girl in the world. Her new "pyr-ents" are going to be very happy!

"Miss Penelope"

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

Well the dog is home. DD named him Jasper. He looks so much better with his new haircut.

The vet said he has a dislocated patella of the knee. He limps and favors his left knee but doesn't seem to slow him down any. He runs and jumps like the other dogs and shows no signs of pain. The vet said that a popping patella is common in small dogs, they'll pop in and out of place, but this one is basically fused out of place, it doesn't move. Probably a sign of an old, untreated injury.

So far so good in the house. He hasn't "marked" anything yet. Please, knock on wood, it stays that way!! He'll be neutered next Monday. Right now he's humping everything in sight (DH said we should have named him Tiger Woods). Please tell me this is "normal" for a dog trying to fit into the pack?! And that he'll calm that side of him once he's snipped?!

 

[ambgoph]

Congrats on your new family member. Please post a picture when you get the chance. Have fun with him.

 

[louey]

Well the dog is home. DD named him Jasper. He looks so much better with his new haircut.

The vet said he has a dislocated patella of the knee. He limps and favors his left knee but doesn't seem to slow him down any. He runs and jumps like the other dogs and shows no signs of pain. The vet said that a popping patella is common in small dogs, they'll pop in and out of place, but this one is basically fused out of place, it doesn't move. Probably a sign of an old, untreated injury.

So far so good in the house. He hasn't "marked" anything yet. Please, knock on wood, it stays that way!! He'll be neutered next Monday. Right now he's humping everything in sight (DH said we should have named him Tiger Woods). Please tell me this is "normal" for a dog trying to fit into the pack?! And that he'll calm that side of him once he's snipped?!

Getting him neutered should help bigtime!!! but give him a week or two after till all his manlyness has left his system
My pomeranian had one of her patellas that would pop out once in awhile, but it never seemed to bother her too much. I always tried to make sure that she didn't jump down from a high height.
My adopted Cavalier King Charles have both her patellas operated on before I got her, it is very common in the small breeds as you vet said. Just keep an eye on it, you may not ever have to get it fixed if its not an issue for Jasper. Can't wait to see pictures of him.