Finding a dog

[Criosphynx]

I have seriously been running into alot of people online who just find a dog and keep it...

they always claim that they are in an area where dogs are dumped all the time and the dogs never have tags...so that magically makes it ok


whats everyones take on this...My understanding is you can't just legally keep a dog you find...not to mention the morality behind it...

if I wanted to keep a dog I found I would take it to the pound...be very firm that I wanted to adopt that dog once the stray hold was up and then adopt him legally.

Aside from the moral objection to inadvertantly stealing som'ones dog, I would not want to take the chance of a lawsuit.


thoughts?

 

[Zoom]

The few times I found a dog, I put up signs in the area I found the dog in, listed it on Lostdog and a couple other lost dog listings and contacted area shelters to let them know if anyone came looking. After 2 weeks, if the owner wasn't located, I would contact a rescue to take the dog and place it properly.

 

[Dakota Spirit]

I'm with you Criosphynx (and Zoom).

What annoys me the most, is often these people assume the dog is being mistreated if he is dirty, a little thin, etc. and use that as a justification for keeping him. Without any idea as to how long the dog has been running the streets (and what he's been doing during that time), I think it's really hard to make any kind of assessment like that. There can be extreme cases, obviously...but they are the exception not the rule.

 

[Criosphynx]

thank you both...

yes usually, when I suggest they find the owner they go into a "BUT I SAVED HIM" speech and how they are better owners...


my dogs would be filthy after a day or two loose...

Iam just at a loss at what to say to people, its like...you could be stealing som'ones dog!

 

[Dakota Spirit]

I always tell people they should be acting in a manner similar to what they would expect should anyone find THEIR dog. If you're not okay with someone finding your pet (because ANY animal can get loose in a second) and keeping him no questions asked, then you seriously need to reconsider why it would be ok for you to do it to someone else.

 

[Xandra]

If I see a loose but well cared for dog and I think I know where it belongs I'll return it home, if I don't I'll just leave it for a few minutes and see if just wandered off its property. Next step, after a some time or if the dog looked like it was going to get run over, would be tags, and then if I felt I had to I would call the shelter and leave a message that I had it (so the owner wouldn't have far to drive and wouldn't be subject to fees), and tie the dog in the front yard. Then it would go to the shelter. If the dog was badly injured, very sick, or STARVING (and I mean EMACIATED, not just thin) I would take it in right away.

It makes me uncomfortable to think about keeping a found dog at my house for a long period of time. I'd much rather take it to the shelter. I don't know how shelters work, so this could just be me being paranoid and stupid, but I always envision them scribbling down some post-it like "found, black lab" and then the next person comes on shift or someone else takes over the phone and misses the note. There is nothing physical for the shelter worker or the owner to identify, so if they lose the note...? I don't know how they keep track of that stuff. JMO.

 

[Criosphynx]

another load question....vet care...

Twice I have taken stray dogs to the vet for the same thing....

I work a full time job and don't have time to take a dog to the shelter when I see it...the shelters hours are within my work schedual

if a stray is hanging around I'll try to capture it on my day off...

One dog was hanging around for three months or more...another over a week...both dogs had been attacked by other stray dogs and IMO needed vet care ASAP so I took them both to an e vet and had them treated then relinquished them to the pound on my days off...

my understanding is that this is a moral/legal dilema, if the dogs owner for whatever reason doesn't want them treated I can be sued? Or does that only refer to pemanent procedures like spay/neuter?

 

[Xandra]

Woah, you mean you get dogs hanging around for days?!?! Here it's rare to see one at all and only once in memory has one been out for more than an hour. It was this awesome Ambull that was lying down in the park, and everyone was calling ac on it but no one could speak English properly so they asked me to go home and call and I did because I thought it was a little sick. I've seen it since and I'm pretty sure that it had just had the night of its life and was chilling there lol.

 

[Dakota Spirit]

It makes me uncomfortable to think about keeping a found dog at my house for a long period of time. I'd much rather take it to the shelter. I don't know how shelters work, so this could just be me being paranoid and stupid, but I always envision them scribbling down some post-it like "found, black lab" and then the next person comes on shift or someone else takes over the phone and misses the note. There is nothing physical for the shelter worker or the owner to identify, so if they lose the note...? I don't know how they keep track of that stuff. JMO.

I think it definitely depends on the shelter (and may be worth asking about, when you call in). I know for my local shelter, we have a number of ways to log lost/found dogs. In the front lobby there are Lost & Found books that people can come log their strays in. Shelters workers also write in any information that gets called in. There is also a wall in receiving that is used for posting lost and found posters that people bring in. So we try to cover all bases and make the information easily accessible for anyone looking but yeah - I do definitely see your concern.

As for the vet care, I'm not positive, but I would guess that it is in reference to permanent procedures. I can't imagine there would be much of a case to sue you over getting someone's dog stitched up (for example) after a fight.

 

[Criosphynx]

haha....I see between 2-6 stray dogs DAILY.


In about two years I have brought about 15 to shelters...and there are probably hundreds I couldn't get near...

I pass a dead dog in the road weekly on my way to the freeway (less than 5 miles)

its baaad here.

EDIT: thanks dakota...that was my impression, I would have skipped the vet care but in both cases I felt the dogs would die without it.

 

[tessa_s212]

I would allow local vets know I have a dog, I would let the humane society and pound know, but I would NOT take a dog to a pound (if I had the ability to keep it, if not I'd look for someone else that could house it). Give it a week or so, and if no one claims it, I'd look for a home or keep it if I really wanted to.

I have worked at the local shelter. Would never take a dog there, nor to the local pound.

 

[Criosphynx]

The shelter I take the dogs too is a no kill.

 

[tessa_s212]

You're blessed to have such a shelter nearby. I can tell you they are far and few between.

Even if I had a no-kill in my area, IF I could, I'd keep it with me as to not take up room in the local shelter until the owner is found.

I work as a receptionist for a vet. We sometimes get these calls of found dogs, or lost dogs. We always ask them to bring in flyer with a picture to put on the bulletin, and put a note somewhere where we can all see it and inform the next people on the clock about it incase they get a call. Sometimes it is pointless, as we hardly find owners for the lost dogs, nor the dogs for the owners reporting them missing.

 

[Xandra]

I think it definitely depends on the shelter (and may be worth asking about, when you call in). I know for my local shelter, we have a number of ways to log lost/found dogs. In the front lobby there are Lost & Found books that people can come log their strays in. Shelters workers also write in any information that gets called in. There is also a wall in receiving that is used for posting lost and found posters that people bring in. So we try to cover all bases and make the information easily accessible for anyone looking but yeah - I do definitely see your concern.

Good to know! I bet our shelter is like that too then. AC used to be run by the BC SPCA but our city council turfed them and handed over the reins to a private rescue, and I can't imagine them having a substandard set up. Well that makes me feel better.

 

[bubbatd]

If without tags , the first thing I do is go to my vet to check for chips , then check for lost dogs , breed clubs and flyers . You sure have alot of wanderers there !! Sad !

 

[Fran101]

I do my best to find the dogs owner, I keep the dog for usually around 5 days. I put up signs at petstores, in the area etc.., I post a cragslist ad/ad in local newspaper and of course I check for microchip.
if nobody proves ownership for 5 days the dog either goes to a rescue or I try and find it a home.

 

[Criosphynx]

i wish I could/would do the flier thing/keep the dog with me thing...I mean, sure the shelter is no-kill and the dog is likely terrified...

but its SOOO overwhelming...One of the injured dogs stayed with me for two or three days and I've kept more overnight then I can count...I can't keep them inside...they pee everyhere.....can't crate 'em (tho I did find a crate trained dog once) I've tried putting them in the yard, but they always excape of destroy the yard...tethering is not safe in my yard, and isn't legal for long periods.

not to mention the disease/ parasite issues....the one dog was being cleaned up at the vet and she comes in and tells me he has LICE....she had never even seen Lice on a dog before...and yup...you guessed it...I had to treat him, my five dogs and my two cats since I brought him inside like a moron...

I truely admire those of you that will hold onto a stray until you can find a home for it. I just can't do it.