KathyM Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 Can someone run me through the legalities of holding a stray dog at home when you know where the owner lives? A dog came in our house today, and it's rare there's a stray up this end so we bobbed a lead on him and walked around the area until we found his home. People up and down the street said he's been out since yesterday. Found where he lives (thanks to a child that remembers him) and when we got there, there was an open gate and a nearly empty bowl of dog food that was swimming in rain water. We saw a bloke hanging round the street and asked him if he knew the dog. He said it belonged to the people at that house and they're his mates. He then went on to shout in a growling voice "GER 'ERE you little F-er!" and said he'd sort out the little "s" word, that he barks and escapes all the time. I said I wasn't happy leaving him without the owner being back (he wanted to just shut him back in the yard) and said we'd take him home til his owners ring. We have left our phone number. I don't want to make any assumptions but I wondered if anyone had any ideas for what to do. I am going to offer to take this dog if they don't want him, but the idea of handing him back makes me nervous and I'm tempted to say he ran off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendlewitch Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 (edited) As you left your contact details I think you have covered yourself and are justified in hanging on to him until owners make a move. I hope you get the poor little chap, good on you for helping him! Edited September 5, 2009 by Pendlewitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 You are not obliged to hand over a stray dog to anyone other than its owner or the DW. In fact, it's best not to. You never know who they are and what their motives may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyM Posted September 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 Thanks for your help, you're ace, thanks. He's back home now. His owner said he only escaped this morning but he's forever escaping as he jumps up on the outhouse and over the fence. Recommended he gets his nuts off and keeps an eye on his chest as he had the beginnings of a cough (probably KC). He said he doesn't want him but his kids won't let him give him away. We have offered to take him if he gets past that. Thank you ever so much for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel n Hardy Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 If it were me I might be tempted to drive him a hundred miles (maybe)or so to a friendly rescue and leave a donation (possibly) but thats just me of course I would never suggest that to anyone you understand.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyM Posted September 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 LOL that was my initial thought, but since I got up I've been sat with the door open hoping if he jumps his fence again he'll come and live here. How pathetic am I lol. If it were me I might be tempted to drive him a hundred miles (maybe)or so to a friendly rescue and leave a donation (possibly) but thats just me of course I would never suggest that to anyone you understand.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura_E Posted September 6, 2009 Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 I don't think it's pathetic at all, it sounds like he would have a much better home with you, especially as he isn't even wanted where he is now I had a similar experience a couple of years ago with a gorgeous rottie girl (we called her Priscilla, god knows what her real name was!). She was straying on a main road, got hit by a car and then ran off into a residential area. We managed to find her sitting in a drive way, so assumed it was her home, but when nobody answered the door an elderley couple in the garden next door told us that she didn't live there. We contacted the RSPCA, but they said they couldn't come out for 5 hours, so she came home with us to wait. I ended up having to take the day off work as annual leave, luckily my manager was very understanding. All this happened at about 9am, the RSPCA turned up at around 4pm and took her off. I gave them my contact details and said if nobody came forward then I would have her back here and pay the vet bill. She was such a gorgeous gentle girl, and even ignored my cats. Unfortunately, I got a phone call at around 10pm from her owner asking me where she was (apparently the RSPCA helpline had given him my number, which I thought was a bit off). I told him what had happened and explained that it had happened over 12 hours ago, but he said he had only just realised she was missing! He didn't bother to thank me at all for my time and even seemed annoyed that he might have to fork out for the vet bill. Some people just don't deserve to have pets. Fingers crossed that this cute little boy does come back to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted September 6, 2009 Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 I had something similar when I lived in London, a very sweet old dog was continually let out on her own to roam, numerous people took her home again and the owners said she 'kept getting out'. My next door neighbour really fell for her, but the owners wouldn't give her up - same reason, said they didn't really want her but the kids would be upset. The next time she was out loose my neighbour took her in and called the Dog Warden and handed her in as a stray (being a little bit naughty and pretending she didn't know where she came from). The owners' were traced, but their enthusiasm for getting her back waned very suddenly when they found out they'd have to pay a release fee for her so they signed her over and my neighbour adopted her I do hope this little dog can be got out of there one way or another Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyM Posted September 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 (edited) Thank you ever so much, I haven't stopped thinking about him all day and have even sneakily walked past his house to nosey on him (it's on the way to the allotment and he wasn't in the yard anyway lol). When I was cooking the roast chicken this aft I was fantasising about him smelling the chicken and coming to us like the Littlest Hobo His owner wasn't horrible - he obviously isn't great but then noone's perfect and it was clear he wanted to give him to us. He did say if he "got too much" he would ring us. I have a feeling I'll be waiting every day and never hear from them again though. ETA: It's weird that I feel a bit like I broke up with a boyfriend (that's not pervy lol), perhaps this has brought Seth's death back to me. I didn't really allow myself to consider another because that was so traumatic to everyone, Dharma especially. If he ever comes back, him and I might have to run away together! Edited September 6, 2009 by KathyM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura_E Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 I had something similar when I lived in London, a very sweet old dog was continually let out on her own to roam, numerous people took her home again and the owners said she 'kept getting out' One of the most prominent memories that I have from childhood involved a dog called Vinny who was just let out every morning to roam the streets. He wasn't an escape artist, his owners just literally didn't see anything wrong with letting him 'walk himself' until they retured from work in the evening! I was about 6 years old at the time and we had Jack, our gorgeous border collie, so Vinny used to turn up on our door step every day wanting to play. Mum would bring him in, feed him and try and clean him up as best she could before taking him back in the evening. She had so many arguements with the owners, but they literally just could not see any harm in what they were doing. Then one day I overheard my Mum and Dad talking downstairs (I was a very nosey child) and I could tell from their voices that they were both really upset. I asked my older sister what was going on and she told me that some local boys had got hold of Vinny, taken him to the multi-storey car park in town and thrown him off the top floor I think the reason I still remember it all so vividly is because it was the first time in my life that I had felt so sad and so sickened. Amazingly though, Vinny survived and an elderly lady next door to us ended up adopting him as his owners didn't want to pay the vet bill. He finally got the loving home he deserved, but he should never of been in that situation in the first place. .... and the boys, well, some people thought it would be a good idea to round them up one by one, take them to the same floor of the multi-storey car park that they had taken Vinny to and dangle them over the edge by their ankles. Apparently every single one of them soiled themselves, so they were left to make the 20 minute walk through town in that state! It's a small price to pay for what they done to Vinny though. I think most of them are in prison now. Sorry for going off topic, but Fiona's story just reminded me of poor Vinny. I haven't stopped thinking about him all day and have even sneakily walked past his house to nosey on him (it's on the way to the allotment and he wasn't in the yard anyway lol). When I was cooking the roast chicken this aft I was fantasising about him smelling the chicken and coming to us like the Littlest Hobo Maybe a phone call to this cute little lads owner, just to see how he's getting on, will help as a reminder that you're still there if things do get too much. Sadly, we all know how quickly some children tire of their pets, and it seems like they are already neglecting their responsibilities. I hope things do work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyM Posted September 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Hi folks Thanks for the replies. Sorry I didn't reply sooner, I'm laid up on (yummy) painkillers. Might be a bit nonsensical typing wise. Sorry. I dont have the owners phone number, they however do have mine and he did say if they had enough of him they would come to us first. It's awful waiting, but I don't really have much choice and if they never let him ho I'll just have to het used to it. When I'm better I'm thinking of bobbing a note through their door although I really don't want to turn them against us by pestering or looking like I'm judging them so I'll have to be really careful/ about what I say. Feeling really pants today and Dharma has been ace but theres a little space in between my curled up knees and the back of the sofa that's missing this boy. Feels like I left my dog with someone else, which is ridiculous considering he was only here 3 or4 hours! Anway, i'll update if I get any news and thank uou all for understanding (what's strange is that Baz, Mr "No 2nd dog ever, please don't ask" feels exactlty the same!). xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenOldie Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Over 25 years ago my daughter and I rescued a very elderly labrador from the river Tawd and notified all the local vets/police stations/rescues etc within 24 hours. She was very ill, suffering from hypothermia and leptospirosis and had clearly had an operation recently as the hair had not grown back on the operation site. We nursed her back to health and my wonderful vet treated her for nothing. She made an excellent recovery on a special diet and settled down with our other dogs and had no other problems other than a bit of arthritis in her back legs and sometimes needed help to negotiate steps into the garden or an early morning wee call to prevent a puddle! The weeks went by and then I got a phone call from a local vet. Daisy, as we called her, was a patient of his and he had somehow missed my original flyers. She belonged to a local family and had had pyometra, hence the op. He kept saying 'these are their details but it is entirely up to you whether you contact them or not'; I wished afterwards I had read more into it but I didn't. I rang the owners and they seemed overjoyed, assuring me they had tried all avenues to find her - like yeah! She had apparently escaped thro' an open gate The family came to the house, kids, grandma, the lot in a very expensive estate car and seemed very pleased to see her and she them. Dad said she looked better than she had for ages and they all went off with a box load of her special food. He asked if she needed to go out early in the morning and I said yes but it was no problem and we offered to keep her if they found it difficult with a young family to meet her needs. Our last sight of her was sitting happily in the back of the car with the children and though very sad felt at least she was going home. I found out 2 weeks later that the day after they collected her she was taken into the vet and put down because they couldn't cope with her . I have remained ultra cautious and very cynical since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyM Posted September 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Our last sight of her was sitting happily in the back of the car with the children and though very sad felt at least she was going home. I found out 2 weeks later that the day after they collected her she was taken into the vet and put down because they couldn't cope with her . I have remained ultra cautious and very cynical since. That's so sad, what the hell is wrong with some people,much is the bet they went out and got a nice new puppy the next day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenOldie Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 It was very sad and we still have photos of the dear old girl who could have gone on happily for years. One of my current permanent oldies is nearly 13 and is profoundly deaf; she was left alone in her owners bungalow for 6 months after she had to go into residential care, with neighbours and friends 'popping in' to see to her. The family, who own animals themselves, said they couldn't have her because they couldn't let her off the lead because of her deafness and, to be fair, they made a lot of attempts to rehome her.! She is very fit and agile in spite of a heart murmur and I walk her on a training lead. I think some people mean well and are not necessarily uncaring, unlike the owners of poor old Daisy though. And yes, once the oldies have gone with whatever excuse is made, how often does a new pup move in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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