I was driving to the mall earlier today. It’s a rainy day with lots of traffic.
I saw a small dog on the far side of a state highway, it was wet and walking around looking lost. I pulled over to look at it, and it had no collar or identification.
If this was in town I’d have done nothing, but there were tons of cars flying around and there aren’t any houses direclty in the area. So I took the little guy home with me.
Even if it lives nearby the fact is it was in danger of getting hit, so I think I did the right thing in taking it.
I plan to take out some ads in the local paper informing the public I’ve found a wandering dog. It’s possible the dog was abandoned, too. I’ve known of people who drop unwanted dogs off on the roadside.
While I already have two dogs I’ll probably keep this one if no one ever contacts me.
So, what do you guys think about this? Right thing to do? Should I have left the dog there?
If it was on an interestate I wouldn’t even question the moral correctness of it. But this “state highway” isn’t exactly like an interstate road, there’s a very good chance the dog was just a little bit away form it’s home. I think even if it causes the family some emotional distress that they won’t know where the dog is for a few days it’s still a good move, in all honesty I don’t see how the dog could have stayed in the spot it was in much longer without getting hit by a car.
I don’t think you did anything wrong. You probably saved his life. Putting ads out to find his real owner is the right thing to do, though. Maybe put posters in local stores, too?
I think you did a good thing. If you’re in the area where you found the dog keep an eye out for “Lost Dog” posters, but anyone that would let a dog run loose without a collar deserves to lose it.
In college I lived a bit out of town, and people would come and dump off dogs frequently; just drive right down the road, open the door, and dump Fido out. It makes one want to heave a nice-sized stone into their window.
Anyway, we’d take 'em in, get them cleaned up, and find homes despite our own budget issues. My little way of trying to balance universal karma…or whatever.
If the dog knew where home was, it would have gone there. Dogs sitting on the roadside are waiting for someone to come back for them. It’s just possible that it could have come from a good home and just escaped and lost his collar, and definitely feel around for an ID chip or a tattoo in the ear, but barring that, I’d say you have a new pup. Give it (he? she?) a good home.
I’d be shocked if it didn’t have some of this breed of dog in it as it bears a huge resemblance. I doubt it’s a purebreed anything though as they don’t tend to get abandoned all that often I wouldn’t think.
More than you’d think, especially the working breeds that look fun as puppies but demand a lot of attention and training as adults. We found one, a beagle–a real sweatheart, actually–who’d clearly been dumped with a dislocated hip. Since it had been out so long it had formed a false joint and couldn’t be reduced, but it didn’t slow her much. I kind of wish we’d kept her instead of placing her. Another was a Westie with a Napoleon complex and a very possessive nature; she’d snap at my girlfriend and try to keep her away from me. She got placed with a single guy who doted over her. Then there was the pit bull who’d been beaten or lashed–unfortunately, he was beyond my skill and had to go to the pound (probably gassed). Aussies and chows are other breeds that are often abandoned due to their work instincts and protectiveness, respectively.
Anyway, it sounds like this dog has a good home with you. How are the other dogs taking it?
Congratulations on your new pet. I imagine that the dog was abandoned. Can you imagine the terror and bewilderment a pet must feel in that situation? I just can’t fathom how anyone could betray a trust like that.
You did the right thing, no doubt. We took in a stray this summer (despite already having two dogs and a cat- I couldn’t help it. We are in love!), and I don’t regret it for a moment. We asked around and put up signs and stuff about him, but no one claimed him. He’s a joy to have and he feels as fortunate as I do, I believe. Here’s a pic if you’re interested:
Foster D Dawg (named him Foster because we were just going to “Foster” him for a while. Well, now he’s permanent, but the name stuck!)
Here he is wearing a sweater I made him:
Here he is gnawing on a bone that he DIDN’T have to pick out of the garbage:
You did the right thing- Foster lets me know every day how grateful he is that we took him in. Best of luck with your pup.
FYI- our adopted stray Foster has escaped several times- he is a genuine Houdini. Twice he’s slipped the collar we had on him and once he got out of his harness and took off. All three times he was without collar (not because we don’t love him enough to collar him, but because he escaped them). He came home once with a note tied around his neck with a ribbon to the effect of “Keep your dog indoors- he’s going to get hit by a car!” Well, we know that- we weren’t letting him run on purpose. His first few months here were a learning period for us all.
He always comes back, but he has escaped collarless and I don’t think we deserve to lose him because of that. Honest mistakes do happen.
Ever consider getting him a harness instead of a collar? You can still attach a tag with your info on it and he can’t slip out of it. This doggie also sounds like a good candidate for a chip/tattoo. It’d suck if you lost him.
If there are any homes in the vicinity, you might want to ask around.
I did the same thing on the way to work many years ago. It was a freezing cold day and this little dog looked like it was ready to give up. I pulled over, opened my door and he hopped in without hesitation.
The principal I worked for then, an iron-clad bitch, was not happy. Okay, it was a bit disruptive to the school day, but what, I’m going to let the dog freeze?
On my way home I stopped and asked at the houses closest to where I picked up the dog, and got a few tips. After a little detective work, I eventually I found the dog’s owner. I was kind of bummed out, but the old couple were very very happy to see their little buddy safe and sound, so it was worth it.
Your new dog may not have been that far from home.
Hey, if you believe you drove down a road to help a dog who needed help, then that’s why you drove down that road. A whole lot of life is perception, you know.
Martin Hyde, I think you should call your local animal shelters, or drop off a flyer with the dog’s picture on it in case the owners are trying to find him. It might not hurt to take him over there or to your vet’s office to get him scanned to see if he has a chip. (Don’t worry-- the Pound won’t try to take him from you. They’ll be grateful you’re caring for him.)
There was a show on NPR not to long ago about this very subject, and they said that people who find lost dogs often neglect to inform the shelters-- which are often one of the first places an owner contacts.
