did i did the right thing?

[tsai_jack]

hello,

i went back to Houston, TX for the weekend to my folks house. On Sunday, i was taking a walk around the neightborhood and i whilste a bit as i walk then come a little cute gold hair dog. i pet the dog and look around to see if anyone is behind me or to see the owner. i don't see anyone so i just left then the dog follow me so i get down and pet him again. As soon as he saw my hand coming he sit, so i guess this is not a stray dog and i notice he got a collar on but no dog tag. i also find a blue rubberband around his neck(some kind of mark? or some kind of crue joke?). as i walk home he follow me, then i saw a police car drive by. i stop the police and told him i find a dog and i don't see the owner and if he can take the dog to the pound or shelter.

he gave me the animal control number and tell me to contact them. i saw a old lady was unloading some stuff from the car so i went over and ask her if she can take the dog while i contact the animal control(i can't take him home with me since my folks don't like pet at the house) she told me she can't but told me to bring the dog across the street to a old man named John that his friend have a dog just like this one. i went and he told me, he'll keep the dog and contact his friend if it's her. if not he'll contact the animal control.

what should i do with a dog that seem to be left out by the owner or lost? is animal shelter or pound the answer? resuce group? or leave it to someone that can take care the dog? what'll animal control do with the dog? will they killl it?

btw, it's not his friend's dog. so what he'll do is put up the sign that he found a dog and see if anyone will come and pick it up. if not he'll take it to the shelter. i don't know if i did the right thing or not. i hope someone will contact john or john will take the dog to the shelter.

[rottmommie]

I would trust the gentleman that he will do as he says....if he cannot find the owner, you might wish to leave him your number, and offer to put ad in the paper to sell the dog to a good home.
I have found new homes for many dogs i could not keep. I bet this guy will keep him for a while while you find a new home, if you offer to feed the dog and throw a couple of steaks in for the man!
No you didnt do the wrong thing....you tried to do something that would help the dog. RELAX! If you are still worried tomorrow, take the dog to a local vet? a friend? a relative, maybe just temporary till better arrangements can be made!

[Judi W]

I know that people are often horrified at the thought of a dog being turned over to animal control, however,

That is where the owners of lost dogs go to look for their pet. Signs in the neighborhood are OK as is contacting local vets, but what if the dog escaped and what if the dog came from a distance and the owner doesn't know to go look for signs in that particular neighborhood? Also, owners looking for escapees can't possibly look in everyone's backyard or peek through the windows. I believe it is perfectly responsible to contact animal control (unless you live in a community with terrible shelter facilities) or, if someone chooses to hang on to the dog looking for the owner, they should put an ad in the newspaper.

[tsai_jack]

the thing is i have to come back to Austin today. as matter of fact, i'm posting this thread from Austin and not Houston. so i can't check on it. i guess it ok to leave the dog with him.

i was a bit worried. i never done much rescue(i don't think it's a resuce) so i'm not familar what to do with a lose dog or whatnot. i guess Judi W is right about animal control. i just thought the animal control will kill the dog. i guess not.

[tsai_jack]

Originally posted by rottmommie
if you offer to feed the dog and throw a couple of steaks in for the man!
No you didnt do the wrong thing....you tried to do something that would help the dog. RELAX! If you are still worried tomorrow, take the dog to a local vet? a friend? a relative, maybe just temporary till better arrangements can be made!

the problem is i'm out of job as now. so i can't throw in the steaks or otherwise i'll take the dog with me, myself and take care of it. i think he'll do what he say. i hope.

[rottmommie]

hey i understand, we have a homeless, (well motel living ) couple here that came form texas, said the jobs are scarce there, and they came here to see if they could do any better!

[tsai_jack]

Originally posted by rottmommie
hey i understand, we have a homeless, (well motel living ) couple here that came form texas, said the jobs are scarce there, and they came here to see if they could do any better!

not a problem. i'm just not familar with animal control. so that's why i ask if i did the right thing. because i thought animal control's job is to take the animal in and if no one come, then they kill them. yes, austin's job market is not so good after the dot-com bombed.

where are you? how's the couple doing? is job market better over where you at? :)

[AngelBunny]

tsai_jack:

Please don't think ill of ACOs (animal control officers). They aren't villains.

By law, animals picked up by ACOs stay in shelters for a length of time (usually 7 days, but it can be longer or shorter, depending) before being put up for adoption, moved to another shelter or put down.

My Rottie rescue group has excellent relationships with many ACOs in the area in which we rescue and rehome--the ACOs contact us when Rotties come in, either picked up as strays or OSs (owner surrenders).

[RottnKid1]

tsai_jack,

If the dog does get turned over to the shelter and ends up on "death row," do you have any friends who could take the dog until you get back on your feet or can arrange a good home for the pooch?

It's wonderful to see someone who cares so much. And because you do care so much, I would guess you would have a really hard time handling it if the dog is euthanized.

[Burnsway]

Originally posted by tsai_jack
the thing is i have to come back to Austin today. as matter of fact, i'm posting this thread from Austin and not Houston. so i can't check on it. i guess it ok to leave the dog with him.

i was a bit worried. i never done much rescue(i don't think it's a resuce) so i'm not familar what to do with a lose dog or whatnot. i guess Judi W is right about animal control. i just thought the animal control will kill the dog. i guess not.

I live in Houston(Kingwood), Texas and I will pm you my email and if you want me to check on the situation for you I would be more than happy too. Just email me the number you left the dog with and the other information.

[Judi W]

My point was that a dog that is obviously someone's pet who has escaped stands a better chance of being reunited with its family if it is turned into animal control rather than hidden away in someone's backyard or home. A person could then keep an eye on the pup and if it is not reclaimed, adopt it out. Also, people looking for a nice pet are visiting the shelters looking. They are not peeking into people's backyards either. Our AC has told me that they are always able to find homes for good dogs and welcome them should they not be reclaimed by their owners.

[Lisi]

I agreed with Judy.

When I was doing rescue in Tampa, FL and ppl called me with a rottie they found. I would tell them to call Animal Control (or at times I would pick the dog up and take it to AC). Why, because by law you need to advertise 3x and make an effort to find the owners.

Also at the shelter (Hillsborough AC is IMHO one of the best in the country) the dog is given a full work over medically. Vaccinated and held for 7 days. The staff knew if the dog was abused, they could charge the owners when they came looking for the dog. Once the 7 days were up, the shelter would contact rescue, and we would go and claim the animal - in this day and age when rescue is so expensive, they would spay/neuter the animal for us, microchip and the animal would be UTD with all shots - and I would pay $60 to release the animal. Honestly guys, this was a win win situation, the animal if it had a loving home, had a chance of being reunited, if not, it didn't drain the resources of rescue.

I also would ask, if the owners came to claim to be advised, and asked that the owners call me - most did, and it gave me a chance to educate. We ended up with over a dozen of these dogs in at the Training Club (I would provide them with a discount coupon), so we were educating as well.

Sometimes the emotional thing to do, isn't always the right thing to do in the long in.

I hope this dog gets lucky, and someone cares enough to make sure the animal sees a vet, and someone can educate the family who owns him about spay/neutering and obedience.

JMHO


Lisi

[rottmommie]

I am in the midwest, and there seems to be [lenty of low paying jobs around here, around 6-8 dollars an hour. Nobody wants them. I am sure this couple could get one of these jobs, however transportation is a problem for them, so they are doing odd jobs.
Illinois is doing ok, we have a lot of those jobs around. Dont even TRY southern Illinois tho, I hear they are paying lower yet!
The cost of living here is not as high as in Texas though.

[RottnKid1]

I agree with Judi if the local shelter is a good one. If a shelter is anything like CACC, the more likely scenario would be a quickly executed death sentence.:(