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  1. #1
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    Am Furious - Dog dumped, now they want him back?

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    After my ride Friday, I was driving back down our mountain when I saw cars going off the road in front of me, on both sides. The source was a little wirehair terrier mix, looking very confused and trying to decide which way to go. There are loose dogs out here in the boonies all the time, and dogs get dumped all the time. He was clearly dumped. Loose dogs run around with a purpose and a big grin.

    No collar, no tats.

    So I stopped and got him - brought him home, introduced him to Ambassador Zoe (my younger, smaller dog) to play while I called Animal Control, the local vet to report I had found him should anyone be looking. Then I made flyers and dropped them off at the grocery and post office, my usual routine. I didn't expect a call.

    Saturday afternoon, a man calls and says the dog is his, it was his mothers but that she passed away in February. He must have escaped from the yard, yadda yadda. He'd call me later in the afternoon to come by and pick him up.

    Only, he never called. At 8pm I called him back, and got some other fellow on the phone. I hear a hand covering the reciever, and then yelling, and then I am hung up on. I called back and got the answering machine, left a message to call me back.

    By the way, this dog is not interested in escaping. He's very well mannered, housebroken, crate trained, never even dug a hole in my yard. Clearly Momma was good to him.

    Heard nothing all day Sunday. Nothing all day today. I decided he was truthfully abandoned and it was time to find him a home, so I did my usual round of posts on sites for that earlier this evening.

    Tonight, at 9:20, a little kid calls me and asks if I still have the dog - identified him with the same name (FootFoot). I said I did, then asked to talk to a grownup. They want to pick him up tomorrow evening, now.

    I was hot. Very hot. I asked what happened Saturday? Three days have passed since then, you know?

    He says "Oh, we went out of town, we just got back a little bit ago."

    Me: "And you didn't know this when you called me Saturday? Don't you think you should have called me?"

    Him "Ummmm"

    Me: "I am NOT a Doggy Daycare. I figured you had decided you didn't want him and have already put up ads for a new home."

    Him: "Well, we'll come get him tomorrow around 6:30..."

    My thought on all this is it's bullsh!t. They dumped him, maybe they did leave town, and by now they have seen their kid is broken up over the loss of grandma's dog and decided they'd better get him. I don't want to return him, ten to one they will just dump him again later and tell the kid he ran away again.
    2009 Fuji Team

    My blog - which rarely mentions cycling. It's really about decorating & food. http://www.crisangsteninteriors.com/blog

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
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    Michigan
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    Have you looked thoroughly into your local dog ordinances? Seems to me you are not obligated to give him back. In my area there are very strict negligent and animal cruelty laws. I have taken in strays and re homed them, cats mostly, but one time an especially large dog I didn't have enough room for. People should be ashamed of themselves. Dogs are not expendable. Sorry, a soapbox of mine at the moment. Long story.


    Not all who wander are lost

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    I don't think you are obligated to give them the dog -- morally, anyway. Legally I have no idea.

    Be sure to document what happened. I doubt they will take action, but you never know. Maybe a local rescue group could give you advice.

    Do they know where you live?

  4. #4
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    Sep 2010
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    Jacksonville area of NC
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    Do you know the stray hold time is in your area?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Maryland
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    I would call and ask your local ASPCA or humane society and look up the ordinances as others suggested. If you think the dog will be dumped again, which it sounds likely, I wouldn't give him back. I hate people that treat pets like they are objects to be disregarded. This is a huge monster soapbox for me as well.
    I pedal for chocolate

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  6. #6
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    Dumping animals is a favorite passtime around here. The local animal shelter holds animals for 3 days, then they are put down. There are that many of them -it's horrible.

    I will look into whether I am obligated to give him back. I really, really do not want to. Such a good point you gals have made there! Most people here are poor, I really would not expect any kind of claim to be filed.

    There is no Humane Society, ASPCA, or no-kill in the area. Chattanooga has them, but they don't want animals from NW GA. There is a group of friends that rescues a handful from animal control every month and finds homes for them, and they help me from time to time since I seem to be a magnet for unwanted/lost animals. I have gone through the abandoned animal routine so many times it's just sick. I find them homes, some of them I keep (I have three dogs of my own, all abandonment cases, all are fantastic animals).

    They do not know where I live, they do not know my name, even. All they have is my cell number, which is bad enough. I have their home number, and a friend with access to the nationwide database (for employment purposes). I've passed along the number, and by the end of today, I will know EVERY. THING. about them. You see, they never offered a name either. I think they are dishonest and horrible people. In these small towns, everyone knows everyone.

    Momma raised the man, and a dog. I can tell you, the dog has great manners. The asshat didn't even have the sense to apologize to me. He, I guess, expected me to be fine with the whole thing.
    Last edited by grey; 06-28-2011 at 05:17 AM.
    2009 Fuji Team

    My blog - which rarely mentions cycling. It's really about decorating & food. http://www.crisangsteninteriors.com/blog

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Maryland
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    Good for you Grey. I actually adopted my Ollie after he was rescued from a high kill shelter in KY. The rescue group told me they have the same problem there with lots of abandoned animals. Ollie's mom was dumped when she was pregnant and she gave birth to Ollie and his 8 siblings at the shelter. They were rescued at 3 days old when they were supposed to be put down.

    The rescue group who took in Ollie and his family made by monthly trips to the DC area to adopt out their rescues which is how I ended up with him.
    I pedal for chocolate

    1999 Klein Quantum - Terry butterfly Ti
    2011 Trek Utopia - Bontrager Nebula Plus...for now

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
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    4,516
    While you're asking - you might want to see if you can collect "boarding charges" when they pick him up (which - if you do give him back - you should do somewhere not at your home). I expect having to pay might deter them. Shelters here charge for bailing out a dog - it would seem reasonable that you should be able to also. Again - not about the $$, just about making sure they don't want to get him back.
    Most days in life don't stand out, But life's about those days that will...

  9. #9
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    Jun 2008
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    Michigan
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    Oh yeah, that's another thing. Our dog laws here were exceptionally strict up until recently. The city council changed some wording, but the fact still remains that there are laws to protect animals from neglect and abuse. Under the old dog law if the animal control officer picked up your dog, or if someone took him to the county animal shelter, and IF the owner came to get him, the owner or even the person picking him up would face a misdemeanor charge of Dog at large and be fined $500. This actually backfired and caused more crowded conditions and more euthanasia because people would not go to collect their dogs knowing how much trouble they'd be in. I agree with trying to achieve a more responsible community, but our city council has some pretty idiot policies that have backfired.


    Not all who wander are lost

  10. #10
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    Here's a photo of the dog. He's really great. Housebroken, crate trained, some basic manners. He and Zoe have been playing together all morning - she's been teaching him how to play ball.



    Last edited by grey; 06-28-2011 at 06:31 AM. Reason: photo not showing up
    2009 Fuji Team

    My blog - which rarely mentions cycling. It's really about decorating & food. http://www.crisangsteninteriors.com/blog

  11. #11
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    Jan 2006
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    I'll take him....
    Sarah

    When it's easy, ride hard; when it's hard, ride easy.


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  12. #12
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    Dec 2005
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    He's cute! Needs a better name - after someone who vanquished/out-smarted their foes.

    Hope he finds a loving home, not with previous owner's son.
    Beth

  13. #13
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    He's so cute!
    At least I don't leave slime trails.
    http://wholecog.wordpress.com/

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  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by bmccasland View Post
    He's cute! Needs a better name - after someone who vanquished/out-smarted their foes.

    Hope he finds a loving home, not with previous owner's son.
    Yeah, FootFoot is a pretty odd name IMHO I've been calling him Lt. Fuzz, after Sarge's dog in the old comic strip Beetle. My brother suggested Capt. Jack, which I think is even better.

    He IS cute, and so sweet. That makes the idea of sending him back to them harder. Not that I've ever had a foster dog that didn't deserve a decent home. I don't care if the home a foster gets is poor and just has enough to feed and care for a dog, so long as it's really, really loved & gets the best they can offer.
    Last edited by grey; 06-28-2011 at 07:16 AM.
    2009 Fuji Team

    My blog - which rarely mentions cycling. It's really about decorating & food. http://www.crisangsteninteriors.com/blog

  15. #15
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    Feb 2006
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    the foggy wetlands,los osos,ca
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    This story has me on the edge of my seat!
    I would not give him back. But then I have called out the neighbor down the street for having 2 dogs they never ever took care of. I didn't care. The dogs were taken from them (one could not walk and was lying in his own poop) they are not allowed to have any animals now. I could care less if they don't like me either. They own a local business and I tell people not to shop there and why. All my other neighbors love me anyway. lol
    Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.
    > Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life!

 

 

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