[Megan345]

We had just finished our walk and a little staffy cross came belting up from behind. We assumed that his owner was just behind him so hung around for a minute... and then a few more... We didn't want to just leave and let his owner catch up with him, as the car park just off the beach is a very busy two and three lane carriageway, and the dog kept following us. So, we wandered back down to the beach to see if anyone was waving their arms or shouting, and nothing.

After thirty minutes or so, we figured that we'd better hand him in to someone rather than leave him to maybe be run over, (no collar or tag, or even a fur mark where he might have slipped a collar), so I Googled for the dog warden on my phone and rang the number. Closed on Sundays, but we could hand him in at the Security Office. We made a slip lead out of our rope one, and managed to get it around his neck, and took him to the car. He got a bit nervous and wouldn't get in, so after lots of faffing about rearranging dogs in the front, back and boot, we decided my OH would drop our dogs home while I waited with this one, and we'd try again.

In the meantime, I walked down the beach in the direction he'd come from for a good twenty minutes, asking everyone I passed if they'd seen someone looking for a dog. No luck. A couple of women walking their huskies in the opposite direction said they'd ask too, and on the way back they hadn't seen anyone either.

Chris was back by this point, so back to the car. He still wouldn't get in, so I rang the RSPCA, but they were no use whatsoever, and told me to phone the dog warden. I explained that no one would come out on a Sunday, and they basically told me that was tough. I was almost at the point of leaving him on the beach at this point - I didn't know what to do with the poor thing! I tried one last time, and he finally got in the car, and lay shivering on my lap while we drove off.

We dropped him at the office, and the bloke there said he'd call the dog warden out. So if the dog warden works on a Sunday, why on earth can't the public get hold of him? It was a good job there were two of us so my OH could drive our dogs home while I waited (first time Rocky had been alone in the house, too), or I'd have had to let him go and take his chances. I couldn't have walked him the four miles to the office as Maisy didn't like him at all, and with him being on a lead that was just looped through the handle, he wouldn't have been safe by roads.

We're going to wait the seven days they prescribe, and see if he's been picked up or rehomed, and if not, see if we're allowed to take him to the Dogs Trust, as I really don't like the idea of him being put down. He was around ten years old and very friendly, and obviously well fed and looked after, so I'm hoping he just escaped from a garden or car and someone's looking for him. I've got a couple of photos on my phone so I'll make a few posters tomorrow and post on the Dogs Lost website.

I keep wondering if there was anything else I could have done, he was so gorgeous and I felt awful leaving him in that cold kennel. We couldn't have brought him back, as it would be too risky with one dog that didn't like him, as well as ours having to be separated for now when we leave the house as Rocky is so new. And at least if someone is looking for him, he isn't hurt and that's the obvious place to go.

What would you have done?

 

[metaldog]

I would have done the same as you. Thanks for being a good Samaritan. Hope his people come looking for him.

 

[912142]

You did what you thought best no-one can fault you for that. Well done.

Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable handing in an elderly dog to any rehoming establishment but that's just me. I would have taken it home and kept it separated and tomorrow checked whether it was microchipped and taken it from there.

 

[Owned By A Yellow Lab]

Poor lad, I do hope his owners find him. I assume he wasn't a stray as sounds like he was in pretty good condition?

He may have slipped his collar and bolted at the sound of a firework or something, there are so many of the blinking things!

Do let us know if you find out any more info

 

[Buzzard]

Well good on you for doing the right thing. It makes me cross the dog wardens wouldn't come out. I always think a loose dog who is scared could easily cause a road traffic accident or similar. They should take these matters more seriously. Anyway, lets hope the dog will soon be re-united with its owner and that all ends well.

 

[tinaK]

Poor lad - hope he gets sorted

 

[Phoolf]

I had the same thing happen just a month or two back. I was quite worried as the warden told me they would PTS after 7 days so I kept calling and the owners had found him and paid for his release otherwise I was planning on trying to sweet talk them into putting him into rescue (or taking him myself).

 

[EmCHammer]

You did what you thought best no-one can fault you for that. Well done.

Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable handing in an elderly dog to any rehoming establishment but that's just me. I would have taken it home and kept it separated and tomorrow checked whether it was microchipped and taken it from there.

Its the law that the Dog Warden would have to be notified .. i would hate it if I was looking for my dog, and someone found him but didn't report it and I had to spend a frantic night sick with worry when he had been safe somewhere. Would have been glad someone took him in I guess but still. Can understand not being comfortable but its where people would go to look for their lost dogs.

I know of a couple of rescues in that area, was it Swansea can see if can find out what happens to the poundies in that area?

I think sadly that you fill find even if they do sign him over to y ou that it will be impossible to get him into a rescue - what with his breed, rescue places for staffies are few and far between and I am sure the Dogs Trust will have a waiting list - I know someoen who volunteers for one and they get about 30 calls a day asking for a place for a dog :-( its not nice to be an abandoned staffie in these times.

Well done for helping, not sure what else you could have done, can you contact the Dog Warden today to see if anyone had been looking for them? or what happens to their strays?

Dog wardens do vary of course and it maybe that the DW does but as is quite often due to cutbacks, they are not paid to be on call 24/7 and can't come out to every stray dog call on a Saturday or Sunday there could have been dozens but perhaps if a dog comes in they may pop down and log it in - not sure just guessing.

Fingers crossed for a happy ending.

 

[Megan345]

Thank you everyone, I don't feel quite such a monster now!

Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable handing in an elderly dog to any rehoming establishment but that's just me. I would have taken it home and kept it separated and tomorrow checked whether it was microchipped and taken it from there.

I thought about this - I didn't feel happy with it either. We were going to take him to our Pets at Home vet and get them to scan him, but figured that of course the dog warden would have the equipment to do that. If he wasn't chipped, we'd have been in the same position as before, and if someone was looking for him they wouldn't have had the obvious line of enquiry of the council to go through. I think that's probably the best way anyone is going to find him - it would have been a lot better if he'd had a collar and tag, mind!

Its the law that the Dog Warden would have to be notified .. i would hate it if I was looking for my dog, and someone found him but didn't report it and I had to spend a frantic night sick with worry when he had been safe somewhere. Would have been glad someone took him in I guess but still. Can understand not being comfortable but its where people would go to look for their lost dogs.

I know of a couple of rescues in that area, was it Swansea can see if can find out what happens to the poundies in that area?

I think sadly that you fill find even if they do sign him over to y ou that it will be impossible to get him into a rescue - what with his breed, rescue places for staffies are few and far between and I am sure the Dogs Trust will have a waiting list - I know someoen who volunteers for one and they get about 30 calls a day asking for a place for a dog :-( its not nice to be an abandoned staffie in these times.

Well done for helping, not sure what else you could have done, can you contact the Dog Warden today to see if anyone had been looking for them? or what happens to their strays?

Dog wardens do vary of course and it maybe that the DW does but as is quite often due to cutbacks, they are not paid to be on call 24/7 and can't come out to every stray dog call on a Saturday or Sunday there could have been dozens but perhaps if a dog comes in they may pop down and log it in - not sure just guessing.

Fingers crossed for a happy ending.

This is very true, the warden would be the first person I'd contact if I'd lost my dog. I don't know if they ring you if a dog comes in matching your description, but I'd hope so - after all it is their job to sort out stray dogs.

It is Swansea, yes. The website says they may be rehomed after seven days if not claimed. I don't know if that means they will rehome them or they may choose to try to rehome them, if that makes any sense. I haven't had time to call them today, but the seven days is nowhere near up yet. The other thing that worries me is the release fees - £165 for seven days, we just don't have the money.

And like you say, if nowhere will take him, what can I do? We can't afford food and vet fees or insurance for another dog, particularly an elderly one that we don't know the history of. To mention nothing of the fact the landlord only just consented to letting us have two dogs, let alone three. I've thought about it a bit more since yesterday and have come to the conclusion that, to be fair, I'm not running a rescue, although I feel bad for the little thing.

I'm fairly sure someone will be looking for him anyway - he looked very well cared for, was a nice weight, and was friendly to dogs and people. Hoping for the best!

 

[EmCHammer]

I think I would feel the same if I was you.. I would want to keep them and not have them in the pound but on the other hand its their best way of being re-united.. horrible really.

Have you looked at dogslost etc?

 

[Pointermum]

I had to hand a dog in, thankfully it's not a PTS kennel .