On my way to work yesterday within 4 blocks of leaving my driveway I happened on 3 stray/loose dogs. One is a small female unspayed terrier mix that I have seen at the dog park. The owner and I talked briefly..but enough for me to realize she is clueless. No collar, no tag, no leash. Dog is allowed to run the neighborhood and do as she pleases. She is overweight and has no hair on her butt due to allergies I am sure. She is unsocialized and won't come to people so her owner thinks that makes her safe. She was in the middle of the road watching a black lab who was also unaltered and eating a cooked chicken carcass out of someones garbage can that he had knocked over. He had a collar but no tags. Then at the end of my street which lets onto a major road with four lanes of traffic I see a Golden Retriever trying to decide when to cross. I opened my door and called him..he hopped right in. He is also not neutered..but had a collar with a tag. I pulled over, called the number and heard "this number is unreachable". I took him to work with me and he spent the day in a crate. I called all day and got the same message. I called the county with the phone number, but they found nothing and there are no Goldens reported missing at this time. The tag only has his name and a phone number on it..no address no people names. I contacted the two closest vets in our area..no luck. Called Golden Bond rescue..they won't take him because he has a tag. They want me to take him to the pound. I can't do that..I just can't. I am hoping that the person just has no minutes on their cell phone and will get a clue and I'll be able to reach them. I'll stop at the vets today and see if he has a microchip..but I have a sinking feeling that he won't. He looks to be in good shape except that he was filthy and flea infested. I gave him a bath and a homeopathic to help with the itching.
I am grateful that my husband understands my inability to look the other way and that my boss doesn't mind when I bring a stray to work.
Why can't people be responsible? Spay and neuter..keep current tags on their dog, microchip?
Ok I am done venting..wish me luck in finding his owner..I have an out of town tournament this weekend and if I don't find the owner I may have to place him at the shelter.