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I rescued a dog

RoJoHen

Awesome
Admiral
So I'm at the gym tonight around 1am, and this black dog is wandering around the parking lot. I'm the only one there, and eventually the dog spots me inside the building. On and off for about 45 minutes, she kept coming up to the window and pawing at it in order to get to me. I could see she had a chain collar around her neck, and she seemed very nice. Eventually, she walked away, and I didn't see her for about another 15 minutes.

Once I was done working out, I walked out out the door to go outside, and as soon as I did, the dog jumped out of the bushes and ran right towards me. She came up right beside me and followed me to my car, where I petted her for minute. At this point, she laid down on the pavement right next to me.

It was starting to thunder and lightning outside, and I didn't just want to leave her there (she had a collar, so she obviously belonged to someone). So, feeling that it would be faster than trying to obtain the non-emergency number, I dialed 911. Probably not necessary, but the 911 operator was very nice about it. When I told her the dog was just following me around and laying by my side, she said "Aw" and sounded sad.

I was waiting for no more than 2 minutes when a squad car showed up and got the dog. The cop was a giant douche, but unfortunately I've come to expect that from people with that particular profession. The conversation went like this:

Cop: "What's your name?"
I give him my name.
Cop: "Spell it."
I spell it.
Cop: "Date of birth?"
I tell him.
Cop: "All right, you can go." *grabs dog by the collar and forces her into the car, then drives away*

While slightly disenchanted by the cop, I was still glad the dog was being taken somewhere safe. She was very sweet, and I hope she gets home. I generally dislike dogs (more of a cat person), but this one was pretty awesome.
 
I don't know if I could have slept after leaving it like that. You couldn't have taken it home?
 
I don't know if I could have slept after leaving it like that. You couldn't have taken it home?
Home is a tiny apartment. I am absolutely not equipped to take care of a dog. I barely have room for me and my cat (and who knows how those two would have even gotten along?).
 
She was, but I wouldn't have had any idea what to do with her. Plus I have to work all day tomorrow, so there would be nobody here to watch her. One of the reasons I'm a cat person: they more or less take care of themselves.

Even though the cop was kind of a tool, I'm hoping that they know better what to do, and I'm hoping the owners would think to call the police station.
 
Cops don't like rounding up stray dogs. They feel, probably correctly, that if they're supposed to be chasing criminals, then being an extremely well-paid dog warden is a waste of their time. Being taken to the dog pound is not necessarily a happy move. Haven't you seen Lady & the Tramp?
 
Too bad there was no ID on the collar. But I'm sure the owners have called in a missing pet report. I just wonder why he couldn't find his way home-- perhaps he was with a vacationing family when he got away. :(

Great of you to help him out, though; now he's in a safe place where he can be found by his people.
 
Too bad there was no ID on the collar. But I'm sure the owners have called in a missing pet report. I just wonder why he couldn't find his way home-- perhaps he was with a vacationing family when he got away. :(

Great of you to help him out, though; now he's in a safe place where he can be found by his people.
Yeah. I'm not sure how likely it is to happen, but I hope I am contacted when the dog is returned home.
 
It does make me wonder, sadly, how many missing pets never get returned to their owners. Or how many pets get lost and nobody ever does anything to help them. Honestly, if this dog hadn't had a collar, I probably wouldn't have done anything for her because you never know if they belong to someone or if they've just always lived outside.

She did seem well-groomed, and she was clearly happy, so I assume her home is a loving one.
 
She might also have one of those handy-dandy microchip biotags under the skin that the Humane Society can use to find her owner. If the dog was well-mannered (i.e. well-trained), clean, sociable, and seemingly comfortable in a stranger's prescence, then odds are if there were no identifying tags on her, she was 'chipped. I know two dog owners in my neighborhood whose dogs are inside-dogs, and are 'chipped, but have no ID tags that make a lot of racket when the dog's moving around the house.

What will probably happen is the officer will take the dog to the Humane Society, the HS will check the dog for the chip, then notify the owner. Unless the officer gives your information to the HS, the owner will probably never know you were the one to find the dog.

That was a very nice thing to do, though. Much better than ignoring the animal, and risking it going out into traffic or falling prey to bigger dogs.
 
I suppose you could always ring the police on their non-emergency number for an update...?

It would be nice to have a happy ending on this one.
 
I hope he finds his way home. Some animal shelters are so understaffed and full that they dont actively look for the owners. If you can find out what animal shelter the dog was taken too maybe you can make a post on Craigslist saying you found a dog and give the description and tell where they brought it too. I had a friend who found a dog and took it home and posted a Found Dog ad on Craigs list. The owner found the ad the next day and a happy re-union happened!
 
Yes the dog pound is a great place for the dog.

Personally i'd have took it in to my home. Even if I didn't want to keep it i'd find it a better home myself rather than rely on a dog pound to do so.
 
I hope he finds his way home. Some animal shelters are so understaffed and full that they dont actively look for the owners. If you can find out what animal shelter the dog was taken too maybe you can make a post on Craigslist saying you found a dog and give the description and tell where they brought it too. I had a friend who found a dog and took it home and posted a Found Dog ad on Craigs list. The owner found the ad the next day and a happy re-union happened!

And maybe post some signs around where you found her. I took in a dog I found once (before Craigs list) and it only took a day for the owner to respond to the signs I put up...
 
Hopefully any shelter it was taken to has a no-kill policy, or are they all no-kill shelters in the US now?
 
I, for one, hope this dog has a chip. Even if like you, rojohen, I don't care for dogs in general.
Don't dogs have an ID number tattoed inside their ear?
If she doesn't return to her owner, she has a chance of being adopted, seeing she's so nice. But so many dogs are waiting to be adopted, with the preference for puppies, there is indeed a risk they end up putting her to sleep. Like if they find out she's 10 years old or something.
 
She might also have one of those handy-dandy microchip biotags under the skin that the Humane Society can use to find her owner.

Most vets are equipped to read the chips as well.

In a lot of cases, it would have been easier to ignore the dog, but you chose to put out a little effort and care. Hope the good puppy dog gets reunited with her people soon.
 
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