[Teegy]

Originally Posted by DBlain

this happened to me a few years back, I kept finding a wandering pug. The owner kept chaining him up outside when he left to go to work, after the third time finding the dog roaming I told the owner the next time I will be taking him to the pound and he could pick the dog up there. I did this for several reasons, first to teach him a lesson since they charge you a fine, second to see if he really wanted the dog. I called to let him know the dog was at the pound and he told me he was not sure if he would pick him up, he like so many parents got the dog for his daughter who did not take care of him like she said she would, he was not that fond of the dog, found him to be a pain to take care of. I also had called the pug rescue league and told them about the pug, they planned to work with the pound when the dog cleared the waiting period for adoption. Well the owner never came for the dog and according to the pound he went home with a nice family the day after he was elligble for adoption. I like to think that story had a happy ending

Few things to keep in mind, you can not grab up a dog just because it is wandering, and most rescue groups and animal shelters can not either. But the county or township shelter can. Based on my experience if you feel the dog is not in a family that seems to care, do what I did, this way the owner have a chance to step up and if they want the dog will have to pay a fine and most people don't like paying fines over and over. If they don't want the dog then you can alert other people to adopt the dog from the pound. Or like someone else suggested offer to take the dog off their hands or put them in contact with the member here that said they will take the dog. You also should tell them that the next time you find the dog wandering for it's own safety you will be calling animal control to pick it up that you are done keeping it for them until they can get home.

I say this often, finding a lost dog and returning it home is sometimes so upsetting because you realize how often the dog is just loose because the owners don't really give a dam. I have returned about 4 stray dogs and it bothers me to say that I never once got that warm and fuzzy feeling of being so happy to reunite a beloved dog with their owner.