It was pretty cold and frosty here yesterday morning so off Hattie and I set for an 8.00 am walk when we were met by a black male Labrador with no owner. I tried very hard to lure this lovely boy with treats, Hattie played with him but nothing would keep him with us, he shot off and I couldn't see him, I was so worriied and upset that he was on his own . We kept going and he appeared again but the same thing happend then we saw him yet again laying on the ground, he looked pretty tired. Hattie approached him again had another little play but off he went but this time down the track towards the main road so off we ran, Hattie got behind him and chased him away from the road into a field (I'm sure she thinks she is a Sheep Dog ) but he wouldn't come to me. I eventually recognised him but he had no ID tag so no contact details. I ran down the track to the owners house but nobody was in so I saw his neighbour and explained. She kindly rang the owners wife who told me her husband was out searching for him. Oh no he wasn't he came strolling up the road where he had just been to the village shop to buy his morning newpaper. I told him I had been trying to catch his dog for 1 1/2 hours in the cold to which he replied "oh he b******d off this morning on a walk so I left him" good grief I was speechless and just as I was about to walk off another neighbour pulled up in to his drive with his dog that he had managed to catch him because he knows him well. The owner then shouted at the poor dog as if it was his fault. I am sick of owners that do not think it is worthwhile putting ID tags on their dogs it's just lucky that I recognise them. This poor boy had been running back and forth trying to find his owner who couldn't give a damn about him I seem to spend quite a bit of time finding male dogs running around the countryside at the moment and trying to contact their owners. ID tags are essential and so inexpensive I just don't understand it at all x
It is a legal requirement for a dog to wear identification with owner's name and address when out in public. I think that micro chipping either is or is about to become a legal requirement. Why wouldn't you wish to,identify your pet? We have both.
I'd be desperate if I lost Dexter , I know not all owners are OTT like me about their dog but I just can't understand this lack of concern........
Luckily there are good people like you and your nice neighbours around; but it's not really fair that you should be spending your time searching for someone else's dog.
How sad and the dog getting a telling off too. I'd be distraught if it was my boy. Some people don't deserve to have dogs. Thank you and the neighbours for taking the time to care.
I just don't get it at all, leaving the poor boy desperately looking for his owner was heartbreaking to see it really was, but apparently this is a regular occurence, the owner is all over the face book page set up by a local to report lost dogs in our area. When he headed down the track my heart was pounding because it leads to a very busy road. I know how desperate I used to feel when Charlie legged it and nothing on this planet would have made me go home without him just nothing. They seriously don't deserve to own their two dogs and I feel so sad for them, no doubt I will see him alone and scared again, I will try to help him as I couldn't leave him frightened x
What a very sad tale that could be easily prevented. Their dogs deserve better than this. Thank heavens for responsible neighbours.
Truly awful. It's hard to believe that anyone would just walk off and leave their dog if they didn't respond to a call. I'd be absolutely frantic and wouldn't ne returning home until I had my dog back, regardless of how long it took. Bless you Helen for caring and worrying when obviously the owner doesn't xx
Unfortunately there are people out there who don't deserve dogs. well done Helen for helping get him home safely x
I feel sorry for the poor dogs in these situations. I really don't understand how someone could think 'my dogs just run off and gone missing, oh I'll just leave him and go home' it totally baffles me. I would be distraught if I lost Penny and wouldn't give up until I got her back. The poor dog must be so confused and frantic trying to find his owner too!! Poor pup
I'd have given him a piece of my mind I'm afraid, people like this make my blood boil! The people across the road had two terriers, they used to open the door, and let them take themselves for a walk all the time. Now we are literally a stone throw away from the A75 a main route to the ferry for Ireland. They didn't care, what made things worse for dog walkers was these dogs we're nervous, and if you surprised them they went for your dog. Murphy and Misty were off lead one day, and they jumped on poor Murphy, luckily Misty saw them off and chased one off biting it bum I spoke to the owners, but they didn't care, so then I kept calling the dog warden. The dogs were picked up a couple of times, and then I never saw them again. I'm not sure if they re-homed them or simply didn't pay to get them back again. They now have a border collie pup
A while ago I found a cute little terrier running around in a country road, however it gave access to a busy ring road. Another dog lover and I caught him and using a belt I took him to his village address about a mile away. No body was home and the neighbours seemed unconcerned, apparently this was normal for the owners. Well, I wasn't going to turn the poor beast loose, it might get into all sorts of trouble. I took it to the police station. Lovely man took dog from me, said to the dog "You come with me, I've got a nice comfy pound around the back for you". Patting the dog's side he said "And I think you are in need of a square meal". He turned to me smiled and said "Well it'll cost them £25 get him back. That'll make the b******s think"
Unfortunately you hit the nail on the head Jacqui. I have found a lot of dogs this year alone, I just couldn't leave them frightened no more than I could leave Hattie or Charlie. What really upsets me is when I do manage to trace the owners they just don't seem worried at all. Last winter I found Charlie (female) Lab in the freezing cold frost late one afternoon, I phoned her owner and she had the nerve to ask me had I found their other older Lab as she had gone missing too. They were sat indoors waiting for them to make their way home which would involve crossing a main road they then took 20 minutes to make a less than 2 minute drive to meet me whilst I was freezing my butt off waiting with THEIR dog. When they arrived I barely received a thank you. So, so sad x
