Found a dog - what to do

[lipskidder]

So a dog with a tagless collar showed up when we were working on the yard today. We asked all the kids walking by if they knew where it came from and finally a girl thinks it's her aunt's dog so we let it go with her.

I peeked outside a bit ago and saw the dog again in our front yard. It's night, 27º and windy as hell. My wife went around the block going door to door to find the owner with no luck. She came back an icicle. We put the pooch in the insulated garage for the night.

Now, either the dog got loose again or the girl was never the owner and was trying to get a free dog only to find out mom wants it out of the house.

We were thinking of doing flyers tomorrow but it is supposed to be a max 37º and was thinking people might not leave their homes because of the sudden freeze. We cannot keep the dog. We are not going to be around this weekend. We will not leave him out in the cold, no way. Should we call the pound?

[Doc]

The collar is a good sign.

Is s/he well fed?

Put up fliers, contact shelters and local vets and be prepared to keep the dog for at least a few days until the owner shows up.

[lipskidder]

A little thin. Unfortunately we are not going to be around this weekend. No chance of staying here. We need to move on this fast like before noon tomorrow.

[cbelt3]

Local humane society is your best bet. you've done all you could. More than most.

[Doc]

Call friends and see who might take the dog for a few days.

Put up some fliers with your cell number if you can before you go.

Shelters won't keep a dog for very long and almost never make any effort to locate owners. Even no-kill shelters often end up passing dogs on to other shelters where the animals are put to sleep.

[lipskidder]

We will do flyers first thing tomorrow and I found a local shelter that holds for several days then place them available for adoption. I looked again and he is a little matted (normal for a cocker spaniel) but short haired on the top which means he's got a nice haircut recently.

[LyleH]

Can the shelter find out if the dog has a "chip" with owner information?

LyleH

[kap]

LyleH wrote:
Can the shelter find out if the dog has a "chip" with owner information?

LyleH

I second that motion!

[lipskidder]

Great thought! Thanks!

[lazydays]

Not a dog lover here but I found myself in the same situation recently. I let the dog hang around inside the garage and my back yard hoping an owner would come find it. I eventually did find the dog it's home but if I hadn't then a dog shelter would have been the way to go. Sounds like you are doing all you could.