A very strange thing happened to us while we were shopping in a neigbhouring town.

[Rose in BC]

My kids and I drove to the airport to pick up my mom. It is located in a nearby community. I decided to go early because this town is also the major shopping hub of the region.

 

While we were shopping at a warehouse grocery store something very strange happened to me. And it happened so fast I still can't believe it.

 

I went into the store and left my two boys out in the vehicle (they didn't want to come in after the zillion other stops we made and I knew it was only going to be a few minutes). When I came out my son was in the parking lot cradling a little dog. That is not strange. My son is a dog magnet and he brings home all sorts of strays which I usually am able to place back at it's rightful home.

 

So I said to my son, "put down the dog". "Mom, mom the dog almost got hit by a truck." Okay that's great that you were able to help it.

 

Next thing I knew an older lady (60ish) got out of her vehicle and walked over to me and my kids and our van. She started to say how she'd been there for a couple hours and had seen the dog darting around for quite a while looking at me like I should do something. So I said we weren't from town, where is the animal shelter. "Oh no you can't take it there." And she proceeded to tell me why, which pulled at my dog lover heart strings.

 

Then she looked at my kids and said "are you willing to take full responsibility for this dog?" Huh I'm thinking. When did I say we're taking it. Will you walk it? Take it to the vet? on and on.

 

Then she shows me the dog and says "it's well taken care of". It's fixed. It's clean. Someone has thrown it out of it's vehicle and abandoned it. (I went home unsure how she knew it was spayed. I couldn't see a scar.)

 

So, after quite a soliloquy (from this lady) I hear myself saying to the kids "okay, but we'll have to see how this works with our other dogs". I get home and think "what if this isn't an abandoned dog but someone's pet?" So I get on the phone with the two shelters in that town and the one in mine and leave information on this dog.

 

So we have this dog, who is really quite nice and loves my kids, but has a huge mystery surrounding it. My husband's first comment was that this dog probably was that old ladies.

 

What else can I do to make sure we don't have someone's pet? And would you keep a dog you found like that? We have two giant dogs and now this little lap thing. (For further info. we have rescued dogs before but not quite in this manner.) I will phone the vets in the area on MOnday too.

 

It all happened so quick.

[gardening momma]

Yes, it sounds to me like it was hers.

[LunaLee]

Yes, it sounds to me like it was hers.

 

:iagree:

[Remudamom]

Another vote for her dog.

[elegantlion]

My gut reaction is that it was this ladies dog as well. I would call vets office, maybe start with the ones that are closest to the warehouse store.

[Jennifer3141]

It sounds like it was this lady's dog and for whatever reason, that she couldn't care for him anymore. :(

 

Jen

[gardening momma]

I would call vets office, maybe start with the ones that are closest to the warehouse store.

:iagree: Yes! Since the dog was fixed, maybe finding the vet would lead to identifying who the owner is.

[Tap]

The dog being the ladies, was my first thought too.

 

For one: she had sat there for hours (?!!!!) watching, and caring about the dog, but not doing anything about it.

 

For two: she knew the history of the dog.

 

Three: her insistence that it wouldn't be taken to the shelter

 

Four: her desire to make sure your boys would take care of it, and in essence 'giving' it to them without talking to you.

 

Five: she had made up a sad story for why it was there, a story to stir your empathy for the dog. Not that it ran away from home, and someone was missing it (especially since it looked taken care of), not that it got away from someone on a walk, not that it jumped out of a car....but a scenario that set it up that the doggie's parents didn't want it. The story was true, it was her that let the dog go!

 

 

To me someone who cared enough to not want the dog to go to the shelter, would not immediately think of it as being abandoned. They would think about someone missing the dog (hmmmmm like you are :0) !

 

Shelters are one of the first places people contact when they loose an animal. Your contacting them will be enough, if someone misses the animal they will contact the shelter in a day or two.

 

Hope you enjoy your new little gift!

 

~~~Tap

[Scuff]

I agree. My first thought was that it was hers, also. If you want the dog, keep it. If not, don't. My mom had a dog for several years that she got through similarly odd circumstances.

[Brigitte]

I agree with everyone else. You vet likely has a scanner that can check the dog for a microchip. If he does have a microchip, you will be able to find the owner (my bet would be that you already met her).

 

How fortunate for all concerned that you are the family that found it. I hope everything works out for all of you.

[MicheleB]

It's really kind of sad, kind of sweet, kind of strange....

 

Sounds like it is the woman's dog.

 

I'm glad it found such a loving family as yours. :001_smile:

[Aggie]

Rose...

 

How old are your boys? Do you think there's a chance she approached them while they were in the van and told them the dog almost got hit by a car? If it was hers and she wanted to make sure it was well-cared for, I find it hard to believe she just let it go in the parking lot. ugh..that could have been horrible.

 

I'm glad she has a good home, now, no matter why or how!

 

Just wondering...

Aggie

[Rose in BC]

Rose...

 

How old are your boys? Do you think there's a chance she approached them while they were in the van and told them the dog almost got hit by a car? If it was hers and she wanted to make sure it was well-cared for, I find it hard to believe she just let it go in the parking lot. ugh..that could have been horrible.

 

I'm glad she has a good home, now, no matter why or how!

 

Just wondering...

Aggie

 

That thought crossed my mind too. They're almost 11 and 12.

[Aggie]

Rose,

 

Just checking to see if there are any new developments in the puppy story?

 

I've been thinking about it a bit today. There are times I leave my older dc in the van while I run in quickly. We all have phones, I leave the motor running and lock the doors, and I always say, "Stay in the van." But if I had come out and the dc were in the parking lot and weren't bleeding :), I would wonder what drew them out, ya know?

 

Anyway, just checking to see how it all turned out! :)

 

Aggie

[G&KMCKee]

Honestly i wouldnt take the dog.We move to much and travel alot.

We have one right now and it's hard with one.

[mommaduck]

Agreeing...sounds like it was the lady's dog and she was looking for a home for it without feeling like "she" abandoned her dog.

[Jennifer in NH]

I think it was hers too! When we found a lost dog a few years ago, we contacted the police in the town next to ours(where the animal control officer is). and within 1 day the owner was found because they reported their dog missing. I cannot imagine that if this dog was lost that the owners would not report it missing.

I hope you enjoy your new pet!;) Lucky dog! Now, I need to go let my dogs inside....and give them a hug!:001_smile:

[Rose in BC]

Yesterday I re-called all the animal shelters and vets and no one had any reports of missing dogs.

 

It's really weird though. This dog acts as if we've had her forever. She goes outside with my son and doesn't try to run away. She loves our dog food (I bought a bag of dog food for small breeds but she prefers our big dogs' dog food). She's not had one accident in the house. And becuase she's tiny (15 lbs) it's more like having a hamster than a dog (well compared to my 75 pound Bernese MOuntain dog and 50 pound Golden Retriever). Bathing a 15 pound dog is effortless . . I just stuck her under the tap in the laundry room!:001_smile:

 

If no one claims her I guess we'll keep her. I just can't take her to an over-crowded, under-funded animal shelter. None of us can (not even my dh who was shocked when I came home with her).

 

So my son named her Maiya. I didn't really want that name so I suggested Meea (I'm not sure about spelling in either case but long e instead of long i sound). He responds with "mom, you just want to call her that after mea culpa -- my fault in latin. I thought that was a good idea!

[Tammy]

Probably to see if someone picked up HER dog. I don't know why she didn't just put an ad in the paper.

 

Tammy

[Rose in BC]

My son said yes. She asked him if he wanted this dog. Of course he said yes. I didn't know that until yesterday.

 

I know it sounds unbelievable but it was such a whirlwind . . . it all happened so fast.

[hornblower]

Shelters are not the only option if you decide you would rather rehome her. I can put you in touch with several great animal rescue orgs here who may be able to assist in rehoming. They don't use shelters - only foster homes & prescreen potential applicant homes.

 

I'm near Vancouver. Transport down to the LM can usually be arranged. I currently have a foster pet rat that we transported from Alberta!

 

But it sounds like you're falling a bit in love :001_smile:

[Tammy]

What kind of dog is it, Rose?

[Soph the vet]

I am guessing it was the older lady's dog. It is expensive to care for a pet between food costs and vet bills....I don't even have a pet:glare:. Your vet could see if it has a microchip, doubtful, but could still check. No tags? The spay scar may or may not be visible, but if you feel along the midline in front of the pubic bone up toward the belly button you may be able to feel the abdominal muscle sutures like little tiny bumps. Yes, they lose their surgical strength over months but take years to truly dissolve as people think.

[Rose in BC]

What kind of dog is it, Rose?

 

But we think it's a cross between a spaniel and maybe jack russell. She looks quite a bit like a King Charles spaniel. She's quite cute. She's white and reddish/tan with longish hair that doesn't seem to be shedding.

[Rose in BC]

I am guessing it was the older lady's dog. It is expensive to care for a pet between food costs and vet bills....I don't even have a pet:glare:. Your vet could see if it has a microchip, doubtful, but could still check. No tags? The spay scar may or may not be visible, but if you feel along the midline in front of the pubic bone up toward the belly button you may be able to feel the abdominal muscle sutures like little tiny bumps. Yes, they lose their surgical strength over months but take years to truly dissolve as people think.

 

Yes I thought of the microchip too. I don't think there's reader in our area and I'd doubt she has one.

 

Yes I know they're expensive. We've been dog owners for a long time and just recently lost one of our Bernese Mountain dogs to cancer. I definitely know the commitment.

 

It's just hard. We all have such soft spots for animals. Also our golden retriever is 14 -- I'll be happy if she makes it through the winter. She was the dog we adopted at the same time we adopted our son. The dog was 5, my son 4. They're glued at the hip. A couple weeks ago our elderly dog looked like she was dying (it turns out she probably ate some mushrooms growing outside). It was very traumatic for our son. So maybe the timing of this dog isn't too bad.

 

I've got admit the lap dog thing is a huge change for us. But this dog hasn't even barked once (which is my biggest concern about little dogs).

[Tammy]

Oh...just keep her! LOL!

[Littlemother]

The dog being the ladies, was my first thought too.

 

For one: she had sat there for hours (?!!!!) watching, and caring about the dog, but not doing anything about it.

 

For two: she knew the history of the dog.

 

Three: her insistence that it wouldn't be taken to the shelter

 

Four: her desire to make sure your boys would take care of it, and in essence 'giving' it to them without talking to you.

 

Five: she had made up a sad story for why it was there, a story to stir your empathy for the dog. Not that it ran away from home, and someone was missing it (especially since it looked taken care of), not that it got away from someone on a walk, not that it jumped out of a car....but a scenario that set it up that the doggie's parents didn't want it. The story was true, it was her that let the dog go!

 

 

To me someone who cared enough to not want the dog to go to the shelter, would not immediately think of it as being abandoned. They would think about someone missing the dog (hmmmmm like you are :0) !

 

Shelters are one of the first places people contact when they loose an animal. Your contacting them will be enough, if someone misses the animal they will contact the shelter in a day or two.

 

Hope you enjoy your new little gift!

 

~~~Tap

 

 

:iagree:

[Murphy101]

Yes, it sounds to me like it was hers.

 

 

Yep. You've been suckered.

[FaithManor]

I too believe it was her dog and she wants to move or something, didn't have a home, and decided that she'd spend all day in that parking lot trying to get someone to take it home.

 

You shouldn't have been guilt tripped into keeping it and now that you have it, shouldn't feel badly if it doesn't work out and you need to take it to an animal shelter.

 

There sure are a lot of fruit cakes out there!

 

Faith

[Jean in Newcastle]

This is a 2 year old thread.

[CoastalGal]

Yes, it sounds to me like it was hers.

 

:iagree:

[Catwoman]

LOL, Jean! I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't pointed it out!

 

So, Rose -- do you still have the dog? :D

 

Cat

[lionfamily1999]

LOL, Jean! I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't pointed it out!

 

So, Rose -- do you still have the dog? :D

 

Cat

:lol: I was thinking the same thing. How about a two years later update?

 

Did she start barking :p

[Miss Sherry]

This is a 2 year old thread.

:lol: Oh, That's funny ! :D:lol:

Maybe we'll get an update.

[Rose in BC]

Okay here's an update, two years later.

 

Maya has turned out to be a great addition to our family. We have never had a lap dog sized dog before but she's a great companion to our Bernese Mountain dog (and btw the little dog is the clear boss). Anyway we love her a lot so even if we got conned into taking her it clearly was to our benefit.

 

Here's a photo:

[chickenpatty]

Awww, I love happy endings! :D

[lionfamily1999]

Okay here's an update, two years later.

 

Maya has turned out to be a great addition to our family. We have never had a lap dog sized dog before but she's a great companion to our Bernese Mountain dog (and btw the little dog is the clear boss). Anyway we love her a lot so even if we got conned into taking her it clearly was to our benefit.

 

Here's a photo:

:D I agree with ChickenPatty... Awwwwww!

[keptwoman]

This is a 2 year old thread.

I can't for the life of me work out what someone would be searching on to come across something like this. And then bumping it up with an " :iagree: " :rofl: Kinda funny, but odd.

 

Okay here's an update, two years later.

 

Maya has turned out to be a great addition to our family. We have never had a lap dog sized dog before but she's a great companion to our Bernese Mountain dog (and btw the little dog is the clear boss). Anyway we love her a lot so even if we got conned into taking her it clearly was to our benefit.

 

Here's a photo:

I'm so glad it all worked out for you.

[*Inna*]

Awww... She's very cute! :001_smile:

[Forget-Me-Not]

Aww, cute. Did you ever find out if that lady was the real owner?

[tex-mex]

Yes, it sounds to me like it was hers.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

(ETA: OMG -- this is an old thread. And I fell for it. WHO IS RESURRECTING THESE OLD THREADS??????? Grrrrrr.)

Edited November 17, 2010 by tex-mex

[Jean in Newcastle]

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

(ETA: OMG -- this is an old thread. And I fell for it. WHO IS RESURRECTING THESE OLD THREADS??????? Grrrrrr.)

 

Newbie. Trying to get that post count up.

[Denisemomof4]

newbie. Trying to get that post count up.

 

i hate that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kitten18]

Oh, what a sweet ending :crying:, I was feeling a little weepy and your story made me cry.

[LauraGB]

hat town and the one in mine and leave information on this dog.

 

So we have this dog, who is really quite nice and loves my kids, but has a huge mystery surrounding it. My husband's first comment was that this dog probably was that old ladies.

 

.

 

OMG! This is totally what my NaNoWriMo story is about!

 

Whoa.

 

From your OP, I think you've done everything you can to locate her owners. Keep her and love her in the interim.

 

ETA - just saw the 2 yr update ;):lol: Good for you!

Edited November 17, 2010 by LauraGB

[kalanamak]

Wouldn't the dog have recognized her and tried to get to her?

[Catwoman]

i hate that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

But at least the story has a happy ending! ;)

 

Cat (who would have thought the thread was new if Jean hadn't noticed the date!)

[Jumping In Puddles]

Sad but true, I remember this thread. :001_huh:

[Denisemomof4]

But at least the story has a happy ending! ;)

 

Cat (who would have thought the thread was new if Jean hadn't noticed the date!)

 

yes, so glad for the happy ending.

 

I hate it when I get all caught up in a thread, taking time to reply, worried about what's going on, only to see that someone dredged up old news for some ridiculous reason.

 

At least this one wasn't that old!

[Trish]

Gee, it was starting to sound like an urban legend, except it actually happened to you! But I did wonder why ANYONE would be sitting in their car for a couple hours watching a dog? Seems very strange. Also concerned that your kids got out of the car -- thankfully it wasn't a ruse by a stranger wanting access to kids...but it could have been!

 

Glad everyone's home safe.

 

Too bad you didn't get the lady's license plate number.