A stray dog WWYD

[Spryte]

We are dog people.  You know the ones that stop and help every stray find it’s family?  That’s us.  Countless times. Many hours reuniting dog families.

A few days ago, we had a pit bull appear in our cul de sac, going porch to porch, chasing cars.  It was obviously on an unauthorized adventure, so we called to it to see if we could read it’s tag.

Long story short: it would come close to us, but we could not touch it or read it’s tag without big, rumbling growls. It kept returning to our house, even coming right beside us on the porch, and obviously liked people but didn’t trust us. 

DH drove around and talked to all the neighbors, the neighbor kids went house to house, we posted online, and we got pics of it’s tags (just a county license and rabies).

One of the neighbor kids said it bit him, without breaking the skin but with big growls.  So we put it in our backyard, because we have lots of kids in our neighborhood.

It was going to be freezing that night, and sleeting with some snow.  We could not let it in our house with our dogs or kids.  I didn’t want to leave it outside in the cold.

After 4 or 5 hours of looking, we gave up.  We had to leave for an event, and we couldn’t just leave this animal in the yard.  Any time someone approached the fence other than DH, it would snarl and growl.  We have about a dozen kids that come over periodically to hang with our kids, and I didn’t want them thinking, “hey, they got a new dog!” and trying to pet it while we were gone.

I called animal control, thinking they could read it’s chip, or locate the owner via the county license.

Oh my.  It turned into a vicious, bloody mess.  The dog was cornered on our deck.  It fought hard, biting the pole with the collar. Blood everywhere from either gums or teeth. It took about an hour.  It was bad.  They had to call another person to help, it was so bad.

As they were putting it on the truck, the owner showed up, and said she had just noticed her dog was missing.  They offered her a leash but she said she could not put it on a leash, and went home for a crate, came back, and took the dog.

They told her to take it straight to the vet - worried about broken teeth and an artery that runs up the jaw.  They were not trying to hurt it, but the dog was fighting hard and got hurt.

I feel terrible that the dog got hurt.  I watched the whole thing, and it’s a miracle the animal control officers were not hurt, too.  I don’t see how they could have done it differently.

But I still feel bad.  

What would you have done?  Is there some alternative we missed?

[klmama]

I've helped a number of dogs, too.  You did fine.  You tried to help the dog, and you tried to protect the kids.  It was an unusual situation.  The fact that the owner couldn't put it on a leash is significant.  It's not a gentle dog.  It may like people, but it doesn't trust people, and it's not gentle.  It's too bad it was hurt, but that's not on you.    

[MysteryJen]

I would have called animal control right away, as soon as the dog growled at me. An agressive dog on the loose is a danger to itself and others.

I have taken dogs home to owners and taken some to vets- but I am honestly not ever, ever going to mess with a pit bull off leash. I know people love them, and many are good dogs- but the ones that aren't- are like a loaded gun.

[Pawz4me]

You did fine. I’m sorry your attempted good deed turned into a bad experience. 

[catz]

You went above and beyond IMO.  The owner should feel regret and guilt.  Not you.  I'm sorry!

[Spryte]

Thank you.  

It turns out that the dog lives in the next cul de sac - right behind our house.  We recognized the owner, but don’t know her.  I hope it never gets loose again, and if it does, I won’t be attempting to help, other than calling animal control again.  It was truly frightening to see it fight that way, I never want to see that again.

[TheReader]

Agreeing with everyone; you went above and beyond, and bear no guilt or fault in this situation at all. (((hugs))) to you, as I can tell you're upset by the whole thing (I would be too!). 

I'd have called much sooner. 

[Selkie]

Yikes. So sorry you had to deal with that. 🙁 What a dangerous situation to have that dog running loose. I hope the owner is going to make sure it doesn't happen again.

[MaBelle]

That dog was lucky you found it.  An aggressive dog like that would be shot around here.  I have grandkids, cats and chickens to protect. Not that I would like to shoot a dog, but I've learned better safe....

Edited December 18, 2019 by MaBelle

[Susan in TX]

I would have called the police as soon as I realised that the dog was aggressive. Where we live the owner would not have gotten her dog back so easily. 

Susan in TX

 

 

[MercyA]

You did everything right and went above and beyond. I'm sure it was traumatizing for you, but you are not to blame in the least. 

I admire you greatly. 

[Spryte]

6 minutes ago, kand said:

This. I find it alarming they just gave the dog back to owner after all that. That’s a terribly dangerous situation and I wouldn’t feel comfortable now with kids playing out front or in an in fenced yard where the dog might show up. You said it bit a kid, but didn’t break the skin, right? Did animal control know that?

Yes, we told the sheriff who was there, and pointed out the house where the kid who was bitten lives.

It didn’t break the skin, thank goodness.

I expected that they might fine the owner or give a citation, but it appeared that they did not,  I didn’t interact with the owner at all, just watched that part from the house.

I do feel worried that it lives so close, and was out.  I worry it will get out again.  I don’t understand how one’s dog could be out all day and an owner not notice until they see animal control trucks and check.  

[gardenmom5]

You did what you could.

The dog bit a child while growling,  skin not broken is irrelevant in this case.

I'd be suspicious of an owner's handling ability if she can't leash her dog.

[Bambam]

So the dog was missing for a few days before the owner noticed it was missing? Your kids went around and asked people? You posted online? And still this owner didn't notice and come looking for their dog? Were they out of town and had no one checking on their dog?  That and the behavior of the dog, resulting drama from trying to catch dog, owner saying she can't leash the dog, there is a problem somewhere.

You guys went above and beyond, but I still imagine that was upsetting to watch. I'm sorry you had to go through that.  

[Jentrovert]

There is no animal control here. A loose animal that aggressive, that hung around more than a day or two, we would have shot. You definitely did all you could.

[athena1277]

2 hours ago, Spryte said:

Thank you.  

It turns out that the dog lives in the next cul de sac - right behind our house.  We recognized the owner, but don’t know her.  I hope it never gets loose again, and if it does, I won’t be attempting to help, other than calling animal control again.  It was truly frightening to see it fight that way, I never want to see that again.

If that dog lives in an adjoining property, I would be making extra sure it cannot get through the fence to your yard. I would worry that it could hurt one of your kids or dogs.

[wintermom]

My dc and I have reunited several neighbourhood dogs with their owners. We've done the door-to-door route, and we've brought a friendly dog to the SPCA when we could not find the owner. If I was as into pet control as you seem to be, I would sign up to volunteer at the shelter and become educated in the best way to deal with stray dogs. I have a hunch that there will be some effective advice, especially when it comes to potentially dangerous dogs. Pretty sure confining a non-friendly dog in an unfamiliar yard would spook it more, but I don't know how to avoid that. I would guess that the quicker it can be contained in a really small space (crate), the better. It would probably be better for the dog (feel less threatened) and the neighbourhood people. 

In short, I would have stopped my own looking much sooner and sought outside help asap with a dog that bit a child. I also think that the monetary pay-out for an owner to retrieve his dog at the SPCA is a great reminder to take more care with the dog.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

You did more than I would have.  I would have immediately called animal control for an aggressive dog.  

Sadly, if even the owner is unable to put it on a leash, that dog is just a ticking time bomb.  

[Tanaqui]

That poor dog. Clearly it isn't being cared for properly, but this isn't your fault.

[gardenmom5]

 

wrong thread . . .  blush

Edited December 18, 2019 by gardenmom5

[Shoeless]

Please don't feel bad! You did the right thing.  The dog might have bit his tongue or broke a tooth.  Those types of things bleed a lot and look frightening, but usually end up being minor injuries. I've had to use a rabies-pole (that's what that pole and collar are called) to safely catch aggressive dogs.  It sucks and everyone feels bad about the inevitable struggle, but it's better than getting bitten and all the legal stuff that happens if someone is bit, (the legal stuff is no good for the dog, either).