Lost Dogs on the Road in the Country

[Ting Tang]

Last week, I encountered two teens trying to help a loose dog.  I was able to get it into my vehicle, and then a township employee drove by and took the dog to a friend who works for animal control in town. The dog quickly made it home as it lives in town.

Yesterday, my daughter performed at a college football game. It was a long day, and we ended up taking dark country roads home--a three-hour drive, ugh.  I thought I saw another deer in the road, but it was a dog!  The speed limit was 55, and I came to a complete stop.  The dog jumped on our vehicle and started to cry and whimper.  I'm sure there were a few houses on that dark road, but I am NOT comfortable pulling into driveways and knocking on doors.  I mean, that is how some people get shot these days.  So, we invited the dog into our vehicle, and I drove until I found the nearest open business, a gas station.  The dog had a tattered harness, and it was only then that we could make out a phone number written in permanent marker.  I may have taken the dog farther from home, but I honestly wasn't sure what I should have done?

The lady working at the gas station called the number on the harness, and my daughter and I continued on our way home.  The lady kept the dog at the gas station until the owner came.

I hope I did the right thing.  Maybe the dog would have gone back home?  But it could easily have gotten hit.  

Edited October 30, 2023 by Ting Tang

[Rosie_0801]

The dog is alive and the owner didn't have to pay to get it out of the pound.

All's well that ends well.

[Katy]

Yep. What Rosie said. You did the right thing.

[MercyA]

You 100% did the right thing. Lost pets can't always find their way home, and, as you say, he could have gotten hit. Clearly he was asking for help. 

Bless you. ❤️

[SKL]

Another vote for "did the right thing."

Once my girls and I spent quite a while trying to "save" a dog, probably with dementia, that was running in and out of the street.  We finally helped encourage it into a parking lot where its owners (also driving and trying to save the dog) were able to retrieve it.  (I guess the dog had jumped out the owners' car window or something.)  I don't think I'll ever forget the feeling of watching that dog run in front of moving vehicles.

You did more than help that dog.  You may have saved a number of people from having to go through something horrible.  Even if the dog wouldn't have been hit, you did no harm by having someone call the owners.  If the owners get annoyed, maybe they will be motivated to train / supervise / contain their pet better.

[goldberry]

I live in a mostly rural area where dogs get out far too much.  There is always someone who gets mad when the dog is taken to the local animal shelter "because he would have come home on his own!" Sorry, better to have an annoyed owner than another dead pet on the side of the road.  Owners can get over it.

[Ting Tang]

Thank you all so much.  I think a lot of rural people let their dogs go outside without a lead, fencing, etc. and expect them to stay put.  Most of the time, I am sure they do!  Twice in one week for me seemed unusual.  Hopefully both owners are keeping a more watchful eye on their pets.