Stray Dog - Advice Needed

[zebrastripes]

I don't suppose you'd want to keep it yourself?If not,and if the authorities are being difficult maybe you could ask around friends,see who'd tke it? I live in the country and we've picked up pretty much every animal you could think of,which has been injured or strayed,and if we couldn't keep it ourselves,we'd always find someone who'd give it a home.But then our local vet is happy enough to keep some-he's got a pet fox,pet hedgehog and about 10 cats that he's treated but that have no other home,that he feeds at the surgery.

I don't blame you about the RSPCA.Less said about that the better

 

[jenna]

My OH has just rang me and said they have a kitten hidding in their work & they dont know where its come from or how logn its been there (he's a mechanic so doors are open all day), I can see me ending up with another cat here aswell

awww. When we moved into a house about 2 years ago we got 2 kitties coming in all the time. I put them in a box and fed them mince and milk I dont really like cats and i felt like i were mistreating them so let them go. They stayed around for a few weeks then vanished

The RSPCA in sheffield did a good job of looking after my last dog, he was with them a year before we adopted him and he wasnt put down. Hope some one helps soon

 

[happy-chick]

If I had the room I would keep the dog but I already have 2 cats and live in a flat so its not ideal as we have baby on the way too I'll keep u informed what happens.

 

[happy-chick]

Typical, its come back just now when dog warden has finished! Council have taken details and said they will get the warden to have a look for it on Monday and ring me back, Manchester Dogs home cant take it without referral from the police or council & RSPCA said its not their responsibility as its not injured or in direct danger

Im just gunna keep feeding it over the weekend and hope its not too cold poor thing I really dont know what else I can do.

 

[Fluffy Bunny]

I know you said its really nervous but is there any way you could coax it into a shed or garage with a bit of food? If theres any way to get of hold of it, and it needs to be done somewhere its contained otherwise it will just run away, you can then take it to a police station (has to be one with kennels) and they have a legal responsibility to look after it until the dog warden can take it on Mon.

It always amazes me how these services (which we pay for through our taxes!) are only available mon-fri 9am-5pm, Grrr! Charities then get the blame for not taking responsibilty when they get diddly squat from the government and do the best they can with fundraising.

Is there any way you can start gaining its trust and feeding it somewhere secure (do it regularly at a set time of day) it would help because if you can't catch it the dog warden won't be able to and may ask for your help getting it somewhere contained. This may take a number of days if its really nervous.

Good luck, hows the kitten situation as well??

 

[happy-chick]

Just spoken to the police and they said they cant do anything but have noted it on the system incase anyone reports it missing. They said to ignore it & dont feed it but I cant leave it to starve!!

I live in a flat so nowhere I could keep it until monday, Im worried about feeding it and then it keep coming back so not really sure what to do! Should I feed it until Monday when warden comes or just ignore it?

 

[Fluffy Bunny]

The police are LYING! They have to take the dog off you if the dog warden is not on duty. However, you would have to take it to them and it would have to be a station which has kennels, so a main one not a little one. Don't let them fob you off. Take my word, I'm 100% certain on this!

As for getting it somewhere to catch it, how about communal stairs in your flats (but there would have to be a door you could close on it). Be careful, obviously if its snarling or bearing its teeth I would suggest you just feed it and leave it for the dog warden to deal with. If its just extremely nervous which it sounds like some food and ALOT of patience, just sit with it and talk gently, no eye contact, throw it titbits, will help gain its trust.

Wish I lived closer, I'd come and help.

The website I posted earlier also have local helpers who may come and help you, it would be worth contacting them.

 

[Hypnorm]

RSPCA are crap. Don't bother.
The police don't have to take the dog off you.
The best thing you can do is take it down to your local vets. They should scan it to see if it has a chip then they will either hold on to it for 7 days or it will be sent to the dog warden - if not claimed after 7 days it will be put for rehoming.

I worked as a vet nurse for a long time, i wouldnt give the RSPCA a penny of my money, but if you turn up at a vets with the dog, they shoudl take it off you.

 

[Fluffy Bunny]

The police don't have to take the dog off you.

YES THEY DO!!

.........Stray dogs
The Council has a duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to catch dogs that appear to be strays. Police Officers may also catch strays, but do not have a duty to do so, although they must accept any stray dogs brought in to the Police Station.................

 

[Hypnorm]

i can assure you they don't in Glos, they send the dog warden or will tell you to take to the local vets.

I have worked in Veterinary for over 13 yrs and have never had a dog brought in by police.

I have heard of police picking up a stray else where in the uk, but they forgot about it and it died. in a back office.

 

[budge]

i can assure you they don't in Glos, they send the dog warden or will tell you to take to the local vets.

I have worked in Veterinary for over 13 yrs and have never had a dog brought in by police.

I have heard of police picking up a stray else where in the uk, but they forgot about it and it died. in a back office.

i can't believe that

 

[Hypnorm]

yeh was in the papers they put it in a kennel but forgot to tell anyone over a bank hol weekend and no one fed it!

 

[budge]

yeh was in the papers they put it in a kennel but forgot to tell anyone over a bank hol weekend and no one fed it!

*******s.

 

[Freya]

Now Budge please don't mince your words just tell it as you see it

 

[budge]

Now Budge please don't mince your words just tell it as you see it

 

[jue]

You might be better seeing if there are any smaller rescue centers local to you and give them a ring, they are usually run by dedicated animal lovers, who will take the dog and look after him til a home can be found.

I was a dog fosterer, for a while, and worked with a group of people who were wonderful at rescuing and rehoming animals, the last animal I rehomed was a Chinchilla.

You can try the Dogs trust, but they very rarely have space.

Try not to totally rule out the RSPCA, they do a lot of good work and in the local centers you will find many staff dedicated to animal welfare, I have a rescue rabbit from the RSPCA, and the care he was given while there was exceptional.

Also have to stick up for the RSPCA as my son wants to be an RSPCA inspector when he leaves college, its his life dream

 

[x Naomi x]

I can assure you that not all Police stations are B******* i work on the front desk and although the police DONT have to take in dogs anymore that dogs act that was quoted earlier is out of date, we have two kennels kitted out with nice warm blankets and beds, we do take them in over the weekends when dog wardens are not working but unfortunately the RSPCA will not intervene, i have first had experience of this begging them to take dogs in when our kennels are full but they dont deal with stray dogs being a dog lover i have lost sleep over these poor dogs and have even gone in on my days off to walk them etc

It sounds like your local police station is taking the hard line in that they dont have to take them so they wont, i would say the best thing you can do if you cant find a friend or relative to hold on to it till monday is to just keep feeding it so it stays around the area and then if you can try and catch hold of it monday, and then ring the dog warden then they should come straight out, our dog warden wont attend unless it has been caught!

 

[happy-chick]

Theres no way I can get anyone to look after it until monday or take it anywhere as we wouldnt be able to catch it, it just runs away... seriously its terrified of my cat! Ive tried to coax it with food etc and it just runs away, I left the food for it and watched from the window and it took about half an hour to get up the courage to eat it, it was like it thought it would get into trouble if it did

Not seen it tonight but its raining so its probably found somewhere to sleep (I hope) but will keep a look out for it tomorrow. I'll let you know what happens over the weekend.

 

[enn]

aww goodluck

 

[Hypnorm]

be VERY carefull if you do try to catch the dog, a cornered nervous dog IS dangerous and WILL bite if it is scared.
It may have bolted from someones house as it is near firework season and if any have been let off it must be terrified.

Vets are usually open on a weekend, it also might be worth phoning the local vets to see if they have had any lost dogs reported.

I can't believe no one will help you.

I'd be incline to phone the local papers and tell them how unhelpful people have been to a potentially dangerous situation.

What if a young kid tries to catch him?

Or tell the police the dog is becoming a hazard and aggressive, then they might do something, or tell RSPCA you think he is injured that might get there attention, after all you 'can't be sure' as you can't get near him so a little white lie wouldnt hurt.

Good luck, poor thing sounds terrified.