This morning I wake up, get ready for work, put the dogs out, step out the front door and on the side of the house is a black lab mix. Pretty dog, comes up to me just fine, wags her tail. I'm in debate, I can't put her in my back yard for two reasons. 1. My dogs are dog aggressive upon first contact, it takes them about 20-30 minutes to warm up to a new dog under supervision. 2. The lab mix has a sore on her ear and her ear is balding some, I don't want my dogs to catch some creepy stray dog cooties. After much thought on it, I finally decided to be late for work and get her off the street. I put a collar and a leash on her and finally found out where the pound was got there, and they don't open till 10. Ung.

Already running about 30 minutes late for work, I ran to the side door and found someone. They went and found the front desk guy, who came back and signed the dog in. I had advised that I would have thrown her in my backyard but my dogs where dog aggressive. Then I get "You have aggressive dogs?!?" I was like, "Uh, yeah towards other dogs?" "You live in the city limits?" "Yeah" "Well that's illegal". I then tried to clarify that they are aggressive until they get to know the other dogs, and in actuality I don't know a whole lot of dogs that are not somewhat aggressive to strange dogs. In anycase, I signed the dog in and was told she has 3 days. Then if there are no adoption openings, she gets put down. So I might go back in a few days and adopt her, I'm not sure yet.

Now, a concern of mine is, will the animal control people come by my house to "inspect" my dogs or something due to me making this guy mad for bringing in a dog an hour and a half early, and for slipping up and saying that my dogs were aggressive? I mean yes, they are aggressive towards other dogs, but again under about 15-30 supervised minutes, they're fine with other dogs. Tried and tested. My gates have locks on them as well as I have put up beware of dog signs. When they go out, they are on a leash. Hrm, dunno maybe I'm just stressing or something.

On the lab, I plan on getting a paper tomorrow and checking out the lost and found for black lab mixes. If I find nothing I will check it again on wednesday. If still nothing I might go back in and adopt her. Then take her to the vet and get her checked then try to find her a good home. You try to do something good and end up feeling like shit about it.

How was your Monday morning?

Oh Jason, that was so funny.....I can see your frustration and all because I have been there. I know what you mean about trying to do something nice and it all just screws up.
They probably will come by and inspect just because....
The rules sound ridiculous as well. No aggressive dogs in the city? What do you do...move to the country once your dog growls and shows teeth? Why don't they just have total authority and ban ANY dog in any area of their county?

So sorry for your dilemma.

What does "inspect" mean? Come by and poke a stick at them and if they bite it they are aggressive? Or stick their hands in? What dog doesn't bark at a stranger or a strange dog? Would I have to be there in order for them to inspect the dogs? I mean it's a pembroke welsh corgi and a mid sized gsd/husky mix. Not a couple of huge aggressive dogs.

Thanks for any info you can give.

Don't let it bug you, Jason. He was probably just
crabby for the reasons you said. One sure way to tell if he was bluffing or if you should worry- if they do let you adopt the dog (which is a very commendable thing to do <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> you're a nice guy) They wouldn't let you have it otherwise.

I can tell you a good story: I found a stray one time, and took her in. I knew that the shelter was full and I was pretty sure I could locate the
owner (she was a nice Border Collie) with posters, or the shelter could foreward my address,
whatever...

A few weeks later my roomate let my cat out by mistake. I went to the shelter to look for him. While I was there a budgie got my attention and seemed to want me to adopt it. Me, like a fool, filled out the application honestly.

Well, it turns out I was an 'irresponsible' owner, because I didn't know if the stray was spayed. I tried to explain that it was really not my dog, check their records, I was only holding it for them...no use, I was turned down. Amazing
what a little power can do to some folks.

It's not a funny story, but it's so stupid that I hope it cheers you up some.

Jason hi

I can't tell you what to expect if anything. But just learn from this experience. And IMO that would be 'Don't volunteer any information that ain't neccessary'

Another instance of try to do the right thing and the attention gets focused on you. And public officials wonder why more people don't get involved in their community. JMO again.

Thank you Cynthia, Thank you Rob.

I have posted this on a few message boards, the general consensus was that without a complaint filed there shouldn't be any case. Basically, without a complaint how are they going to test it. Take out a dog and walk it around in front of the gate? What dog is not going to bark and act agressive at that? Hop the fence and see if they get bit? Hrm, sounds risky to me. I'm not too worried anymore about that.

On the lab. I emailed the local rescue group, in the hope that they can pull her from the pound possibly. I talked to my wife and found that there are 2 familys that own labs on our street, I'm going to go knock on their doors tomorrow and see if they are missing. In a sense, I hope not, because I will have to explain why I took her to the pound. Basically, would you leave a stray that you found in your front yard, with a balding ear that had a sore on it, after 15-30 minutes of introduction to your dogs, while you went to work for 8 hours? Noway.

I printed out some "found dog" flyers but we have no staple gun and the duct tape is in the attic or something. Going to grab something tomorrow and post it up. The pound guy told me that they will keep her in observation for 3 days, if there is an opening in the adoption program they will put her in, if not, then they will put her down. Not going to call tomorrow, but will call on wednesday to see what is going on with her. If need be, at my wifes considerable dismay, I will probably go adopt her if she is going to be put down. She was a very very smart dog that you could tell had been around people before.

On the pound, this was the first dog I have ever taken to the pound, I don't know what I was expecting, maybe people who actually gave a shit about animals. I am currently seriously considering getting an 8x10 pen to put in the back yard for strays that I find. I am a sucker for strays, and I love dogs. End all be all though, I want to acclimate my dogs to them first, not just throw them in the mix, especially if they might have something that my dogs could catch. Hopefully I hear back from the rescue, and they will help out. Or I find that someone down the street is missing their dog and we go get her back from the pound, hell I will even help out on costs if I need to.

Thanks for all the tips, well wishes, and advice.

Found the dogs owner. Advised them that I had to take the dog to animal shelter. They were ok with that, seeing as how I didn't know where to take the dog back to and couldn't put it in my backyard.

As soon as I found the owner I was going to go to the shelter and pick up the dog and take it back to them, but the shelter tells me that only the owner can pick up the dog. I say, well how about if I adopt it then? they said I would have to wait the adoption period.

End all be all, the owner went and picked up the dog yesterday, had to pay 82 bucks. I'm going to split the cost with him, just because it will make me feel better. I feel really bad about taking the dog to that shelter, and will never take a dog there again. Horrible horrible experience with nothing but very very rude people.

Ah well, all over now.

Jason,
Glad your story had somewhat of a happy ending. After all, the original owners went back to claim their lab!

Some pound employees are actually wonderful and caring people - I work with quite a few with my rescue. Others, I'm sad to say, should be locked up in the cages and labeled as aggressive/no personality/idiot.

I am grateful that there are still people in the world like you. You did a good deed and went out of your way to do something most folks would not give a second thought. THANK YOU!

Kate, Thanks <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm sure there are some diamonds in the rough in some shelters. My experience with this one just sucked. The guy I turned Skipper(the lab) into was rude and hateful, and the lady when I was going to come pick Skipper up was rude and hateful, first to my wife, then to me. Ah well, will just steer clear of that one. I think I am going to try to get some fencing from my wifes parents house, that way if I see another stray(I'm a huge sucker for strays) I can hang on to them while I find the original owner and keep them separated from my dogs.

On the shelter, I know that has to be a thankless job, but if you have someone who just wants to help out the animals, not trying to make your job harder, you should at least be nice to them. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Ah well. Onward and Upward.

Just to make a point about shelters, 15 of the last 20 singal purpose drug dogs I have put on the road, came from shelters. I've visited the shelters in a six county area and have demonstrated the behavior we are looking for when selecting a drug dog. They are very diligent in conducting a "pretest" for us, and calling us on those dogs that may fit our program. It's been a very worthwhile effort on our behalf. We may not be able to use as many of the dogs as they want us to look at, however, I too have met many dedicated folks at shelters, doing a job on an often, limited budget, to the best of thier ability.

DFrost