What can you do when you have to return a dog to a <insert negative adjective of choice> dog owner?

I found a dog running loose with no collar, microchip or ID. I tried to take her to the shelter since I was less than a mile away, but since I live outside city limits they couldn't take her. I left my contact info and took her home to wait and see if her owner was looking.

While waiting I had to spray her with flea spray to kill the bugs since I didn't want them moving in with me. I had to clean some sores she had from licking and scratching herself. She had no training that I could determine, granted she was in a strange place.

Anyway, her owner finally came to get her. He told me she had gotten away from his girlfriend who was supposed to be watching her. She wasn't spayed, of course. He didn't bring a collar or leash, just let her run loose. (No wonder she vanished on him.) She was standing with her feet on the side of the truck bed as he pulled out. I was suprised she didn't take a nose dive out of the back she was leaning over so far to sniff at things.

What was most frustrating is that it seemed to be more of a nusaince to him than anything else. No thanks at all. (I guess having your dog run loose on a busy road is not dangerous. Surley she knows to dodge the cars, right? She would have come home on her own, right? Silly college student just overreacted maybe? Alright, I'll drop the sarcasm.) At least he checked the shelter so I guess he cared a bit.

It sure was frustrating to give back an unspayed mix breed dog that had been running loose with no ID, but what can you do? She was his property and I sure couldn't keep her.

Sorry this isn't really a training topic, mods.

How did you find the owner?

I left my contact info at the shelter and they gave it to him. Saved having to put up the fliers I printed out.

Hello,

I would have taken his information and reported his treatment and behavior to the correct authorities. It seems that if she was such a bother to him maybe someone with a more loving home should have taken her. Especially, if he is driving around with the poor animal in the back like that.

I could only image being on the back of that truck and getting hurt.

Sara

Sara is right. The second he pulled out of the driveway I would have called and reported him to the police. (In my area driving a truck with a loose dog in the back is illegal).

You can't really do anything else though... other than turn the dog to a licenced all-breed rescue or have the dog spayed yourself before you gave her back... depends on how long you had her. I think there is a law that if you've had her a certain length of time she is considered abandoned and legally yours.

I think even a dog pound who spays all the dogs it adopts out, would have had to return her intact to the original owner.

We can't dictate what others do with their pets, unfortunately. Not even the animal control officer can do much. Just because we don't agree with what they do, as long as it's legal, we can't do anything.

I feel your pain. I work as a manager at a local petco. The other night a lady came in with a eight week old pit lab mix. Lady had never owned a dog before and asked who in the place could help her.

I volunteered and started her through the things she would need. As usual I started her off with a good book, collar, leash, vet referral, food, dishes, etc, and then I got to the all important crate and she got this look on her face and said, " Oh no I wont be needing that. It's like dog prison." I tried to explain and she got more insistant about not "imprisoning her dog."

I'd like to say I felt sad for her. I hope she would read the book and decide maybe she had made a mistake but I've encountered this stubborn stupidity before. In the end I feel sorry for the dog who probably was brought into this world by someone who had no intentions behind the breeding, given away to someone who had done no research and refused to do any prior to getting a dog, and who is incapable of listening to advice.