Would You Stop For A Stray Dog?

[anthro-nerd]

I've just got back late from lunch because of 'stray' white staffie was running around in the (busy!) road, causing cars to stop and swerve. No one but me stopped to get out of their car to calm the dog down and try and find its owner.

I pulled over, hopped out the car and ran up to where it was - at this point running into the roundabout. I got down on my knees, held out my hands and called him over. He ran over, and rolled over to let me tickle his tummy so I tied my scarf around his neck. We got back to my car, where he hopped in nicely. I called the local vet and nipped over to see if he was chipped. He was, and half an hour later his owners came rushing into the vets to get him - in tears!

What bothers me is that no one else stopped?! This dog was clearly a bit frightened, overwhelmed and excited. He was healthy looking and friendly. To not have stopped would have potentially caused a car accident or worse, hurt or killed the dog. Stopping to me seemed completely natural, I didn't think once he might be 'dangerous' and it was fairly obvious he'd recently escaped from his home. Turns out the postman had left the gate open.

Would you have stopped? Casper is now safely reunited with his humans because I did.

[kvalidir]

Yes always. We've ended up with half of our dogs like that when we've been unable to trace their owners.

[ummmm]

I wouldn't because I'm quite scared of dogs I don't know. I'd want to though.

[anthro-nerd]

Spath, the problem is when the dog escapes out of the house. I don't keep my dog's collar on him when he's inside the house / garden because he jumps up and there's horror stories of dog's strangling themselves on door handles, plus it must be comfier for him to not have it on when he's chilling at home. So if he were to escape, he would be collarless, that's why it's so important to get them chipped!

If he ran off whilst we were on a walk, he would of course have his collar on, with my contact details on it. It's not bother to hop to the vets and wait with them.

Thank you everyone for the kind comments, just doing what any dog owner would have done!

[anthro-nerd]

Oh and spath, I've also had a dog wandering off from it's owner, I called the number on his collar and it was a home number, so I left a voicemail. The owner then came running round the corner!! He said he'd update the number to a mobile instead of a landline, but he was an elderly gentleman so perhaps doesn't have a mobile!

[anthro-nerd]

Haha I'm not sure my clippers are accurate enough!! But surely that's what microchips are for :-P

[-Talbot-]

I haven't stopped for a stray dog but done something similar.
An old lady's Jack Russell had got out and was ignoring her calls to return. I jump in the nearest telephone box and changed into my superhero costume.
'Don't worry I'll catch him for you' I told her.


I did ... about two and half hours later :o(

[anthro-nerd]

Spath, there's very little risk of taking a dog on a walk with it's owner, for a start this dog was running in and out of traffic. And secondly, I always wait around for 10 minutes to see if someone is looking for him/her. It's just logic.

And yes I suppose the dog was lucky I was passing and knew what to do, and yes it's good the dog was chipped. But dogs are given 7 days before they're put up for rehoming if they haven't been claimed (they are rarely put down). 7 days is a long time for an owner to reach out via social media, call the vets, call the warden etc.

[anthro-nerd]

And a microchip and collar isn't essential Spath, it's the law.

[anthro-nerd]

It isn't a case of 'prone to running out the front door'. They might be spooked and run, or they might find a hole in the garden fence?

I can assure you a dog getting out is always an accident and owners do all they can to keep their dogs safe.

If having a collar on in the house isn't safe, which for some dogs it isn't, then I for one won't be putting my dogs collar on him in the house.

I think this chat has deviated from my original question now.

[lankeela]

Lost count of the number of times I have stopped and caught strays - but can I ask people that even if they feel they cannot stop to try to catch the dog they at least report it to the police or dog warden so if anyone is searching for it they have a sighting as some dogs can travel a long way from where they escaped. In this windy weather particularly it is common for dogs to get out if people haven't checked their gates and fences before letting them out. There have been a lot lost this morning, have a look at DogLost and you will see just how many!

[lankeela]

However I suggest you don't try to catch this one! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-42730984

[anthro-nerd]

lankeela great advice to call the authorities