If you find a stray…can you keep it?

[Chewy]

Yeah, if noone comes forward for him tho?
I found mongral of some description (def terrior cross) on the A140 Norfolk Suffolk border holding up the traffic. I ended up bundling him in the front footwell where he promptly fell asleep! I was on my  way to my sisters who lives in Wendover for four days and ended up taking him with me.
He’s definatly been through the wars, 5 long old healed scars on his body in various places? My sister thinks a couple of old fag burns where the hair hasnt grown back, but again they look old healed. One torn ear split down the middle and part of the other is missing, plus the end of his tail is missing.
He’s a little underweight we think but I also think he may be built on the slim side anyway.
Bless him, he’s not the prettiest dog out there and likes rolling in fox pooh, not good when in the car for three hours!!
He cowers round my brother in outlaw, who’s also quite loud if you know what I mean but stopped skirting round the room and hiding behind furniture by day three. I picked up a stick to throw for the dogs in the garden and he just about crapped a brick bless him but this got better very quicky once he realised that the other dogs were chasing it, but doesnt seem to understand the games at all.
And newspapers have him in a corner wetting himself (or he could just hate The Sun!), and if you could see him round the 9-12 yr old boys on the Raf estate (they are nice lads) he legged it straight back to my sisters house.
But he’s fantastic round the kids (babies through to teenage girls) (we have been watching him like a hawk), seems to think their a great source of munchies (which they are!). Somehow he’s bonded with my 4 yr old daughter and if she’s not availible or I have to take him with me when I leave the room (not trusting him alone with the kids) he’s 
a womans dog. But he really seems almost devoted to her already it’s bizzarre?. If you could see the pair of them its unbeleivable.
We put her to bed shutting her door and he had the run of the hallway with other dogs one night, and he managed to nudge her door open and slept with her for the night (turns out the bedroom door doesnt stay shut properly) I nearly had a heart attack when I found them curled up together cos understandably we just dont know this dog and anything could have happened and I’m still kicking myself for it.
Doesnt batter an eyelid at horses, sheep, goats,other dogs and a Llama. Birds are good game tho
Doesnt appear to have had any type of training but has taken to the clicker like a duck to water and doesnt seem to get enough of it, he learns so fast its incredible. He almost reminds me of a Collie, not that he looks anything like one.
So far seems toilet trained and loves his grub. My daughter and him got into the cat food biscuits and were sharing them! Dont leave my Brother in law in charge of watching kids and strange dogs for 15 mins when you clean out their rabbits!
I dont think he’s that old since he gives Diz a run for her money on the energy front but he’s old enough to be nice and calm round the kids even when their shouting and running round like a bunch of muppets. You can almost see him step down a gear as soon as he’s round them.
I have to say, although we dont know this dog’s history or how safe he is, it’s like he’s already part of the family, he’s fitted in so well and how he is with my 4 yr old and her him is so… squishy!
I booked him in with the vet for tomorrow when we got back today to get him checked out (guess who’s going out the other side of her overdraft?). He was worried about my other half when they met earlier but cos my lesser half is quiet spoken and pretty patient he seems to have relaxed round him at least for now.
I know he has hang ups but already he’s a part of our family.
On the way back from my sisters I knocked on a few doors that I could see in the area where I found him to see if anyones lost a dog…nothing.
I’ll ring round the rescues tomorrow which is all I can think of.
But I’m a little worried what they might do?
Would they ask me to take him straight to them even if we were willing to keep him here, even if noone has been looking for him?
Would they want to check us out? Reason being that although I totally understand the reasons why they dont let people with yound kids adopt, in which case we wouldnt be able to keep him would we?
I could part with himit if he went missing from a family that had a adopted him from a rescue, I could live with that.
And the worst scenario is he has been through the wars, and if the origional owner came forward, I’m not sure I could hand him back. I’d see what the vet thinks first of his scars. ears and tail but if it is through cruilty, could I refuse to give him back?

Thank you for reading my noval!

[Anonymous]

He sounds like a travellers dog and they have moved on without him.
I would inform the police you have him and are prepared to offer him a home, even though the police have little to do with stray dogs these days people still report the lost and found to them, then I would have a look on the missing dog sites Lostdogs etc.
If he’s not on there buy him a bed and call him yours but stop feeding him cat biscuits they are not good for him
Good Luck
Val

[SuzAndTheDiva]

Yep the scars could be from other dogs/foxes/badgers etc – I agree with Val 100% let as many people know as poss – chances are he wont be claimed though  :-*

[TobyTeaCosy and Angela]

Why do you say travellers dog Val?  Just curious because he sounds very like our Toby and how he was with us!

[Anonymous]

Because he’s frightened of men, sticks, papers, gangs of kids, and he has scars, and burns yet he’s a pussy cat with children small dogs like him learn that little people are good and older ones are ba***rds
Chewy may write a novel when she posts but you do get the full story.
He was possible stolen in the first place in fact Chewy that would be a good idea get the dog warden to scan him just incase he has a chip, I would not think he has or if he did I expect it has been disabled
Val 

[Chewy]

Thanks guys ;D
Angela-how did yez find Toby?
Travellers would make sense.
Oooh cheers Val, I didnt think of getting him scanned or the police, will get on it tomorrow, tho I’m hoping…
About the cat biscuits…my sister hasnt had a cat in over 3 yrs. I was just gratful they wernt mouldy! …Nice!
I used to eat cat biscuits.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

What I would do is call your local AWO but use 141 so it hides your number and ask them their procedure for stray dogs.  Some LA’s will let you house the dog for its 7 days, others wont.  To be sure you’ll end up with him you either need him not to pass into LA paper trail or make sure the allocated pound dont do homechecks.

I wouldnt bother with police – they’ll just tell you to call AWO and they’ll do the same for anyone looking for him.  Vets and Rescues also often have scanners if you cant be arsed to wait in for AWO to call 🙂

If he has to go to the pound then you’ll probably have to pay a fee to buy him back and if they dont sell to ppl with young kids for goodness sake dont tell them you have any!!  If he stays with you I wouldnt think anyone will be bothered.

I agree with Val – travellers dog.  When the chip is scanned ask for the number and call petlog yourself they’ll give you the address and use google earth to check it out – if it looks dodgy then say you couldnt get hold of them – a chip cant legally prove ownership anyway.

Claire x

[TobyTeaCosy and Angela]

Bless him, he’s been through the mill poor man, glad you were there to find him and get him safe  :-* 

Toby came from the shelter but has the same sorts of issues with men, sticks, initially magazines/papers but loads better now and also umbrellas, pop bottles are are real big problem, even nine months on, the list was endless but getting better, not sure what his problem is with cameras or whistling, cameras = found hidden in the bath even now and whistling sets him off in urgent panicky barking.

Is an interesting question about keeping and informing chewy.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

whistling will be his previous owners returning home I expect.  what is the actual problem with camera’s – is it seeing them, clicking noise of pics being taken, whirring of film winding on, flash, red eye sensor …?

mags + papers will be that he was hit with them, sticks the same and men will be prev. owner.  are umbrella’s up or down, standing by themselves or held and being put up ?  is the pop bottles sight of them or cracking sound they make – sight will probably be that he’s had a shake bottle used or that he associates it with prev owner, sound could be that he’s generally sound sensitive ?

Claire x

[Lama]

It used to be that legally you were obliged to inform the police as dogs (unlike cats) are classed as a ‘possession’, therefore came under the same ruling as any lost/flound pproperty i.e. if not claimed within 28 days you can claim as your own. 

However, 3 years ago we found a Yorkshire Terrier in our local park; he was in a shocking state.  His coat was so matted he could hardly walk (that and the fact his nails had almost grown into his pads), he too was very nervy and had obviously been beaten on a regular basis.  Well, to cut a long story short, we kept him as anyone who had neglected and mistreated a dog to this degree did not deserve to have him back.  We named him Basil (because he needed a brush); he had a full service and MOT and was the most gentle, happy and grateful little soul.  Unfortunately, only 9-months of being with us he became ill and scans revealed he had advanced heart disease and he died in his sleep on new years eve.  The memory of this little lad remain; his time with us was short, but sweet.  He had lived a troubled life, as it sounds like this poor soul has and if I were you I’d say nothing and just enjoy. 

Good luck and ‘bravo’ for taking the time and care to take him under your wing.

[Chewy]

Thanks everyone for your help and advice. We didnt bother in the end to locate his origional owners.
Long story short for once, he has sveral tumours on his heart, spleen and various other places.
The vets still got to confirm it with blood work and a sample etc but she suspects a cancer galled Hyglaemglysomthing or other(I cant spell it never mind remember the full name, sorry). She said we have to expect the worse since she thinks its metastisised and one of THE most aggressive forms.
He’s still at the vets as he’s so lethargic and aneamic.
I dont undestand since he’s been full of energy since he’s been with us. He was quiet this morning but I put it down to him being knackered from being round several other dogs and a busy household for four days.
Vet said some dogs can just die suddenly with it with little to no symptoms, and others will come in after a collapse in which case its usaully not a good prognosis.
I poo picked the garden this eve and noticed some stools which were bloody.
We’ll figure out what our options are when we get all the results in.

Again thanks guys

[Anonymous]

How Sad (((Hugs Chewy)))

[Anonymous]

bless you, even a kind hand and friendly words are a greater offering than i bet he ever could have hoped for on the run.

claire x

[SuzAndTheDiva]

oh no how sad  :'( do let us know what happens wont you (((((((((((hugs)))))))))))

[TobyTeaCosy and Angela]

Sad news Chewy :'( he is fortunate to have found a happy home, let us know what happens with the vet over the next few days and give him a hug from all of us  :-*

[Author]

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