Dog left to wander

toadfly

Hi all,

I don't know what to do but there is a dog in an estate near me that is left to wander all day. Several evenings he has followed me home, once nearly getting hit by a car.

The first time I dropped my dogs home and went back with him, rang the number on his tag, no answer so I left a message. Rang a few minutes later and phone was turned off! That was a week ago and never got a call back. Got talking to a neighbour and he said the dog is always left around the estate.

Don't want to find him killed on the road some morning.

What can I do?

Random

you could try reporting it to the rspca to see if there's anything they can do about it?

toadfly

ISPCA won't do anything unless the dog is literally dead as far as I know. So frustrating.

ppink

Pick him up and put him in your car and drive him to a rescue where hopefully they will find him a home where he is wanted.
I would never bother ringing owners if they left him wander constantly- once off yes but not constantly. I would be taking him to a rescue and i would not be bothering ringing ISPCA either. they have so much stuff going on now a wandering dog will be way down the priority list.

toadfly

That was my first idea ppink just dont know if I should. The rescues are all very busy but I think he will be easily rehomed, he is very very friendly.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Honestly, and I'm not being smart with you.

Unless the dog was threatening to people, or was otherwise being ill treated I'd say mine your own business.

Tranceypoo

I'd be inclined to pick him up and put him in the car, bring him into the nearest rescue, I know they are overflowing but if you think he will get a better home I would do it. I wouldn't mind my own business, if everyone did that then animals in this country would be even worse off. The owners clearly don't give a toss, if I had a euro for every time I'd wondered why some people bother their arses getting dogs :mad:

toadfly

Selah Hot Smart-ass wrote: »

Honestly, and I'm not being smart with you.

Unless the dog was threatening to people, or was otherwise being ill treated I'd say mine your own business.

I appreciate your opinion but I don't agree at all, the dog deserves a loving home.

Tranceypoo wrote: »

I'd be inclined to pick him up and put him in the car, bring him into the nearest rescue, I know they are overflowing but if you think he will get a better home I would do it. I wouldn't mind my own business, if everyone did that then animals in this country would be even worse off. The owners clearly don't give a toss, if I had a euro for every time I'd wondered why some people bother their arses getting dogs :mad:

I agree completely but am a bit unsure as to what to do. I will call some of the rescues this evening and see what can be done. Its just not fair on the poor thing.

arybvtcw0eolkf

TillyGirl wrote: »

I appreciate your opinion but I don't agree at all, the dog deserves a loving home.
.

And you know that he's not returning home to one?.

Is it a stray dog?.

I know dogs are not allowed wonder about these days, but in many area's dogs do roam fun.. In fact some of the friendliest and happiest dogs I've known where the guys who could wonder freely.

kylith

I'd be worried that if you brought him to a rescue you could be charged with theft as he has a collar and tag on. The best thing might be to pretend you've never gotten close to the dog and call the warden in the guise of 'concerned citizen'.

I have to agree with Makikomi; some of the friendliest dogs in my area are ones that are let out to wander, not that I agree with the practise at all.

DBCyc

I would agree with the other posters in that despite your opinion of what the dog deserves and with regards to dogs roaming, you do not really have the right to whisk him off to a rescue.

I do not agree with dogs being left to roam either, but that dog would still be part of somebody's family and you can't just intervene unless there is a clear case of cruelty/neglect.

EDIT: Could you call into the owner's house and explain that the dog nearly got run over by a car and maybe they might get a shock and be more responsible?

ppink

the way I see it is that he is not going home to a loving family if they leave him roam. anybody who leaves their dog roam constantly has to be prepared for him not coming home.
Tillygirl I have picked up dogs in the past and make no bones about it, granted none of them had collars and I did not know where they were from but when I see a puppy running in and out of traffic almost being mushed then i dont think twice about picking him up. I held them at home with me until a space became available in rescue.....not an easy thing with all my own dogs but it was amnageable for a few days.

EGAR

Letting dogs wander is against the law. If a dogwarden comes across a wandering dog and no one answers the number on the tag or gets back to the dogwarden the dog is being kept in the pound to do its 5 days stray time and is then either pts'd or rehomed.

I would:

a.) go to the Gardai and report it as the dog poses a danger to traffic and of course himself by being allowed to roam

b.) ask around some more to track down the owner - if you find out who owns him let me know and I will pay them a visit and then we will see how is pans out


I would not nick the dog, alot of people who let dogs roam don't know any better and think it's perfectly alright to do so and not aware that it is against the law. Find out who owns him and I will drop by and have a chat with them. Then we decide on the action to take.

merengueca

I found a young b1tch wandering the roads near us (way out in the country) last time I was home, took her in for the night left a message on local radio that she had been found. No response so took her to the local ISPCA centre the next day (couldn't keep her unfortunatly), they took her without hassle and she was rehomed in a matter of hours.

Always nice to give them a donation if you can;)

Edit : meant to add that she had a cut paw and was not one of the neighbours dogs so obviously not out for a wander. I'd try to locate the owner and if no luck then let the warden know. If nothing has improved in a week then I'd consider the ISPCA - if the owner is allowing this poor dog out everyday then they are not a responsible owner and therefore do not have the right to be hacked off with you.

thisguy

i agree with the people here telling you to mind your own business, you dont have any right to pick that dog up and take it anywhere, it's not yours. As has been stated it probably does go back to its home to get fed, etc. It may be against the law to let dogs roam, in which case reporting it to a warden or guarda is fait enough, but if you steal someone's dog you'll also be breaking the law.TBH if someone "rescued" my dog which is allowed to roam from time to time, angry would be an understatement for how pissed off i'd be.

Zapperzy

merengueca wrote: »

I found a young b1tch wandering the roads near us (way out in the country) last time I was home, took her in for the night left a message on local radio that she had been found. No response so took her to the local ISPCA centre the next day (couldn't keep her unfortunatly), they took her without hassle and she was rehomed in a matter of hours.

Always nice to give them a donation if you can;)

Edit : meant to add that she had a cut paw and was not one of the neighbours dogs so obviously not out for a wander. I'd try to locate the owner and if no luck then let the warden know. If nothing has improved in a week then I'd consider the ISPCA - if the owner is allowing this poor dog out everyday then they are not a responsible owner and therefore do not have the right to be hacked off with you.

I seriously doubt she was re-homed within a few hours, stray dogs have to be given a chance to be reclaimed by their owner, they can spend 5 days in the pound or as far as I am aware they can spend their 5 days with the finder so long as you notify the dog warden. I could be wrong but otherwise the owners haven't been given a chance to reclaim him if he were rehomed straight away.

ppink

thisguy wrote: »

TBH if someone "rescued" my dog which is allowed to roam from time to time, angry would be an understatement for how pissed off i'd be.

well i suppose that is a point and from the opposite side of the fence Angry was an understatement of how I feel to see someone else's dog follow me home, seeing someone elses dogs wreck my newly laid lawn, seeing someone elses dog run over and finally almost running over someone elses dog myself.
Imo it is incredibly ignorant to allow a dog to roam constantly..once or twice by mistake is one thing but constantly is sticking 2 fingers up at everybody.....cyclists,motorists,pedestrians...everyone, but that is just my opinion.

toadfly

Selah Hot Smart-ass wrote: »

And you know that he's not returning home to one?.

Is it a stray dog?

No I dont think its a loving home when the dog is outside everytime I have gone over to the estate including when it was lashing rain and at 11pm.

I dont know if it would be considered a stray when it is fed and left with free run of an estate.

DBCyc wrote: »

Could you call into the owner's house and explain that the dog nearly got run over by a car and maybe they might get a shock and be more responsible?

I'm not sure which house it is, know which part of the estate but not the actually house. When I left the voicemail the first night I said the dog was at my house across the road and had nearly gotten hit by a car a few minutes before that.

EGAR wrote: »

I would:

a.) go to the Gardai and report it as the dog poses a danger to traffic and of course himself by being allowed to roam

b.) ask around some more to track down the owner - if you find out who owns him let me know and I will pay them a visit and then we will see how is pans out

Find out who owns him and I will drop by and have a chat with them. Then we decide on the action to take.

Thanks for the offer Sarah I will see if I can figure out exactly what house it is. I wouldnt like to go with option a as I dont want the dog ending up in the pound.

thisguy wrote: »

TBH if someone "rescued" my dog which is allowed to roam from time to time, angry would be an understatement for how pissed off i'd be.

Why do you let your dog wander? That is so irresponsible of you. Poor dog.

Wisco

Ring your local dog warden and they will come and collect the dog, relieving you of any legal responsibility and they will make the effort to contact the dogs owners in the case that it's lost, etc. Or you can ring your local vet and they may contact the warden for you. The SPCA can't really do anything unless the dog is injured, although obviously shelters will probably take it in for you.
Good luck. Have to say that dogs roaming is one of my biggest hates- totally irresponsible, even if the dog is the friendliest pup on the planet.

i-digress

Even the thought of my dog roaming around for one day makes me feel panicky, I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to her.

Fair play for trying to find a way to help the dog Tilly.

arybvtcw0eolkf

TillyGirl wrote: »

Why do you let your dog wander? That is so irresponsible of you. Poor dog.

"poor dog"...

'Cindy' our family dog wandered free for all of her 17yrs. I doubt she was the poorer for it tbh.

tmcw

If any of ye who say it's fine for a dog to roam, has ever seen and experienced the devastation that this can cause, you wouldn't let your dog roam.

toadfly

i-digress wrote: »

Even the thought of my dog roaming around for one day makes me feel panicky, I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to her.

I just don't understand why someone would get a dog and not keep them as part of the family. Its not fair on the dog.

Selah Hot Smart-ass wrote: »

"poor dog"...

'Cindy' our family dog wandered free for all of her 17yrs. I doubt she was the poorer for it tbh.

Different opinions Selah Hot Smart-ass I guess.

hamsterboy

ppink wrote: »

Pick him up and put him in your car and drive him to a rescue where hopefully they will find him a home where he is wanted.
I would never bother ringing owners if they left him wander constantly- once off yes but not constantly. I would be taking him to a rescue and i would not be bothering ringing ISPCA either. they have so much stuff going on now a wandering dog will be way down the priority list.

This is what I wish I had done a while back.
Unfortunately I had the usual "Irish" feelings of guilt and that I was stickin my nose in someone else's business.
As a result a beautiful little dog, who was so full of life and loved to play with my little dude, is dead, and I have to live with the knowledge that I could have done something.

Don't end up like me, it's hell and it will tear you up inside

HB

toadfly

Thats exactly what I dont want to happen HB, the guilt of that would kill me. Poor doggy

thisguy

ppink wrote: »

Imo it is incredibly ignorant to allow a dog to roam constantly..once or twice by mistake is one thing but constantly is sticking 2 fingers up at everybody.....cyclists,motorists,pedestrians...everyone, but that is just my opinion.

I take that point, its not fair leaving your dog out and having it cause havoc for your neighbours, that's why we try and keep our dog on our land but he has ways of getting out. We live in a country village and as such traffic/pedestrians isn't really a major problem.
But the OP's post about my "poor dog" is a load of bollix to be honest, it's an animal not a person, it doesn't need to be indoors constantly. Same thing about her saying she once seen the dog out at 11pm in the rain. It's an animal, not a person, and is equipped to survive outdoors!...i have a much bigger rant in me here if i get going!:pac:

i-digress

But a dog is classified as a domesticated form of the gray wolf. As it is domesticated, I think it should stay with the family at all times, and when the family is not around it should be kept somewhere secure and safe.

EGAR

Allowing a dog to roam is irresponsible on so many levels, apart from causing a danger in traffic to others and the dog itself.

Unwanted litters, panicking people who are actually afraid of dogs, the risk to have the dog injured or killed by thugs, to have the dog stolen and/or used as bait dog, to have it shot by if the dog is in a field with livestock etc pp. The list is endless and I don't care whether or not you live in a town, city or village.

I applaud the OP for actually caring enough to bring it to the public attention and trying to do something about it.

toadfly

EGAR wrote: »

Allowing a dog to roam is irresponsible on so many levels, apart from causing a danger in traffic to others and the dog itself.

Unwanted litters, panicking people who are actually afraid of dogs, the risk to have the dog injured or killed by thugs, to have the dog stolen and/or used as bait dog, to have it shot by if the dog is in a field with livestock etc pp. The list is endless and I don't care whether or not you live in a town, city or village.

You put things so much better than I do EGAR!

onlyrocknroll

I don't mean to offend anybody here, but I do think that some of the posters above are being a very silly and over protective about dogs wandering.

I don't agree with allowing dogs to wander, it's a nuisance to your neighbours, some people are afraid of dogs, and there is a possibility of something happening to the dog.

But many owners who live near me leave their dogs wander, the dogs are happy and friendly and clearly loved by their owners. The dogs are walked, shown affection, fed and cared for etc, in the same manner that I do those things for my dog. I don't agree with their decision but it's hardly neglect.

i-digress, just because a dog is domesticated doesn't mean that it's incapable of being outside. Dogs are not completely helpless. Looking out my window now there are three happy, well adjusted dogs playing with each other. I know these dogs' owners and I know they're properly cared for.

OP, unless the dog is chasing traffic, scaring people, fighting with other dogs or showing real signs of neglect, I think that any action that goes beyond contacting the dogs owners would be a horrible thing to do.

Tranceypoo

TillyGirl wrote: »

You put things so much better than I do EGAR!

EGAR said what I wanted to say, but more succinct and eloquently.
thisguy - seriously? Nothing wrong with leaving your dog out at night in the pouring rain? Dogs feel cold, hunger, isolation and many other things, think he would just be sitting in the rain happy as larry as opposed to being inside, preferably with the family who 'own' him and are therefore obliged to care for him.

A girl at work was telling me a similar story about her neighbours dog who just runs round up and down the road, they never walk him, he's never in the house, they go off and just leave him to run around, yesterday a farmer had to bring him back because he was chasing the tractor up and down the field and he was scared he was going to run him over. WHY do people get dogs, then let them roam 'ah sure dogs should be let off to roam, that's what they do' - ignorance

onlyrocknroll

Tranceypoo wrote: »

thisguy - seriously? Nothing wrong with leaving your dog out at night in the pouring rain? Dogs feel cold, hunger, isolation and many other things, think he would just be sitting in the rain happy as larry as opposed to being inside, preferably with the family who 'own' him and are therefore obliged to care for him.

Hunger -just because someone lets their dog wander in no way means they don't feed them.

Cold- if somebody lets their dog out in terrible weather, then thats neglect, but normal dry days are different.

Isolation- somebody who doesn't pay attention to their dog and give them affection is neglecting the dog. But just because somebody allows the dog to wander doesn't mean that they are doing these things.

Of the people I know whose dogs are allowed wander- the dogs actually often scratch the door and whimper to be allowed go out and play. Again, I don't agree with it, but the dogs that have gotten used to this lifestyle obviously enjoy being outside.

If a dog is cold, hungry and ignored, thats neglect and cruelty, by all means call the dog warden or the ISPCA.

But to say that all dogs that are left wander are in this condition is melodramatic and silly.

Zapperzy

To the people who don't have a problem allowing dogs to wander do ye realise if your dog causes a car accident you are liable to pay for any damages? Accidents don't just happen on big busy roads, the amount of collies Iv seen crouching in the ditches on backroads and then shooting out in front of a car as it passes which could very easily cause an accident. If that dog is seen worrying livestock a farmer will shoot it and you will get a nice bill if it has killed any sheep or they have lost lambs (which within the first 2 weeks of pregnancy is very easy to happen). Not to mention what if a child started antagonizing the dog and it was to bite the child.

My dog has gotten out twice accidently and those few minutes that it took to catch him again were the most stressful minutes I have had in a long time. My neighbour allowed her dog to wander (before she got rid of her when they had a baby :mad:) and it used to sh*t in everyone's garden and bark at people, attacked my dog twice while my dog was on a lead with me. :mad: Have a quick gander over on the cycling forum at the amount of threads relating to wandering dogs that have chased/attacked people out cycling. In my opinion regardless of where you live dogs should never be allowed to wander unsupervised.

I don't agree with taking the dog and giving it to a rescue centre without the knowledge of the 'owners', try and make contact with them and explain to them the dangers of allowing dogs to wander free, some people, older people especially, just do not realise the risks and implications of allowing a dog to wander free. Chances are if the dog just disapears they will just get a new one and the cycle will start again.

The arguement that dogs are happier and want to wander is a weak one, some dogs enjoy chasing animals (sheep, cattle, horses, cats etc.) but it doesn't mean they should be allowed to do it.

onlyrocknroll

Zapperzy wrote: »

To the people who don't have a problem allowing dogs to wander do ye realise if your dog causes a car accident you are liable to pay for any damages? Accidents don't just happen on big busy roads, the amount of collies Iv seen crouching in the ditches on backroads and then shooting out in front of a car as it passes which could very easily cause an accident. If that dog is seen worrying livestock a farmer will shoot it and you will get a nice bill if it has killed any sheep or they have lost lambs (which within the first 2 weeks of pregnancy is very easy to happen). Not to mention what if a child started antagonizing the dog and it was to bite the child.

My dog has gotten out twice accidently and those few minutes that it took to catch him again were the most stressful minutes I have had in a long time. My neighbour allowed her dog to wander (before she got rid of her when they had a baby :mad:) and it used to sh*t in everyone's garden and bark at people, attacked my dog twice while my dog was on a lead with me. :mad: Have a quick gander over on the cycling forum at the amount of threads relating to wandering dogs that have chased/attacked people out cycling. In my opinion regardless of where you live dogs should never be allowed to wander unsupervised.

I don't agree with taking the dog and giving it to a rescue centre without the knowledge of the 'owners', try and make contact with them and explain to them the dangers of allowing dogs to wander free, some people, older people especially, just do not realise the risks and implications of allowing a dog to wander free. Chances are if the dog just disapears they will just get a new one and the cycle will start again.

We're in broad agreement here. I also don't think that's okay to leave dogs wander, and I also don't think that basically stealing or abducting the dogs is okay.

But I would make the point that my neighbours who leave their dogs wander, and some friends of mine who do likewise, aren't as negligent as some of the people you've described above. Some people don't live near busy roads, have dogs that stay around the house, have dogs that aren't aggressive, don't have neighbours who are afraid of dogs etc.

Again I don't agree with it, but I do think that people are exaggerating the dangers here.

The arguement that dogs are happier and want to wander is a weak one, some dogs enjoy chasing animals (sheep, cattle, horses, cats etc.) but it doesn't mean they should be allowed to do it.

Nobody made that argument, I said that the fact that want to go out proves that their not cold, hungry and neglected as a previous poster claimed, not that it was okay to leave dogs wander. You're twisting my words.

Discodog

I had to check that I was actually in the Animal forum !. Is is quite remarkable that in 2010 people can still be thinking that letting a dog wander is OK. I would have no hesitation about taking a dog. I have done it twice in Galway & provided the dog is a stray, it is perfectly legal.

The difference with this dog is that he has a tag but in law he is a stray as you cannot identify his owner. The only legal obligation on you is that, if you take him, you immediately report to the Guards who should take the details of the dog & where he will be kept. You should also get a Vet to check for a microchip but this is not a legal requirement.

If he has an owner & they give a damn, it is up to them to report their dog as missing to the Guards who will then say that a similar dog has been found. This is the law - whether it is good or bad. If they do not have a license for him & you do then legally you have more right to ownership than the owner.

I have been told by dog wardens that many of the numbers on tags are fake. People put on the tag to fulfil their legal requirement but they don't want the hassle if, for example, the dog causes an accident.

Dogs belong in homes not on the street. Minding your own business may of been OK in the past with wife beating, child abuse, banking etc - surely we have had enough & are ready to take individual responsibility.

Well done OP for bothering to care.

Zapperzy

onlyrocknroll wrote: »

We're in broad agreement here. I also don't think that's okay to leave dogs wander, and I also don't think that basically stealing or abducting the dogs is okay.

But I would make the point that my neighbours who leave their dogs wander, and some friends of mine who do likewise, aren't as negligent as some of the people you've described above. Some people don't live near busy roads, have dogs that stay around the house, have dogs that aren't aggressive, don't have neighbours who are afraid of dogs etc.

Again I don't agree with it, but I do think that people are exaggerating the dangers here.

Nobody made that argument, I said that the fact that want to go out proves that their not cold, hungry and neglected as a previous poster claimed, not that it was okay to leave dogs wander. You're twisting my words.

Sorry I did not mean to twist your words, I had read this thread then came back to reply so that was just the way it came across to me.

You say they don't live near busy roads, as I said in my previous post you don't have to live near a busy road to cause an accident. I have been down the smallest backroads in the middle of nowhere and have had a dog (collies are the worst for it as they crouch down and then dart out as if herding sheep) dart out at the wheels, it's only luck that I have never hit any of them but they could very easily cause an accident. There was a thread on here a while ago where someone's dog was hit by a car on a quiet country back road, they had to pay for damages to the car. Again also addresses the issue of staying around the house as that dog was hit just outside their house.
You can never fully know what may trigger a dog to bite someone, just look at the thread Dog bit.
Not just neighbours who could be afraid of dogs, I walk a lot on small back roads with my own dog and have had dogs running out at me and following me up the road, Im obviously not scared of dogs but for someone who is afraid of dogs it could scare them, also leaves me slightly anxious because I don't know the temperment of the dog and whether it could attack me or my dog.

Im not argueing with you, you have already said that you don't agree with allowing dogs to wander but I don't think anybody is exaggerating the risks involved as you said. It's the same as the arguement for allowing cats to wander freely, everyone knows someone with a cat that has lived to a ripe old age that has always been outside, I personally know of an elderly GSD that is allowed wander and you have said you have neighbours which allow their dogs to wander. But I also know just as many people that have sad endings to allowing their dogs to wander, one of which is my cousin who's puppy got hit by a tractor and has since had 3 operations to fix it's jaw.

onlyrocknroll

Zapperzy wrote: »

Sorry I did not mean to twist your words, I had read this thread then came back to reply so that was just the way it came across to me.

You say they don't live near busy roads, as I said in my previous post you don't have to live near a busy road to cause an accident.

Cool.
And sorry I misrepresented you too as you pointed out.

You make some good points about the dangers to the dog and to others. But I do know a lot of otherwise caring and decent dog owners who do this, so I feel compelled to represent them here, even if it is with a guilty plea.

onlyrocknroll

Discodog wrote: »

Dogs belong in homes not on the street. Minding your own business may of been OK in the past with wife beating, child abuse, banking etc - surely we have had enough & are ready to take individual responsibility.

Well done OP for bothering to care.

I'm not aware of the law on the matter but I do certainly disagree with morality of snatching dogs. In cases of genuine neglect, when the owner cannot be contacted, perhaps such an extreme action may be warranted. However you seem to be saying that if Mr. and Mrs. Murphy allow Rover out for a run, pick him up, keep em, and let the courts handle it!

OP. I would suggest that this is not only the wrong thing to do, but also quite a dangerous one, because you don't know who the owners are, and people are quite protective of their dogs.

And those extreme analogies don't really serve anybody. Do you think that you might be understating the sorrow caused by domestic and child abuse?

Discodog

I was chatting to a local Vet this evening. In the past few weeks they have a dog that wandered, cut it's leg on a bottle & by the time it got home it died of blood loss. Another dog who "never" went outside of the open garden was killed by a car. Yet another dog was severely injured by a stray.

My neighbours had a little dog that would sit in the front garden. I used to say that it would worry me but they insisted that he never leaves the garden. He was killed on the road. The poor woman who hit him, whilst taking her kids to school, was devastated.

Dogs are not human. As animals their behaviour is affected by many factors. They are not totally predictable.

If someone allows their dog to roam, can't be bothered to make sure that the tag is correct & can't be bothered to microchip then they can hardly complain if someone thinks that it is a stray. Maybe rather than stealing it perhaps one might rightfully believe that it is being saved from hunger, injury, death or the dog warden (which equals death as well).

Uncared for dogs were clearly a problem years ago as it is specifically mentioned, in law, that you can keep a stray dog. To quote:

"Given the often serious consequences both to the animals and to members of the public when animals are abandoned or are left to wander, members of the public should report such sightings to the Gardai or, alternatively, the individual may take matter into his or her own hands. This is one of the very few instances in which a member of the public may act of their own volition. "

A dog warden or a Garda may seize a dog found straying and may enter a premises other than a place of dwelling in order to effect this seizure (Section 11(1)(2)). If an ordinary member of the public, not being a Garda or a warden, finds a dog which is a stray dog they may take possession and according to Section 13(1) “shall forthwith :-

return the dog to its owner, or
deliver the dog to a dog warden, or
detain the dog and give notice in writing containing a description of the dog, the address of the place where it was found and the address of the place where it is detained to the member in charge at the nearest Garda Station to the place where the dog was found, or to the dog warden.”

Note: the use or the word "or" - you only have to do one of these things

The same Vet asks every new client to allow their dog to be microchipped & most refuse. Apparently getting your dog back safe is not worth €30. I am certain that some "owned" dogs do end up being rehomed but I also know that lots of "owned" dogs end up dead in the Pound.

Also bear in mind that the friendly dog who wanders on his daily routine is filling other people's gardens full of dog crap !. I know someone who has to literally spend an hour a week cleaning crap out of their garden before their kids tread in it & they don't have a dog.

mosi

EGAR wrote: »

Allowing a dog to roam is irresponsible on so many levels, apart from causing a danger in traffic to others and the dog itself.

Unwanted litters, panicking people who are actually afraid of dogs, the risk to have the dog injured or killed by thugs, to have the dog stolen and/or used as bait dog, to have it shot by if the dog is in a field with livestock etc pp. The list is endless and I don't care whether or not you live in a town, city or village.

I applaud the OP for actually caring enough to bring it to the public attention and trying to do something about it.

I agree 100% with both EGAR and the OP on this. I am in a similar situation to the OP myself regarding a neighbour's dog.
It is very disturbing to see the amount of people on here supporting the practice of allowing dogs to roam. Many of the dogs in Irish pounds are there because they were allowed to stray. That means that thousands of dogs are put to sleep every year because of ignorant, uncaring owners. My own dog who came from the pound had a history of roaming.
As EGAR says, anything can happen, as is most recently proven by the awful case of the dog having a firework put in her mouth.

In my opinion, anyone who habitually allows their dog to roam, is not fit to own a dog.

Zapperzy

Discodog wrote: »

I had to check that I was actually in the Animal forum !. Is is quite remarkable that in 2010 people can still be thinking that letting a dog wander is OK. I would have no hesitation about taking a dog. I have done it twice in Galway & provided the dog is a stray, it is perfectly legal.

The difference with this dog is that he has a tag but in law he is a stray as you cannot identify his owner. The only legal obligation on you is that, if you take him, you immediately report to the Guards who should take the details of the dog & where he will be kept. You should also get a Vet to check for a microchip but this is not a legal requirement.

If he has an owner & they give a damn, it is up to them to report their dog as missing to the Guards who will then say that a similar dog has been found. This is the law - whether it is good or bad. If they do not have a license for him & you do then legally you have more right to ownership than the owner.

I have been told by dog wardens that many of the numbers on tags are fake. People put on the tag to fulfil their legal requirement but they don't want the hassle if, for example, the dog causes an accident.

Dogs belong in homes not on the street. Minding your own business may of been OK in the past with wife beating, child abuse, banking etc - surely we have had enough & are ready to take individual responsibility.

Well done OP for bothering to care.

I would well believe that. I know quite a few people who refuse to put a tag on their dog or microchip them because if they worried livestock/caused an accident/bit someone they can just walk away from it and claim the dog is not theirs. :mad:
It's about time mandatory microchipping should be brought in, should be that every time you go to your vet the dog is checked for a m'chip, if it has none then it is chipped and registered there and then as a legal requirement so the owners cannot say no thank you. Every dog leaving every pound and every rescue should be chipped and registered before leaving, a lot of dogs would be re-united if this was done.

Discodog

Incredibly some Pounds were not even checking for microchips before they killed the dog. I suspect that some may still not be.

All mine are chipped but I still take the precaution with my new pup that he has two collars with tags when he is off lead. The tags read "Please call ********* immediately. My owner will be looking for me. I am neutered (not true) & microchipped. Please scan."

Your idea was suggested to those that make the law. There is no way that the Vets would allow themselves to become law enforcers. If someone knew that the Vet might check for a chip & report them then people would stop using Vets.

Dog wardens have told me that they often take in a dog knowing who owns it but the owner would rather deny ownership even if the dog dies. We were trying to work out why the hell anyone would dump my little guy as he really is the perfect pup. My Vet worked out that he would of been about 6 to 9 weeks old at Christmas - explains everything.

EGAR

John D. Carraway sums it up nicely:

"Providing food and shelter is not proving love for your pet. Those too, but proper care and protection from harm make the truest sense of responsible pet ownership."

Discodog

Most countries now have proper animal welfare law that addresses these aditional needs. Unfortunately Ireland is about 20 years behind. Even worse is that fact that Ireland is one of the few countries that have not signed up to the European Convention.

SparrowTown

TillyGirl wrote: »

No I dont think its a loving home when the dog is outside everytime I have gone over to the estate including when it was lashing rain and at 11pm.

I dont know if it would be considered a stray when it is fed and left with free run of an estate.



I'm not sure which house it is, know which part of the estate but not the actually house. When I left the voicemail the first night I said the dog was at my house across the road and had nearly gotten hit by a car a few minutes before that.



Thanks for the offer Sarah I will see if I can figure out exactly what house it is. I wouldnt like to go with option a as I dont want the dog ending up in the pound.



Why do you let your dog wander? That is so irresponsible of you. Poor dog.

if running free it is a stray and anyone who lets them roam is breaking the law

SparrowTown

Discodog wrote: »

All mine are chipped but I still take the precaution with my new pup that he has two collars with tags when he is off lead. The tags read "Please call ********* immediately. My owner will be looking for me. I .

breaking the law to have them off lead unless owner is
with them and they are under his /her effectual control

Discodog

SparrowTown wrote: »

breaking the law to have them off lead unless owner is
with them and they are under his /her effectual control

As you are new here & have clearly not read my other posts on this thread, when out my dogs are with me & under total control :rolleyes:

oppenheimer1

TillyGirl wrote: »

Hi all,

I don't know what to do but there is a dog in an estate near me that is left to wander all day. Several evenings he has followed me home, once nearly getting hit by a car.

The first time I dropped my dogs home and went back with him, rang the number on his tag, no answer so I left a message. Rang a few minutes later and phone was turned off! That was a week ago and never got a call back. Got talking to a neighbour and he said the dog is always left around the estate.

Don't want to find him killed on the road some morning.

What can I do?

Sometimes the simple solution is the best. Call the dog warden, thats what he is there for.

Discodog

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Sometimes the simple solution is the best. Call the dog warden, thats what he is there for.

I would hate to be one of your dogs. As a dog owner you post the most unfriendly posts from a dog's point of view.

The OP likes dogs. She wants to help the dog. The warden will kill the dog.
So she will not call the warden - Simples !

toadfly

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Sometimes the simple solution is the best. Call the dog warden, thats what he is there for.

I'm not doing that, couldn't have a dog ending up in the pound and it to be my fault. Too high a risk of him being pts.

Discodog

Thanks Tilly I guessed that you thought this