Strange incident

belongtojazz

I had a very upsetting and strange incident with my JRT Jazz today. When I got up this morning I let the 3 terriers out the front for a wee. Where we live is at the back of an estate and we are in a cul de sac. I knew at 8 on a bank holiday there would be no people or cars so they would be fine. I went in put the kettle on then and went back out and there was no sign of Jazz.

I wasn't worried initially as she does like to sniff around the back of the houses but after 15 miutes I started to get concerned so donned clothes, grabbed my springer and we went walking. I went around the estate for an hour and no sign, so got my car and drove around and still no sign. I then got in touch with some friends and posted on facebook and we continued searching. It was like she had dropped off the face of the planet!

I have some truely fabulous friends through the agility club I go to who gave up their bank holiday to drive around my village and scour the fields I walk her in and there was no sign.

I then decided to knock on doors of all the people I know with dogs asking them to look out for her. Now I should add all my dogs are chipped and al wear tags and would all be well known in the area (i'm the mad dog lady )

So after about 5 houses I go to a house which has the only person my springer has ever gone for. His dog was wandering around outside but he passes by my house all the time so this guy knows where I live and knows my dogs. When he opened his front door the first thing he said is "oh you're missing a dog aren't you?" opens his kitchen door and out runs my Jazz:eek:

He then says she arrived there shortly after 8 and he say my number on her tag and he was going to ring me. He then proceeded to rave about how lovely she was and how much he wanted another dog!
He had had my dog for 7 hours and never brought her home (less than 2 minutes from his house) or rang either of the 2 numbers on her tag.

How weird is that??? if I hadn't knocked on his door I might never have got my girl home.

At the time I was just so relieved to see her that all I did was babble loads of thanks and bring her home, but thinking about it afterward I am furious that he held her in his house for 7 hours! There is no doubt she would have been straight home the minute he let her out.

Now I'm sure I will get given out to for letting her out but you would have to know where I live to understand that 5 minutes early in the morning should be perfectly safe. She is not a dog that is ever allowed to roam. And she will never ever be allowed out there again unless I am standing with her.

I don't have a question at the end of this long post just wanted to vent my confusion, anger, and utter relief to have her home.

Millem

That is terrible. I got "I am neutered, microchipped and require daily medication" on my tags. Although it is true, hopefully it would act as a deterrent for someone who had a notion of holding on to them! Some people are a bit mad I am so OTT
about my dogs and wouldn't even leave them out in the back garden when I am
out!

GarIT

I think you deserved the scare, your neighbours shouldn't have to put up with your dogs "sniffing around the back of houses". Maybe it will do some good and wont happen again.

star-pants

GarIT - it's not really like the dogs are out roaming all day like some dogs are. Also belongtojazz has pointed out that she's not going to let them out again.

I'm glad you managed to find jazz -- it is very odd (I think) that this guy who would probably have an idea who jazz belonged to as well as having the number easy to hand of the owner would keep the dog for 7 hours?

I've found straying dogs before and never would dream of not trying to contact the owner immediately. Once I pulled over my car on my road when I saw a pup running about, trying to follow a man home (who decided kicking the dog would be the best thing!!).
Carried him home with difficulty (this dog was a pup but like a small lab) and rang the number on the collar immediately. A woman answered, she was on holidays and had left the pup in the care of a friend. I asked the friend's name and luckily enough I knew it was the wife of the shop owner & I was able to say I would bring the dog round for her straight away.
I couldn't imagine keeping the dog (without reason) for that long.

I guess it's best to just be thankful you were able to get Jazz back and a lesson learned.

belongtojazz

GarIT wrote: »

I think you deserved the scare, your neighbours shouldn't have to put up with your dogs "sniffing around the back of houses". Maybe it will do some good and wont happen again.

Thank you so much for that positive feedback

My neighbours thankfully have no issue with my girl spending 5 minutes on the odd occasion checking out the green area behind their houses. I know this as I have discussed my dogs behaviour with them and made it very clear that if any of them are a nuisance in anyway they should tell me and I will correct it.

belongtojazz

Sorry Star-Pants I posted before I saw yours.
Yes there is no question at all that she will ever be out off lead again.

The part that really got to me is that he held onto my dog for 7 hours knowing where she lived and having access to her number.

Why would someone do that?

star-pants

I'm not sure why someone would hang onto the dog.
Our old dog Fifi (yeeeeeeears ago) when we'd moved to where we are now, escaped out the front door and legged it. We went searching and searching and couldn't find her. She was a good few hours gone and finally we got a call, she was only 20 houses up the road! The number on her tag was for our old house, and they ended up getting a number then for a neighbour and then finally our new number. That's the only reason for the delay.

Is this chap odd at all? the fact he kept saying how much he wanted a dog and how lovely she was... it'd sound fine if he'd had her for an hour or something, but he kept her for 7 ... unless he was hoping you just wouldn't find her. (though that's me making assumptions about someone I've no idea about).

Sigma Force

That's a bit odd but great you got the dog back. I would have to say that 5 minutes is long enough for a dog to go missing or get run over it only takes a second even on a bank holiday a car can appear at any time.

Stick to using the back garden and maybe if you have a front garden have it fenced in especially now that that neighbour seems a bit odd with your dog, better to be safe than sorry.

Mo60

To satisfy my curiousity I would call round to this persons house tomorrow and ask them the same question you are asking yourself. You might not get a straight answer, but it might give you some idea. As long as you are polite I can see no problem in asking.

tk123

It IS odd that he kept her like that so long but at least she's ok? I called somebody once when their dog was in the park on her own - they'd been up in the pound a few weeks before this bailing her out after the warden picked her up. They'd nod/say hello when they pass so I wouldn't really know them to talk to.. Anyhoos I won't ever call them again - they made me feel like I was bothering them wasting their precious time rather than finding their beloved pet!!

belongtojazz

I can't figure out the multi quote thing so I'll answer everything here.

Yes apparently this guy is very strange. Another neighbour told me I was lucky to get her back from him. In saying that tho, inspite of his dog roaming he does seem to treat him well.

Sigma force - my girl is GROUNDED she is not going anywhere ever again! It'll be the back garden, the fields and training for her and that's it.

Mo60 - I am thinking about doing that. I am the least confrontational person going so there is no danger of me not being polite but I need to know why!

tk123 - that is a terrible reaction! Believe me that is not the reaction you would have gotten from me!

gud4u

It's great you got her back, there's some right weirdos out there.


On a funny note, a stray with no tags landed at my door one day and looked to be old and roaming for quiet some time.

I took her to the vet, get her tablets for her gum disease, shaved and de flead her. We rang the warden but he didn't have any reports of missing dogs fitting the description.

To my horror, a person called the next day to claim ownership, and said the dog was only missing 24 hours.

I explained their dog would look different to when it went missing as it's coat was so matted and with fleas I shaved it.

I didn't want to give the dog back but had to...long story. So there you go, that owner was pretty shocked when they arrived at my door to a shaved dog:o they paid me for the vet though and were so ashamed of the dogs health and appeareance they could hardly speak.

Susannahmia

I don't get it. If you have a back garden why would you ever let your dogs run loose around the estate?

No offence but I think that's mad!

You're just asking for them to be stolen or hurt.

belongtojazz

Susannahmia wrote: »

I don't get it. If you have a back garden why would you ever let your dogs run loose around the estate?

No offence but I think that's mad!

You're just asking for them to be stolen or hurt.

They don't run loose around the estate. The terriers are let out the front at the early hours and are unsupervised for the length of time it takes me to put the kettle on. This is usually about 6 in the morning or like this morning 8 on a bank holiday ( they let me have a lie in today)

Obviously I won't be doing that again!

This thread was not meant to be about roaming dogs. My dogs do not roam. They are occasionally let out the front unsupervised for a max of 5 minutes.
It is a very secure area and due to it's design there is no possibility of cars going even close to fast.

This was meant to be about someone holding my dog for 7 hours.

Oh and no offence was taken

planetX

Millem wrote: »

That is terrible. I got "I am neutered, microchipped and require daily medication" on my tags. Although it is true, hopefully it would act as a deterrent for someone who had a notion of holding on to them! Some people are a bit mad I am so OTT
about my dogs and wouldn't even leave them out in the back garden when I am
out!

How did you fit all that on a tag? I'd like to do the same.

some people are just strange, maybe his dog was having fun with Jazz and he was enjoying having them play - 7 hours crosses the line to weird tho.

Millem

planetX wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

That is terrible. I got "I am neutered, microchipped and require daily medication" on my tags. Although it is true, hopefully it would act as a deterrent for someone who had a notion of holding on to them! Some people are a bit mad I am so OTT
about my dogs and wouldn't even leave them out in the back garden when I am
out!

How did you fit all that on a tag? I'd like to do the same.

some people are just strange, maybe his dog was having fun with Jazz and he was enjoying having them play - 7 hours crosses the line to weird tho.

Buy tags from eBay, they get engraved front and back. They are so cheap! Usually buy one get one fee. They are just round shape not fancy bone or heart! I get one side address and number, but don't use full address e.g. 2 newtown park avenue. The more you write the smaller the font. But the seller has lots of different sizes.

Kash

I find it really bizarre that someone would keep a dog for 7 hours without calling the number on the tag!

Is it possible that he did not actually have her for all of that time?

Just playing devil's advocate here, but if his dog is outside, could Jazz have met up and started playing with the other guys dog? Perhaps because it was a bank holiday, your neighbour may have had a long lie in - I have some friends who don't get up until 1 or 2 at the weekends.

Personally, I would call a number immediately, but I could understand someone holding off for an hour or so if they expected the dog to find it's own way home again.

doctor evil

You let them out the front but they also sniff around the back of other houses? I'm assuming they are also pooping/peeing there.

I'm assuming your kettle is in the kitchen at the back of the house (kitchens are noramlly at the back), why not just have them in the back garden or enclose the front garden?

You were lucky, bad things can happen at any time and a dog can poop in less than a minute.

ppink

I am so :mad: with my neighbours dogs roaming into my place that if I could catch them I would be holding them for longer than 7 hours.

that is the only reason I can think of someone doing something like that.
it is very very strange behaviour. did he say he had her all day long? although if he allows his own dog to roam then maybe he did not even think you would be looking?

glad you got her back safe and sound:)

moving_home

Susannahmia wrote: »

I don't get it. If you have a back garden why would you ever let your dogs run loose around the estate?

No offence but I think that's mad!

You're just asking for them to be stolen or hurt.

I do the same as Belongtojazz and let my dog out the front of the estate in the mornings and last thing at night cos she won't toilet in the back garden - it's very small so just presume she doesn't like to dirty the area (she would wee occasionally and think she pooed out there once when she had diarrohea) so I have to let her out the front or there would be whining and moaning until she gets out the front!! although she wouldn't really be left out unattended but would be off lead.

The Sweeper

moving_home wrote: »

I do the same as Belongtojazz and let my dog out the front of the estate in the mornings and last thing at night cos she won't toilet in the back garden - it's very small so just presume she doesn't like to dirty the area (she would wee occasionally and think she pooed out there once when she had diarrohea) so I have to let her out the front or there would be whining and moaning until she gets out the front!! although she wouldn't really be left out unattended but would be off lead.

If you don't watch them all the time, how do you know where they've pooed so you can go out and pick it up?

I remember a neighbour of mine a few years back taking his granddaughter out for a walk on the green at the front of our houses. It's a cul de sac estate, lots of people let their dogs out in the morning. Gorgeous she was, about 14 months old, in a little pink and white suit.

Until she stepped in dogshit, of course, then it was all just sad.

moving_home

The Sweeper wrote: »

If you don't watch them all the time, how do you know where they've pooed so you can go out and pick it up?

you quoted my post but I said I don't leave my dog outside unattended. 9 times out of 10 she goes in our own garden, the rest of time on footpath or road but it's always picked up

Bullseye1

One possible explaination is that the person simply took the dog inside and would have rang you given time. If I saw one of my neighbours dogs out and I knew it was never let out unsupervised I would assume it has escaped.

Isn't it better than calling around and me or someone else telling you yeah I saw your dog leave the cul-de-sac and we did nothing about it.

Be grateful you got your dog back and learn from this experiance. I would never let my dog out in the front garden unsupervised. It is only looking for trouble.

Bullseye1

Already answered.

FoxyVixen

You said the guy lives on his own.

Can't it just have been just an innocent thing that he seen the dog outside and decided to bring it in for food and water. It's possible that he just enjoyed the dogs company and attention that time got away from him. If your dog got on with his, it's quite possible it could have added to an enjoyable experience for him, completely neglecting to inform an owner going spare looking for him.

It might have been the highlight of his week your dog appearing from nowhere.

Just a possibility that it was all innocent the length of time the dog stayed at his house, irregardless of how much a "weirdo" he appears to the outside world.

Glad she is back safe and sound. But it is a little strange about what happened, i dont even know what to say.

pawrick

7 hours is too long not to have called over to you etc. but as you said he is a bit odd so probably no harm was meant. Personally I'd leave it at that now the moment has passed.