[macko]

This is repeat from the GTM thread, but I didn't get any input there so here we go.

I found this dog yesterday. Collar, but no tags. He looks a bit like a pitt bull, but I could be wrong. He's super friendly & excitable (I think he's still a bit of a puppy), and quite well behaved (thus far). The thing is, I don't think he's been taken care of very well. He looks really skinny to me and the poor dogs' toenails are so long he walks funny. I yelled at him for pawing at on my tortoises in the yard and he immediately crouched down on the ground like I was going to hit him ... that's not a good sign.

Being a dog guy myself, if Kloe (see avatar) ever ran off, which she has, I would fully expect whomever found her to give me a call. That being said, she's got a county tag and a personal tag , ans she's microchipped. I've got that bitch branded. Now this dog has no tags on him at all and as I said he's not been taken care of very well. What do you think?

Should I just go ahead and make posters and try to get this dog back to his owners even though they clearly aren't spending the time on him they should? Am I being a jackass for thinking about just keeping him? If so, tell me. Here are photos:

Synchronized pissing.

 

[Polandspring88]

That last one is a um, cute picture?

 

[funkysausage]

Finders Keepers

 

[macko]

My other thought was to go drop him off in Stinkyboy's backyard. That's option 3.

 

[Wumpus]

If they care enough, the previous owners will put up signs and maybe an ad in the paper. If he really is malnourished and you can keep him, then I would do it. Actually, I did do it.

 

[TreeSaw]

I would make up some posters and give it a little time. Maybe his owners will come and maybe not, but atleast you tried then!

Cute dog.

 

[greenchris]

that dog does look super skinny. try calling the local police department to see if anyone has reported him missing. if there is no response and you want another dog i say keep it.

 

[Wumpus]

I disagree with making your own posters. You have no clue who is going to show up especially for a pitbull that are used for fighting.

Maybe check with the local humane society/pound etc.

 

[LOOnatic]

keep him!

 

[Tenchiro]

that dog does look super skinny. try calling the local police department to see if anyone has reported him missing. if there is no response and you want another dog i say keep it.

But if they do respond report them for neglect and keep the dog anyway.

 

[syadasti]

Ship him to Korea :devil:

 

[jacksonpt]

I don't think he looks all that thin, especially for an active dog. But if his nails are that long, I find it hard to believe that he is all that active. Perhaps he spends the bulk of his days in a small dog crate? My two Jack Russels are so hyper it's hard to keep any fat on them. One of them almost always looks that way, regardless of how much we feed him.

I'm not sure I'd put up signs on steet poles and what not. Perhaps call the local vets and let them know the situation. If the owners are decent people and care about the dog, then a local vet should know the animal, and the owners would probably check with the pound and local vets to see if the dog had been found.

 

[macko]

That's the route I'm leaning towards. I'll keep a hairy eyeball out for missing dog posters, go to the local petshop and what-not. If these people sincerely want him and make and effort to find him, I'll give the dog back. He is pretty thin, though. I can see his ribcage and his hipbones; it's hard to view that in the photo.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

can you take him to the vet to see if he's microchipped?

 

[laura]

I had a friend who found a dog with a collar but no tags. same situation basically, really skinny, really friendly. Anyway he put up posters all over the place and the owner never called. If they let him get like that, they probably don't care that he's gone.

 

[stinkyboy]

My other thought was to go drop him off in Stinkyboy's backyard. That's option 3.

Fluffy doesn't like other dogs, people, fish, cars or pretty much anything else that moves. He only tolerates me because I feed him...

Thanks though.

 

[Bicyclist]

Keep it, but if the owner makes it obvious they want it back, return it.

The best dog I ever had, my family found on a freeway. It was trained to fight but it was the sweetest and most protective (not mean) dog eva.

 

[macko]

C'mon stink, you know Fluffy would like to have a companion!

I'll take him to my vet tomorrow to have him scanned for a chip and to get their opinion on his general health and my situation.

 

[Total Heckler]

I'll take him to my vet tomorrow to have him scanned for a chip and to get their opinion on his general health and my situation.

Good man. Make a couple flyers - put them up. If you dont hear anything and if you are up for it I say keep him. It sounds like he wasnt very well taken care of anyways.

 

[vamkie]

did you notify your local humane society and police? Thats what I would do, but just plan on keeping him if no one surfaces.

I'll trade you dogs
<-------- that ugly pug in my avatar is the newest to our collection. Ended up with him when a friend got into a wreck and could no longer take care of him

 

[dogwonder]

I disagree with making your own posters. You have no clue who is going to show up especially for a pitbull that are used for fighting.

Maybe check with the local humane society/pound etc.

Who said he was a fighting dog? Not all pits fight and is a bad rap that needs to be broken.

In case you haven't guessed, I'm a pit owner and advocate.

 

[dogwonder]

It is definitely a pit. If you do put posters, I wouldn't be too descriptive and say that you found a dog, maybe say a terrier and make whoever shows up describe the dog to make sure their legit.

I also agree contacting local HS to see if anyone reported anything.

It's a beautiful dog though, I would probably want to keep him. Good luck and let us know what you do.

 

[DH Diva]

Who said he was a fighting dog? Not all pits fight and is a bad rap that needs to be broken.

In case you haven't guessed, I'm a pit owner and advocate.

I think the point he was trying to make was that people interested in trying to get a free pit, perhaps to teach it to fight, might come knocking on his door claiming that the dog was theres. I don't think he ment that the dog he found was a fighting dog.

 

[Wumpus]

Who said he was a fighting dog? Not all pits fight and is a bad rap that needs to be broken.

In case you haven't guessed, I'm a pit owner and advocate.

I never said that the dog he found was a fighting dog. I said be careful about putting up posters because you don't if some jackleg that wants to fight him is going to show up and try to claim him.

 

[BurlyShirley]

kick it

 

[DH Diva]

One thing I would suggest doing before you take the dog anywhere is research your local laws regarding pit bulls. I don't know where you're from, but some cities have put into place, certain policies that require any shelter or veterinary office that has a lost pitbull in it's possession and can not locate the actual owner, to euthanize the dog, even if the person who found him wants to keep him. Before you take him somewhere, make sure they can't keep him and dispose of him if they can't find his owner.

 

[Trainwreck]

If he appears miskept and you can provide him with a good home, by all means keep him. Guess you'll know more after the visit to the vet. If no chip- new dog. If the previous owner is concerned, they'll post flyers.

 

[DH Diva]

Here is a link to a page that has Breed Specific Legislation laws in place, by state:

http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/Locations/USLocations.htm

Also, check with the particular vet or shelter you want to deal with to make sure they don't have their own policies regarding this situation.

 

[binary visions]

I caught a woman leading away the dog of someone who was renting a room in our house. She claimed he was just walking along the road (probably true) and was clearly neglected and underfed.

This dog was happy, with a bright shiny coat, clear eyes and a good disposition. She thought he was underfed, but in reality he was part Greyhound and that's just how he was - his whole life. He wasn't neglected in the slightest.

Just something to think about. I'm not saying you're wrong in thinking he's not treated well, but you can't always tell that. Even if he is underweight, it's possible he's just getting over being sick, or maybe his owners were gone for a week and he doesn't eat well when they're gone.

Hopefully he's not too far away from home and if the owners care, they will of course come looking. Scan the newspapers, since the owners can't put up signs everywhere, and make sure you let your local humane societies and vet clinics know.

 

[macko]

All good points, thanks everyone. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[ktmsx]

Whatever you do........ don't take him biking with you ....

 

[dogwonder]

I never said that the dog he found was a fighting dog. I said be careful about putting up posters because you don't if some jackleg that wants to fight him is going to show up and try to claim him.

Sorry...my misinterpretation of you post...I understand that some people may want him for fighting and agree that shouldn't happen. I'm sensitive to pit perception and guess I got a little fired up.

My apologies...

 

[sam_little]

I caught a woman leading away the dog of someone who was renting a room in our house. She claimed he was just walking along the road (probably true) and was clearly neglected and underfed.

This dog was happy, with a bright shiny coat, clear eyes and a good disposition. She thought he was underfed, but in reality he was part Greyhound and that's just how he was - his whole life. He wasn't neglected in the slightest.

Just something to think about. I'm not saying you're wrong in thinking he's not treated well, but you can't always tell that. Even if he is underweight, it's possible he's just getting over being sick, or maybe his owners were gone for a week and he doesn't eat well when they're gone.

Agreed. My parents have German Shorthair Pointers, and they run constantly. They are on $50/bag protein and fat enriched food and they still look like the K9 equivalent of Nicole Richie after a week long coke bender. On numerous occasions people at the dog park have chastised my mom for not taking care of her dogs (while the dogs are running 35/mph around the park chasing birds for two hours a day). Several people have even tried to snag the dogs and justified it by their weight.

Fortunately the dogs are a few years old now and are calming down a bit. The male is finally gaining weight, but the female is still quite skinny. So, like BV said, DO NOT assume that ribs imply a poorly treated dog. Take all the necessary steps to get this persons dog back to them. If they don't reciprocate, then you have yourself a pit-bull. Just don't move to Denver or SF.

 

[H8R]

Agreed. My parents have German Shorthair Pointers, and they run constantly. They are on $50/bag protein and fat enriched food and they still look like the K9 equivalent of Nicole Richie after a week long coke bender.
.

Maybe this is the case for these pointers, but most well fed and well cared for pits are not that thin.


Good luck with him Macko, cute pup.

 

[Konabumm]

thats really nice of you to take it in. Mad Props

 

[BurlyShirley]

Stray pitbulls bite.

 

[dogwonder]

Stray pitbulls bite.

I bite...

 

[JRB]

Sorry...my misinterpretation of you post...I understand that some people may want him for fighting and agree that shouldn't happen. I'm sensitive to pit perception and guess I got a little fired up.

My apologies...

Considering 2 people were killed within 60 miles of here in the last 6 months, so am I. If you have a dog that is an instincual fighter, keep it home. If I could shoot a gun in my yard and one wandered up, I would blast him. I refuse to take a chance over a dog these days. You can say that they are stereotyped, but I have yet to find a cow dog that won't chase a cow. Trained or not.

 

[TheInedibleHulk]

Take him to your local shelter to check for microchip. Usually there is a five day holding period to see if the owners show up before the dog goes up for adoption. With our local shelter if you find a dog and take them in you can leave a picture for the owners and your phone number. If they dont show up in five days the dog is all yours and it's all legit. Ive done this before but ended up not keeping the dog. Also be very attentive to temperment traits and any signs of aggresion. If he growls or gets apprehensive while you are around his food thats something you need to watch out for.

 

[mack]

Yes, have you had him scanned for a chip? If you keep him take him to a vet any ways to make sure hes clean with worms and all that dog crap. Hes cute, i like pits and dobbermans. Much friendlier than cracked up to be.