Ahhhhh! Okay, so I guess I'm "puppy-sitting" until further notice. Don't get me wrong, I love animals. But my family is already quite full and I can't afford the time and money and energy it takes to raise two more dogs! (Not to mention, my two dogs and two cats are PISSED at me right now) Today my BF took the day off (he's been working all day, weekdays lately) so we could take care of DMV, Post office, and Bank matters that couldn't be done any other time. We're driving down the street and there's these two puppies in the middle of a busy road. People were just driving past and around them. I jumped out of the moving van and grabbed them. They'd been tied together, and to something else, with electrical wire (there's some responsible dog ownership!) and just about dying of thirst We walked around and talked to a few people, and the one business that was right where we found them, and nobody had seen anything. They're about 3 months old, I'd say, and at least half Australian Shepherd (very cute!) both boys... I don't THINK they're wormy, though one of them is pretty skinny and the other is kinda bloated - because their gums are a very healthy pink. They are REALLY dirty and starved for attention, not to mention food (they're eating my out of house and home!). The thing is, I can't watch them for more than a couple of days. Already, I'm having to just rearrange my whole life to take care of the buggers. I called the humane society and put in a report, but they said they "don't have any room"... I also called the city and county animal control offices, but there was no answer. I reported them as found dogs on the answering machine, but haven't heard anything back. I don't think I'd have any problem finding them homes if I tried, but here's my big question: Considering the conditions in which I found them (they had been tied up, but obviously not very well cared for) should I just consider them abandoned? I found them on Thursday around noon - I think if by Saturday around noon their people haven't claimed them, I will find them another home. Does this seem reasonable to all of you? In my reasoning, I think any even semi-responsible dog owner would call one of those three organizations the minute they realized the dogs were gone. So considering the fact that I've had them all day without word, I don't think it's looking that good... Regardless, they are adorable little (fairly well-behaved, even though they are escape artists ) Aussie puppies - I don't think I'll have a hard time finding a place for them!
I would find homes for them, anyone who leaves an animal like that doesn't deserve to have it in the first place. Same thing happened to us a good few years back. Happened upon a young dog sleeping on a doorstep, knocked on the door and the occupants had been feeding her, but she wasn't theirs, so we took her home. I advertised in the local paper and put notices all over, but no-one claimed her, so she stayed until she passed on, 16 years later. Good luck getting them homes!
If my dog wouldn't hate me forever, I'd take one of them. I do know a few private no-kill shelter/rescues in the Chattanooga area, if you are closeby, they might be worth a call. yes, I'd consider them abandoned, in the shape and circumstances you describe. How sad that people can do that to little puppies!!
i'd consider them abandoned. even if they were "somebody's" that person obviously isnt a good caretaker and doesn't deserve to have them back. there are many rescue groups....try contacting a few in your area. i know that there is a group in memphis called guardian angel pet rescue and i applied to adopt one of their foster babies so im just waiting for a call back (the foster is on vacation right now) and im almost positive we will have a new adoptee pretty soon so mabye they will have room? i'd take them to the vet just for a general check up and maybe their vaccinations and that way adopting them out will be alot easier. if i were you tho i'd ask for a donation and then give that to a rescue group because there are alot of people who will adopt from a "free to good home" add and those are not always the people you want to adopt to. plus there are people that look for free puppies for their research labs. i know of a women that had given a group of abandoned pups to someone who then sold them to a research lab. by the time she found out they had already had chemicals rubbed in their eyes and been electracuted with wires......the lab charged her a ridiculous amt of money to buy them back but she did and now she is trying to find them good homes.
I'm in the Nashville area (actually, Lebanon now). Here in town there's only the Humane Society (full) and the two animal control offices that don't seem to answer their phones... My bf works at a big store in Nashville so he's asking friends and trustworthy folks there today if anyone knows a loving home. I'd like to keep them together as long as possible - they've already been through so much! (In the meantime, of course, he has the car with him so I can't go anywhere) They're sweethearts but I just don't have the time or money... In fact tonight I have to pull something out my ass just to buy more dog food. I would give them their first shots myself to be on the safe side, but I can't even afford to get a 5-in-1 at the feed store... Like I said though, Aussie puppies - I don't think it'll be too hard to fid a loving home for them (only problem is, they're at that age when they need full-time attention! I'm not getting any work done, lol) Thanks for the validation, though. I really needed to hear other people agree with me that they DO need a new home. Even if their people ARE looking for them at this point, I would require a damn good explaation before I would relinquish the buggers.
what about one of these organizations? http://www.nashvillelife.com/animals/page15.html or http://www.1-800-save-a-pet.com/shelterpages/70718.html or http://www.pgaa.com/tennessee.html
We now have an Alsatian cross (not-so-young anymore!) pup we homed in very a similar.. Found on somebody else's doorstep, I offered to go and try to find her owners. After a full day of knocking on doors unsuccessfully, and putting signs up we decided we would take her to the police station the following day, where they would take her to a "no-kill" (I like that phrase) shelter.. We kept calling the shelter to ask if anybody had come forward to claim her, and after 7 days, they said we could take her back if we wish.. Anyway, we went to collect her, still uncertain we were doing the right thing since we already had a bitch in the house. One look at her worsened condition convinced us that we were the ones to give her lots of love.. Six months have passed. She still lives in the neighbourhood she was found in.. Nobody has ever approached me to tell me I have their dog. And sh'e sgrown into the most loyal and obedient thing you could ever imagine.. Playful too... Just wanted to share my happy ending!
Thanks for the link mamaboogie, but none of those rescue locations are a reasonable distance from our place (the one that claims to be in Lebanon is actually Clarksville) The more I look at them, the more I think they're an Aussie/lab mix (hair's too short to be pure aussie), and as mixed-breed dogs they are much more likely to have been abandoned. I still don't think I'll have any problem finding them a home - probably even together. Between all our friends who live in the country, and all the people online we're sure to find someone good. I posted a couple of (vague) "found dog" listings on Craigslist and I'm already getting good responses of people offering to take them in. I'm asking for their info and references, and tomorrow afternoon I'll try to make a decision. And oh yes, I think we can all agree that mamaboogies girls are outrageously gorgeous in a super-cute way!
I would definately get them wormed. Most likely they were in dirty and bad conditions and probably were not dewormed after they were weaned, and most likely there mother wasnt. Its not very expensive to get the dewormer. Also if they are going to be in your home you do not want them to transfer any parasites to your other pets. Goodluck!
I just gave them a bath. I wasn't planning on it at first, but they didn't give me much choice - I left them blocked off in the kitchen unsupervised for about 30 minutes so I could try and do some sewing, and when I went to check on them they had peed ad pooped on the floor, and then went on to splash and play! It was gross, to say the least. Nothing like bathing two puppies who barely know you to remind you why you're so happy with your grown-up dogs!
As long as I had this thread going anyway, I just had to post pictures of the cuties. I think I might have found them a home together with a retiring terrier breeder who's spaying her bitch and going back to plain old companionship. Hooray! Keep your fingers crossed for us!
In case anyone was wondering, we found homes for the pups on Monday night. They went to live on two neighboring farms about 15 miles from here. The couple who took them from me had recently lost their elderly lab to an asshole neighbor (but sice then they've moved) and were planning on getting a puppy soon. When they met these two they fell in love - both will be staying in the neighbor's outdoor kennel for a few days while they prepare their home to take one of them. It's the best possible outcome for the situation - I'm so happy about it. They get to stay together a couple more days and they'll still be able to see eachother and run and play together often. But since their LIVING situation will be separated, they will bond to their people much easier. Hooray! a happy ending. I guess it's proof that if you scream loud enough somenone will hear you...
