Valhalla or other knowledgeable types...

[NacMacFeegle]

Hello, the Twitterati pointed me this way, hope you don't mind.

I found a puppy this evening, I guess about 6 months old ish.

Police don't care

Dog warden didn't answer the phone.

I checked around on the beach etc and couldn't see anyone obviously hunting.

So I've brought it home. It's cheerful and happy, and quite fat, so I don't think it's neglected.

What's my best course of action? I was planning to take it down to the vet first thing, but I wouldn't want it to go to the pound.

About to post a pic on Twitter, and some people have given links to useful websites.

I've given it some adult dog food (borrowed from friend) and water.

Anything I'm missing? Where should it sleep? It's currently lying on my legs, not a bit shy!

TIA for advice!

[GeeinItLaldy]

You should advise the dog warden tomorrow as they are likely to be contacted by anyone who is looking for him If you don't want him to end up there (and I wouldn't, in your position), then you can ask the dog warden or a vet to check him for a microchip but state that you are happy to hold onto him until the owner is traced.

Otherwise, poster the area (including vet surgeries, shops etc) and get his details up on www.doglost.co.uk. If he's been well looked after, chances are someone will be out looking for him.

I'd put him to bed in the kitchen. An old towel or blanket will do as a bed or, if you have one, a large cardbard box placed on it's side (the sides can help create a 'den' environment). He may or may not be housetrained so prepare to get up in the night to take him out for a wee or to clean up in the morning.

Sounds like he's got his paws well and truly under your table already!

[toboldlygo]

Try the vet first thing in the morning in the hope that it has a microchip and stick (him? her?) on Dog Lost. :)

I imagine a lost pup would most like to sleep in your bed with you tonight, sorry! Be sure to take him/her out to the toilet as late as you can and be prepared to get up in the night.

[NacMacFeegle]

Joining doglost right now

I think it's a girl, but not sure!

[DooinMeCleanin]

Don't be sure it will be claimed. Between 6 months and 18 months old is when they hit the 'mad' stage of life and are often dumped or surrendered to the pound .

First thing go to the vets to check for a microchip. Secondly contact the DW in the morning to advise them that you have found the dog, but do not hand it over to them if you don't want to. You don't legally have to. Contact all local vets and petshops. Put 'found' adverts up on dogslost and in local petshops, but try not to mention the breed or age, so as not to attract puppy farmers or other undesirables. Let the caller tell you what breed of dog they have lost and how it was.

If you do decide not to send it to the dog warden you must keep it at your home for no less than 28 days and you must be willing to hand it back to the owner at any given point. You can hand the dog to a rescue after the 28 days (I think, Vall will know for definate if she hasn't already x-posted with me )

[toboldlygo]

Well, does it have a willy?!

[Vallhala]

They're both right y'know. :)

You MUST by law inform the dog warden asap. Many don't have a 24 hour service but the council should have an emergency contact number which will advise on where you should take the pooch IF you so decide to do so, though I'm glad that you won't. :) Lucky pooch.

You have the right in law to keep hold of him unless the council have good grounds to believe that the dog's welfare is at risk. In doing so you must agree to keep him for at least a month and not hand him to anyone else bar the owner, which you should make reasonable efforts to locate.

If they get stupid about this because they don't know the law then give m a shout and I'll ask an RSPCA lawyer contact I know to put them straight, he likes doing that! (Been there, done that, had the argument with feck off great 17 stone shaven headed dog warden who was a bouncer in his spare time and who had studs in the back of his neck... I'm 5 foot 3 and at the time weighed about 8 stone dripping wet!).

If you want to cover your ass in the absence of anyone to report to tonight you can ask the police to record him as a found "item". They now only deal with dangerous dogs and not strays and have no obligation to record a found dog but will do if you press them to, you never know, the owner may be unaware of this and may have by now reported his loss to the police (who will have told the owner that they don't deal with strays unless dangerous etc etc but who may, if they are on the ball and kindly, have recorded the loss anyway).

Please check DogLost for a missing thread tonight and tomorrow/thereafter and post finding him on there - ask their advice on how to identify the owner as genuine if he contacts you to claim his dog, I'm not quite sure what they suggest tbh.

And wrt to posters etc, you may be wise to just say something to the effect of "Found, young black and tan dog" if, for example, he's a German Shepherd, or "found, young yellow dog" for a yellow Lab etc, just to be on the safe side and deter dodgy people.

I wouldn't post a pic on Twitter if I were you, just in case - a rough, vagueish description might be safer.

I'd have him on my bed too, btw, but I'm a soft touch like that! I'd rather that than a miserable pup crying half the night. Guess my neighbours would too! :o

And of course, albeit that he's a pup, you don't know him so please don't leave young DC with him... a child being over enthusiastic, falling on him or whatever could result in tears all round.

If all else fails, parcel him up and send him to me, at.... :o :o :o

[NacMacFeegle]

Yeah, it's a boy then. I shall name it Arnold or Keith. Welcome, temporary name.

(I should mention at this point, I am horribly allergic, and would like to scratch my own face off, but he is awful cute, so he's here for the night at least!)

[Vallhala]

You CAN hand over to a rescue having decided to keep him but it's one that DW can be funny over and you will officially need their permission to transfer him from your care. The law says something to the effect that it is for the council to decide and approve the delegation of their duties as carer for the dog. Depends on the nature of the DW, and also of the rescue you'd wish to hand over to. The one I help at has, with the DWs permission, taken in and cared for strays we volunteers have found as we know what the official pound is like... our rescue is totally no kill, the pound isn't.

Of course, should you not be able to keep him and should you think for a moment he will go to a pound without a no kill policy but that the DW won't consider any alternatives I wouldn't possibly be able to comment on what I would do.

Did I tell you that I have no kill rescue contacts across the UK... ?

[Vallhala]

Oh bless you, you kind soul. :) Too many folk would have left him or chucked him back out if they couldn't reach the DW and that's without allergies. I know of a vet which threatened to PTS a stray brought into them recently because they couldn't locate a DW out of hours. Totally illegal as well as immoral.

What IS legal is for council staff on the emergncy number to tell you to put the dog back outside if they have no 24 hour DW and you can't or won't take him to the allocated acceptance point (usually only one per county, no help if you're miles away and have no car or DC in bed and many are only open to accept up until late evening anyway). Yes, I HAVE had reports of council staff telling folk to do that!

[misdee]

is there a picture to accomany this thread?

[NacMacFeegle]

Yes, that's basically what the police said. I wouldn't let him be put down, I'm sure someone's searching for him.

(I'm in NI, we don't have a great record on being good about dogs. Lots of dogs round here get put out in the morning/ go home at night and just wander the streets all day. Not as bad as it used to be though.)

[GeeinItLaldy]

I'm in NI too, Nac

You should be able to get in touch with the DW at your local council after 9am tomorrow. If you can give me details, I can post on Facebook to spread the word across NI.

Note that I suggested putting him in the kitchen is a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do kind ot thing. I let our tiny puppy sleep on our bed for the first night because I thought she'd be lonely on her own downstairs. Nearly 7 years later, tiny puppy is a full grown giant breed and still sleeping in our room because I'm too soft to move her out. Be warned...if no-one claims little Keith/Arnold, then this could be you in 7 years time!

I'm also allergic but you build up immunity to your own animals over time which is how I can live with 2 of the hairiest beasts you'll ever come across

[DooinMeCleanin]

I went out and rescued a kitten because I was allergic to my mums cats and it would have broke her heart to have to choose between rehoming them or not having me visit. I was itchy/wheezy for around a week and then it passed.

[NacMacFeegle]

Update: he was chipped! So he's away home. Feeling a little bereft! He was only 14 weeks, I clearly fail at judging age!

[GeeinItLaldy]

That's great. I'm sure the owners will be very grateful that you kept him safe...I know I would be. And any time you want to borrow a dog, I can happily lend you one. Or two. Take your pick. I have Nice-But-Dim and Bastard Dog to choose from

[DooinMeCleanin]

Good news. I'm glad he's back home.

[Vallhala]

Great news and all thanks to you. Well done! :)