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Could my dog have survived outside overnight??

259 replies

pandoraphile · 28/01/2019 14:37

I am literally beside myself. A delivery man left the gate open last night and he managed to get out. I didn't notice for about 20mins and by the time I got outside there was no sign of him. I spent an hour looking and calling for him - nothing. I thought he'd turn up overnight but no.

Straight away this morning I got calling around friends, the local vets, the kennels where they take 'stray' dogs - nothing. We live in a small village and everyone knows who he is and where he lives. No one has seen him and no one has reported a traffic incident with a dog. He's chipped and all of my details are up to date so if he'd been picked up I would have assumed I would be contacted by now? I even took my other dog out of our usual walk in case she could scent him but she didn't.

I'm desperately worried and the more I think about it, the more I'm concerned about him being in the cold overnight. It was sub-zero temperatures here last night. He's a six year old hardy terrier so not a delicate dog. But he lives indoors so he certainly won't be used to those sorts of temperatures. I really, really don't know what to do from here. I haven't stuck posters up yet but I've been into the local shops (three) and asked them to keep an eye out and spread the word.

Is there any chance that he would be ok overnight?? Or am I looking at the worst? :(

OP posts:
MaryPoppinsPenguins · 28/01/2019 18:28

Definitely don’t be too concerned about the cold.. through a very stupid mistake DH made a few years ago, our dog was left outside all night in February and was right as rain in the morning. (And is usually an under the duvet kind of dog!)

Post loads on Facebook xx

SlatternIsTrying · 28/01/2019 18:33

One of my idiot dogs spent the night outside freezing his doggy arse off after escaping and then being clipped by a car. He was fine the next day when finally found (after half the village was out looking for him during the night).

Habadabadoo · 28/01/2019 18:38

Aww sending you lots of luck op.

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theSnuffster · 28/01/2019 18:44

I don't think I can add to the advice you've already had but I wanted to say I really hope you find him soon.

We've only had our kittens for 2 months and already they're part of the family and I know we would all be distraught if one went missing.

cushioncuddle · 28/01/2019 22:24

🤞everything crossed you find him

Empathy56 · 28/01/2019 23:12

Do hope your dog returns safe and sound.Must be so very worrying for you.x

Maelstrop · 28/01/2019 23:13

Keep looking, took me a night in the woods and 3 mates with proper search lights and whistles plus 2 vehicles to find mine. Facebook was amazing, lots of people offering to help and a total stranger alerting my friend to come and help me.i hope he turns up soon. I know that horrible feeling.

Pieceofpurplesky · 29/01/2019 10:05

Any news OP?

PoshPenny · 29/01/2019 10:16

Yes every chance he could be fine. Thanks I hope you find him soon

CatnissEverdene · 29/01/2019 10:20

OMG that's my worst nightmare, in fact DH was so annoyed with me stressing about our back gate that he got a new one in October with a lock built in.

It may be worth door knocking locally - a lot of people don't have FB and won't be aware. And try every vet within a 20 mile radius.

Hope they're hope soon Flowers

spiderlight · 29/01/2019 10:21

Just checking in. I hope he's home. If not, there are specialist dog search teams with tracker dogs who might be able to help.

unicornsrule · 29/01/2019 10:39

It’s horrid when a pet goes missing!!
Hope you find him soon

pandoraphile · 29/01/2019 12:36

HE'S WITH THE DOG WARDEN! The details on the chip haven't been changed from my old ones so that's why they couldn't get hold of me. I don't know why on earth that happened - I personally phoned and changed them about 6m ago. Hmm

However - I think I need to re-home him. We all absolutely adore him but I just can't keep him safe. We've done absolutely everything to prevent him escaping but somehow he gets around everything and still manages to escape. We have one gate (totally dog proof) then a small passageway and another gate which leads straight into the village square. It isn't an A road or anything but there are plenty of cars moving around all the time and I think it's only a matter of time before he's hit by one of them.

The dog warden lady sounded lovely and she can get going with the re-homing process straight away if I'm sure that's what I want.

I think he will be happier and safer elsewhere. It's terribly, terribly sad because we all adore him. But ultimately we have to do what's right for the dog Sad

OP posts:
TeeBee · 29/01/2019 12:38

So if its dog-proof, how is he getting out?

bobstersmum · 29/01/2019 12:40

You've found your dearly loved doggy and now you're rehoming him?

BiteyShark · 29/01/2019 12:41

Get someone round to look at what you need to do to dog proof the garden. I can't understand why you wouldn't do that rather than rehome.

Celebelly · 29/01/2019 12:42

Eh? Just supervise him when he's outside and don't let him go/stay in garden alone if he's able to escape? Before we moved here our garden was insecure so our dog wasn't ever in it unsupervised.

Floralnomad · 29/01/2019 12:42

You do know that chances are he will go to a council pound and be euthanised fairly promptly and all because you cannot be bothered to keep him safe - poor dog .

Sparklingbrook · 29/01/2019 12:44

So glad he's safe.

But you said you were beside yourself in your op and your other dog was bewildered and sad. I don't understand why you can't keep him. Sad

SoupDragon · 29/01/2019 12:44

My dog has to be on a long line on our garden. It is impossible to dog proof it.

SoupDragon · 29/01/2019 12:45

I would re-home him if someone could guarantee they had a garden that he would not be able to escape from as it's bloody miserable.

bobstersmum · 29/01/2019 12:45

You were only asking about some classes for him 10 days ago op. Has he pissed on your bed in the meantime or something?

ItsMEhooray · 29/01/2019 12:47

You're going to let the dog warden keep him? No ones going to adopt a 6 year old terrier escape artist OP, they'll just end up putting him down. Poor dog!

Celebelly · 29/01/2019 12:48

Sorry I honestly just don't understand. Dogs don't need to be in the garden on their own. Sure it's convenient when you need to let them out for a pee, but we managed with a very active working breed for four years without a secure garden and without leaving her unsupervised to escape. Rehoming an apparently much-loved pet because of it seems totally bonkers. But each to their own, I suppose.

Howdoidothis4eva · 29/01/2019 12:48

Your posts make no sense.

All this worry, and then your immediate thought is to rehome him? Very strange, imho.

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