Rescuing dog on Saturday please help

[ifonerememberstoturnonthelight]

Hi I'm collecting a dog from our neighbours on Saturday that is in terrible condition. He's 13 ish, cries constantly and bangs into shit in the garden. He lives in a kennel and the rspca is not interested so I'm going to get him on Saturday. Obviously the first thing we need to do is take him to the vet, but he stinks so maybe he'll need a wash first?

He's so passive it makes me so sad, he's never been for a walk and it's only now we're able to talk to the neighbour about maybe giving him up.

Do we keep him away from our other dog? And he's never been inside so how do we transition him? I'm not a green dog owner but I've never actually picked a dog up away from its neglectful owners before.

Why on earth steal a dog in the first instance, and then not look after it properly? Your neighbours sound awful, OP.

OMG.

What a wonderful thing you are doing for Keith. Which is a fab name for a dog.

So sad that he had such a life. So sad that he was stolen presumably from a nice home and then neglected so badly by the people who stole him.

How did you persuade them to let you have him? Well done.

So these scumbags stole Keith then treated him appallingly for all these years ? WTF is wrong with them!!! He could have had such a different life, its so sad.

You're doing so brilliantly for Keith, he'll be so grateful to have found you, and how amazing it would be if you could reunite him with his old family. He looks like such a sweetheart, and whatever happens, whether you can find his previous owners or not, he's finally getting the love and care he deserves thanks to you.

please keep us updated OP. He's very lucky to have you.

Our neighbours are absolute shits. There's about 3/4 of a mile between our houses, I walk my dogs past his house most days and saw his dog banging into shit into his garden. I asked the rspca to help and they said no, he had shelter and water so they did nothing. So I knocked on the door and asked if I could help get him a better shelter and he literally just said you can take him on Friday. So I took him. I had him sign a piece of paper saying he didn't want the dog anymore and I was to look after it and he wouldn't have anything to do with him. Probably worthless but made me feel better.

I saw him the other day and he asked me for some vodka, no mention of the dog at all.

I've got in touch with border terrier welfare who said they'd try and find out the owner from the chip. As they're a rescue organisation. It also helps us as if he decides he doesn't like dogs anymore they can step in and get him a dog free foster home. He's a cutie though I hope he feels happy to stay here

This is terrible, I'm sure the police wouldn't be interested in this but they might be able to suggest something? The neighbours sound like right dicks. What about swap Keith for Vodka. Also how did they get their hands on him from your house? If they came into your home then that's more serious and fecking creepy

@daisychain1620 I still have him, I won't be giving him back to them at all! Sorry if that wasn't clear,

No I'm sorry you were clear, I'm just being stupid and didn't read your post properly I was wondering why the other posters were not outraged lol.
You are wonderful and I wish you and Keith (who I'm glad is still safely with you!) all the best. Good luck

Oh my goodness op how awful. Great that you're going to try to trace the original owners but as pp have said how sad for poor Keith that he missed out on those years with his real family.

Oh god, I've just read through and my 7-months-pregnant hormones can't take it, I'm sobbing for poor little Keith. How cruel to have been through what he is, and that he has only found love and kindness and a family towards the end of his life. I'm so glad you have him

@Addler I'm not pregnant but am feeling exactly the same 😞.

Oh, poor Keith! And his poor original owners - I hope you manage to trace them, although they'll be heartbroken to know how badly your neighbour treated him. Thank goodness you stepped in.

Aww poor old Keith, well done OP, you are very kind

please update if he improves OP. love hearing about Keith.☀️

OP you are an absolute star and it's lovely to read how he is improving now he's in your family.
I'd be heartbroken if I was his original owner and found out what he's been through. Given that he was stolen so long ago I'm wondering if it's better that you don't try and locate them?
Ignorance is bliss and all that?

Him being stolen makes perfect sense and that's why they didn't take him to the vets because they would have been found out. I'm far too invested in Keith!!

Just read this whole thread and also crying at the awful neglect poor Keith had to endure. And you are such an amazing person to rescue him. Sounds like he's doing amazingly well. Pls keep us posted xx

Oh god I’ve just read this - what a gorgeous boy, and what an awful life he’s so needlessly have. I really hope you find his previous owners so they can at least have some closure if nothing else

@ifonerememberstoturnonthelight
Contact your vets again.

They will have a practice log on to the petlog database and can access the owner details and contact the owner on your behalf

They can't give you the prev owner detail because GDPR

I've been following this for a while now. Well done OP, Keith has been through so much, but it's lovely that what time he has left is now not spent hungry and lonely and dirty

Little update on Keith today, he played with a toy sheep yesterday! I wish I could add a video! I asked border terrier welfare to find out the chip details as they're supporting us with him. They're going to contact the chip details held and get back to me, but for now he's happy and he's staying here.

He weighs 10.1 kg now, you can see his ribs and his hips, and you can feel his spine. I though 10kg was about right for a border but obviously not! Does anyone know of any good food we can try him on to help him out weight on? He will eat kibble but it takes him ages because of his teeth, so I'm happy to mix wet and dry but he needs to gain weight so we can think about maybe sorting his mouth out.

He's just the sweetest dog.

Also he has a weird quirk that I wonder if anyone can shed any light on? When he's in his bed he paws at the blanket and cries constantly until you either move him or the blanket

he played with a toy sheep yesterday! I

😁☀️