Conflicted.

[TrickyNicky]

Ok gang, I could use some advice getting my head right on a situation.

There's a dog in the neighborhood I work in that's been running loose for over a week. Young pit bull. She's clearly got no car sense as I've seen her cause a bit of confusion in the alleyway on several occasions. Everything I've seen her I've tried to get her to come to me with no real luck. She'd hunker down like a kicked dog (pun not intended) and slink forward a few feet before tucking rail and running.

Today she must have been hungry, came right up to me and let her pet her, she wasn't enthusiastic though. I finally enticed her in, but now I'm at a quandary, no tags, light by a few pounds by my estimation, flea bit, stinky, and has a bad case of kicked dog syndrome for such a young pup. It's been a few hours and I think she is warming up to me. Let me pick her up, again unenthusiastic but cooperative. Once in my lap she showed no interest in getting down again.

I'm fairly sure she's being at best under cared for, worst is she's been undercarrd for and beaten. that's the assessment based on her demeanor, condition, and I hate to say it, but the neighborhood as well. She's dirtier than a dog would be if she had been rolling in poop for the last week and smells like only a dog can. I've washed my hands 3 times and they still stink.

Part of me wants to get this girl home, part of me wants to help find her a better home than I can provide. What are my options?

Based on what I'm swing after a few hours of hanging out, she's a sweet dog who deserves better. I'm not the kind to pass judgment left and right, but I know a healthy well cared for dog, and I know the opposite. She's in the latter group.


So, open to advice, what would you do? I'm also tempted to find the owner and turn her back over on the understanding that they'll take better care of her or end up with my size 12 up their keister, but I know that's not realistic.


Thanks guys, I know you'll set me straight.

[TrickyNicky]

Oh and one more thing complicating things, how would I go about finding the owner once I verify she's not chipped?

Sorry if it seems back and forth, I'm trying to balance out the rightest thing to do.

[Raoul]

You can't save them all.

The dog needs to be trapped in some manner. As to whether or not she's salvageable only time will tell.

[Dolomite_supafly]

If her owners actually gave a crap she would not be running free waiting to get hit and die a miserable death.

 

If you can't keep her then try to find her a loving home. Plenty of pitbull rescues around that would eb willing to help. Do not take her to any animal center because the vast majority do not try to adopt out pitbulls, even if they are perfect dogs, and often euthanize then as soon as possible.

 

You will be surprised at how loving and loyal these dogs are.

[TNMTBik3r]

If you can keep her then that is what I would do. Certainly does not need turned back over to the owner since they appear to not care.
I love my pit, they are great dogs. When I move and have the room I am getting a second one.

[rugerla1]

I agree with the above statements. Sounds like the dog likes where it's at if you can keep her. Seems like she'd be happy with that, and sounds like you might be kinda happy too :up: . I don't know the website, but on Facebook if you have it Nashville Pittie does a lot work trying to find them homes if you just cannot keep her.

Oh, and where the heck is the picture of you and your new dog anyway? LOL

[RED333]

Give her a name, take her home and enjoy.

After all these things happen for a REASON.

Edited August 20, 2014 by RED333

[DaveTN]

There is a reason DOG is GOD spelled backwards. Take her home and give her a home or keep her until you can find a good home for her.

[Lumber_Jack]

If you could find a pitbull rescue local they could assist in looking for a possible owner. There is always a chance the dog got loose and is not in the area the owners are looking. Or they're dirtbags could be either

[Dane]

Keep her. Giver her really good food. Once she is settled in a few weeks enroll in training classes to help with the shy demeanor. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[10-Ring]

If you want her take her.  You will be doing her and probably the "owners" a favor.

[94user]

I'm thinking keep her if you can. I kinda think Like Red in that happened for a reason. As for finding her a better home than you can provide you surely can give her a better one than she has now. I wouldn't begin to try to find the owner if she has no chip. If she does then she, IMO, got away somehow from someone that probably cares about her and that's the only thing that would make me try to return her otherwise you could be signing her death certificate. You're a good man for caring about this pup.

[56FordGuy]

If you can keep her, keep her. 

 

I wish you the best of luck with local rescues; I tried to find a home for a boxer/ pit mix a while back and found that the rescues around middle TN are pretty worthless. Harsh, but I've been on both sides of animal rescue (volunteering, adopting, and trying to get them to take a dog) and it's the truth. Of the 11 rescues I contacted including two Pit specific ones, three even bothered to respond. The Pit rescues never would. One was willing to help until they found out it was a pit, the another told me "Unless the dog is going to be put down we can't help you", and East CAN listed him on their website to try and find a home so long as I kept the dog until a home was found. If you can provide an existence for an animal, rescues usually won't take it. 

 

Sounds like the owners don't care. Keep her. :)

[Dustbuster]

Safe place for animals is a no kill shelter that will help they're in gallatin. If you need in formation for them please contact me off list. Thanks for helping out one of gods little creatures. I would almost take the dog but my Chihuahuas already have horrible social skills so it would be a mess for me

[TrickyNicky]

Thanks guys for all the encouragement. Unfortunately you all have essentially confirmed most of my concerns. She's not going back to wherever she was unless a vet can confirm a chip. I'll share my concerns/ observations and we'll go from there if there is one.

As an update, she's here at the apartment for tonight. It was about two hours or so of hanging around and she's starting to get the idea that no ones going to hit her. It took awhile but once she got over it, boy she got over it. She's in my lap acting like a ham. She was great in the car and fantastic on the leash. She has no idea what "no" or "sit" or anything mean, but she's already wanting to play. She went and pooped outside on a leash with no problem in less time that it took to smoke a cigarette so I'm guessing she's been on one before, though walking around without one she's constantly underfoot anyway. At first lagging a few feet behind, but now she's mostly keeping up.


As to keeping her, guys I'd love to. She's a sweetheart and I think will snap out of her current funk quickly. The reality of the situation though is that I live in an apartment and work 9-12 hour days. I want the dog to have better than just better than what she had. She'll make a fantastic pet, but she needs a house to live in with a yard, something I won't have for awhile. Thanks for all the advise so far.

[TrickyNicky]

And of course, pics. :)





I tried convincing her shed more comfortable on her own cushion, but noooo.

[rugerla1]

Yep, she looks like she's home!

[ncomarc]

If her owners actually gave a crap she would not be running free waiting to get hit and die a miserable death.
 
If you can't keep her then try to find her a loving home. Plenty of pitbull rescues around that would eb willing to help. Do not take her to any animal center because the vast majority do not try to adopt out pitbulls, even if they are perfect dogs, and often euthanize then as soon as possible.
 
You will be surprised at how loving and loyal these dogs are.

All of the above and glad your giving her a chance.

[Chazmr]

Looks to me like YOU"VE been adopted.

Just know that the next step is when you give her a name.  At that point she is definitely home to stay!

Thanks for giving her a shot at a better life.

[Monkeyman2500]

She looks like a sweet girl. I don't think she looks too malnourished either. That dog will love the heck out of you even if you are working a lot. Good job helping a girl out!

[Mike.357]

if she is chipped there will be a tattoo on her belly way down low where you can easily see it.  At least there ought to be a tattoo, our dumbass dog has bars for a tat. =lll  is what it looks like.

 

what do you call her?

Edited August 21, 2014 by Mike.357

[Hozzie]

Check out a dog daycare for 2 or 3 days a week if you keep her. It will get her a good amount of exercise and it will give you a bit of a break some evenings as she will be pooped. It will also socialize her. I understand being in an apartment can be hard but she looks like a nice dog. Thanks for making her life better.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited August 21, 2014 by Hozzie

[Hozzie]

if she is chipped there will be a tattoo on her belly way down low where you can easily see it.  At least there ought to be a tattoo, our dumbass dog has bars for a tat. =lll  is what it looks like.

 

what do you call her?

 

None of my dogs have ever been tattooed and they have all been chipped.  I have never heard that actually, but something else good to know to look for.

[TMF]

if she is chipped there will be a tattoo on her belly way down low where you can easily see it. At least there ought to be a tattoo, our dumbass dog has bars for a tat. =lll is what it looks like.

what do you call her?

No, all my dogs are chipped and don't have tattoos.

[Mike.357]

None of my dogs have ever been tattooed and they have all been chipped.  I have never heard that actually, but something else good to know to look for.

 

 

iirc she was some sort of rescue or found???? Maybe Young Williams Center.   Not my choice of dog but she belongs to the grandkids so what can I do?  And she is kind of cool aside from social behavior and coming when she is called.