Found then lost dog

I am absolutely gutted, I was on my way out this morning at 9.30am, when I drove road into the main road and I saw a Chocolate Labrador sniffing at some grass, he was really friendly, as most Labs are.

I stopped and got out, went up to him and stroked him, he didn't have a collar on, I was just thinking what I had in the Transit that I could use as a lead, when he took off across the main road, fortunately the only thing coming was an old boy on a moped.

I got back in the van and drove round to head him off, he was trotting along towards me, I got out and went up to him and he zoomed off again.

I tried to follow him, but I lost him, I've been worrying about him all day.

Ages ago I decided that I would buy a spare collar and lead and keep it with me at all times, but I "never got around to it" .

I could really kick myself now, he was a lovely dog, probably about three, judging by how my Mick looked when he was three.

I could have carted him off to my vets and they could have checked for a micro-chip.

My OH said he probably found him way home, but I'm still worrying about him and I will for days, anything like this haunts me for weeks.

I've found two dogs in the past, one was a little spaniel type pup, but he had his tag on and he was just across the road from where he lived, the other time, I knew who the dog belonged to.

They were small dogs, so I could pick them up, I couldn't have picked the Labrador up.

Sorry to go about it, but I had to get it off my chest.

Thats always the way ,isnt it you promise yourself you'll do something forget to do it and then end up feeling guilty for somebody elses neglect , the chances are if you had remembered to buy a spare , you would never had needed it , but dont beat yourself up , for being human , at least you cared more than some would have ,and the likely hood is that your OH is right and the lab found his own way home perfectly ok , but i'd like to think that if gemma ever did manage to get out she would be fortunate enough to meet somebody as caring as you .

Hope you are feeling a little better I agree with what Olly says.

Hi Jill, don't beat yourself up about it mate, I know just how you feel. I have to drive 'the lanes' to and from work every day and I go slower through there than anywhere else, with my eyes scanning left and right constantly I have 'lifted' 2 dogs from there and a few cats too It is a favoured spot for dumping

Hopefully, he was on his way home when you saw him and he'll tell his house mates about the nive lady in the white van

I know how you feel! I saw a small cocker spaniel puppy wandering about outside college the other day.

I dropped everything and rushed out, but I couldn't find it and decided it must have gone home but I worried.

Unfortunately, I realised that around the college I go to, people really don't care, I had a staffie walk with me from the shopping centre to college once, knowing full well it would go home again from the way it was so comfortable wandering around.

I'm sure the lab did find it's way back. Sometimes, it's worth ringing the local radio station and just saying that you've seen it but haven't managed to catch it, that way the owners know which area to look in if they are looking for it

I know how you must be feeling Jill, but as hubby said, it's probably found it's own way home now. Maybe the owners are lazy and let him our early in the mornings to go on his own walk? We have some people like that around here. One day I found a really skinny gsd out on our walk, he followed us back to the car and wanted to come home with us, but when I tried to get him in he ran off down the road. I was frantic, I tried to find him again but couldn't, so I rushed home and phoned the dog warden and he said he'd meet me up there where I found him. Anyway, I rushed back up there, and spotted a postman who had also seen this dog so I asked him if he had spotted him again after he ran off - turned out the people in the end house up the lane had rescued it a week earlier hence the reason it was so skinny, and the dog had jumped the fence, but he saw him jump back into their garden, so all ended well. I felt such a pratt when the dog warden arrived up at the car park!!

I always have about half a dozen leads/horse ropes hanging up on the dog guard in the back of the car coz you never know when you might need a spare. Funnilly enough a friend I met out yesterday morning lost hers half way round, so she came back to the car with me to borrow one of mine to walk her dog home, as obviously he'd been off the lead on our walk, so they do come in handy you know. Don't worry about this lab, I'm sure he has a lovely home which he's gone back to

Lottie,

I did ring the local radio station, Essex Radio and asked if the presenter could put a quick "appeal" out and the bloke on the switchboard said "The helpline usually do all that, we don't, in case you get nutty people all trying to claim the dog"

I got cross and said that helpline is not on until Monday, the dog is bl--dy lost TODAY, not Monday and then I was so furious that he wouldn't help I just cut the line off.

I came across a "loose" staffy round where I live a few weeks ago. I tried to get him/her (couldn't get close enough to tell) to come to me, but it wouldn't. I looked for it on every walk after that for ages. I hope it got home ok. It did have a collar on so I'm hopeful

Awww, I'd be the same worrying how it was - but don't beat yourself up that you didn't have a lead, it wasn't your fault.

Doesn't it make you angry though that people let their dogs wander I suppose we have to give them benefit of doubt and perhaps the dog escaped without them realizing, but such a lot do let their dogs out on the street.