Don't people care where their dog is?

As it was nice last night and not bucketing it down for a change, I took our two down the woods near us for a longer walk. The lane you have to walk down is very overhung with trees and in the summer can be gloomy and twists and turns in places. At the bottom are some old mill cottages and about eight bungalows. As I was walking down, a staffy came running over to us, very affectionate and kept lying down for me to stroke her belly. No-one with her walking but there were cars coming up and down the lane. Managed to get her to the side in a small lay-by, got my two to settle down and leave her alone and rang the mobile number on her collar - unobtainable. Then rang the home number on her collar and a lady answered. I asked if she had dog called Sally and if so, I had her up the lane as she was walking in the road and in danger from the cars. She said Sally was her dog and could I bring her to their house? Said I couldn't as I didn't have a spare lead and she wouldn't get up, kept lying down. The owner said her son would come up. Told her that I had two greyhounds with me so they knew who to look out for. Sat there for 10mins waiting. Rang again, got the same lady who said her son came out, couldn't see me so went back home! Then said that her friend would start walking up the lane, at which she appeared and took Sally off me, Sally was wagging her tail and excited to see the friend so at least I got the right person.

I then carried on walking down the lane to the woods, but whilst I had been waiting, a gentleman stopped in his car and asked if I was ok, said I was waiting for the dog's owner so he left me. As I walked down, he was outside another gentleman's house, both talking and he stopped me and asked if the owner had turned up. When I said where the dog was from, he realised who's dog it was and said that they had been out earlier, but just outside their front door looking for the dog but had given up and gone in! While I was there, someone came out of the bungalow where the dog was from and as he came past, I asked if Sally was his dog and that she was with the friend up the lane. He said 'Yes she is' and carried on walking. No 'oh thanks, were you the lady that caught her?' Just very abrupt and carried on.

Sally was lucky she didn't get hit by a car as she was dark brown brindle and the lane is in the shade by the trees.

Praised my two as we walked into the woods as Robbie can be grumpy and growl at unknown dogs, but he was so good and Lady just ignored her.

Well done to you and yoru dogs. I'd be quite opffended to be honest if someone couldn't even say thank you for returning their dog.

Zane got out once with Ellie and took her off up the road (we live on a busy road) for a quick jaunt. I stayed at home just in case they came back of their own accord and my Mom and brother went off in different difrections to look for them. We'd have taken it in turns to look for them and would no way have given up and just gone home!

Anyway I agree with you. There are many, too many people who think, "oh well, the dog's wearing a collar so someone will find him/her and return them home". People in general assume everyone else will sort things out for them and don't take responsibility.

Sally was very lucky it was you. Next time she may run into someone who uses SBTs for dog fighting (worst case scenario). Or she may run into someone who thinks she's nice enough to keep!

At least if (or when) you se Sally again, you know where she comes from.

Well done, last time something similar happened to us the person who had "lost" their dog didn't even know she was missing, they had last seen her two hours previous to us ringing her so potentially poor girl could have been wandering in the snow dodging traffic for all that time.

Several years ago I picked up a dog that was just wandering along a busy road. Tried ringing the number on the collar but no-one answered so I left a message to say that I'd found the dog and that I'd take it home with me and wait for someone to come and collect it. Several hours later a woman rang - not at all happy - to say that she'd collect him later, but that he often did that sort of thing and always came back on his own accord. Really??? Why do some people have dogs if they can't be bothered to look after them properly - they are just as vulnerable as young children out on the roads and no-one in their right mind would let their kids roam like that (I hope).