Found a dog but no help from the powers that be

Yesterday, my friend called me to tell me there was a dog in her garden and was wondering what to do. It was very frightened and she was having trouble catching it.

I gave her the doglost number and set off upto hers to help her catch the poor little mite.

When I got there she'd caught her and we popped her in the car while we decided what to do as she had no tag. Obviously, we would've got her scanned at a vets but it was Sunday so we called the police.

The police don't deal with lost and found dogs - I was told to contact the out of hours dog warden.
I did so, and told the dog warden I didn't particularly want to hand her over but could he tell me if anyone had reported a dog missing - no. Dog wardens don't have details of missing dogs, they just go and collect found dogs.
I was told 'just take it to the council kennels and they'll scan it and keep it in until it's claimed.'

No way. I wasn't going to take this tiny, scared little thing into a kennel environment anyway, but what about the owners who would then have to pay £60 to get her back, and she might have been chipped all along. She'd not been seen before so probably not a dog just allowed to roam.

So, we set off to the PDSA. Knowing it's a hospital, I knew there'd be staff on site and even if they weren't open someone would be there. When I got there I buzzed the intercom and explained that I knew they were closed but could they just scan a dog for a chip. She let me in and told me she didn't see the point as petlog wouldn't give me the owner's details anyway
I said, 'well no - but they'd give them to you', still she ummed and ahhed, so I told her that when I worked in a vet I had an animal brought in, I scanned it, phoned petlog, got the owner's details and then contacted the owner's details to give them the details of the people who found their pet so they could be reunited.
At this point, she agreed to scan the dog for a chip

We took the dog in, she was scanned and (after she then realised the scanner wasn't switched on, and rectified the problem) a chip was found!

But they wouldn't even try to phone petlog to see if the phonelines were open so I said I'd take her home and take her to my vets in the morning - at least now I know she's chipped so it's not like I'd have her indefinitely.

We decided she might be better off at my friend's house for the night and I'd pick her up to take her to the vets in the morning - when we got there, we heard someone calling and whistling at the back of the woods behind my friend's garden. Little dog was going mad at the end of the lead so we walked her around the block to where the sound was coming from.

It turns out she only lived one road away and she'd got into the woods from her own garden and then out the other side onto my friend's garden!

So a very happy ending all round - her owner explained she'd just had a bath and changed her collar which was why there was no tag and they were so pleased to see her - I was appalled at the attitude of the people we tried for help though.

My friend really didn't want to just leave the dog to find her way back - she lives on a main road which is busy even on a Sunday - I felt she did exactly the right thing by catching the dog - we weren't to know she only lived up the next road and yet, those who are supposed to be there to help these animals (particularly a charity like the PDSA) were so reluctant to help - what if it had been someone who wasn't quite so determined to get it sorted? She'd have ended up in council kennels and her owners would've had to pay £60 to get her back when it was a genuine accident. Not to mention, taking up kennel space that may have been needed for a real stray!!

Things really need to be improved when it comes to lost dogs

I agree some sort of improvement for lost dogs is needed.

Thank goodness this one had a happy ending thanks to you and your friend.

Gosh why does everything have to be such hard work when you are trying to help!

Well done to you and your friend not handing over to the dog warden!

Glad she was safely reunited to her owner.

Well done to you both on getting them reunited!
I've had to take the hard line here and just stop bringing in waifs and strays. The powers that be are generally not helpful unless you pester them like crazy.

I can't believe that the woman who scanned wouldn't give you the chip number. Dog and owner could have been reunited so much sooner. But I guess all is well that ends well.

Evie, it wasn't even that I wanted the chip number as I can understand that petlog won't give the general public the owner's details but it wouldn't have been difficult to just phone the number and see if anyone was there to take the call!

When I worked at a vets if anyone brought in a case like that we all pulled together to do what we could and it's hardly like they were busy!!

Once again another wonderful story of helpful, dog loving people. I think you and your friend did a great thing helping the dog. As for the dog warden and the woman at the PDSA , the same unfortunatley cannot be said

So glad this had a happy ending, thanks to you and your friend

Shame that the others were less than helpful

I remember once when I was living in Wales I was able to reunite a dog I found in our front Garden by popping it on a lead and walking it round the block, knocking on the doors of houses it showed an interest in... (We found three bitches in heat), but finally the dog perked up and ran straight for his own front door.... In my experience, the police, dog wardens and rescue organisations are not much help... Which is a terrible shame.

hi lottie

well done to you and your friend and so glad that this little on got reunited.

Its very sad, i found a dog recently and called the dog warden who didnt even come out cos he was finished for the day even though i called an hour before he finished !! Nobody helped me, as a mum with a toddler and catching a collie with a scarf which was all i had on me in the pouring rain !! and the only person that was helpful was my neighbours friend who is a police van driver and he took the dog to the cat and dog home where he was reunited with his owners a few days later.

I had put up posters everywhere with his photo on etc. Isnt it sad that so many people who are in these jobs arent interested in the dog anymore only procedure ??

Anyone with a scanner can scan a found dog/cat. As a qualified microchipper I can contact Petlog & they will contact the owner.

This is the beauty of the NDTR it is run & manned by dog people 24/7 & all you need to read a tattoo are the two scanners supllied by nature-your eyes & the NDTR will contact the owner/breeder & in the last resort the tattooist to get the dog/cat home