While out walking Simone this glorious sunshiny morning, I see a little dog ambling down the sidewalk with no human in tow. It's acting a little frantic, as dogs do when they are lost and searching, but as soon as it sees us, it starts running towards us. There are quite a few cars on Sorauren Ave. and it's a narrow street so I'm a bit worried the little guy might dash onto the road to avoid puddles and snowy patches but it stays on the sidewalk.
For a moment, I think the little dog is going to just keep running past us but it applies the brakes, wagging its tail and is absolutely thrilled to meet and say hello to Simone. While it's sniffing, I take hold of its collar. No tags.
I stay put with it for about fifteen minutes not sure what to do. I ask a few people who walk by if they've seen anyone looking for a dog but no one has. Finally, a couple come along walking their own dog and I ask if they might have a piece of string or some such thing handy - not expecting they would - but they suggest that maybe they might have something back at their place just around the corner.
I slip Simone's leash through the lost dog's collar and off we go. Simone's not happy with this leash sharing business. Every so often she turns and gives this way-too-close usurper the evil eye.
After a couple of loops around several blocks to see if anyone's out searching, we eventually make it back to my place. I get the dog into the car and we drive down to Toronto Animal Services South where I hand the dog off and they scan for a microchip ID. No microchip.
So then: lost dog, very friendly, looks like a Papillon/Chihuahua cross, found wandering on Sorauren Ave. Saturday morning, presently residing at Toronto Animal Services South, 416 338 6668.
Simone was not too impressed with the unexpected guest in her house.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
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A request
The reason for this blog is to help get specific dogs adopted from TAS but equally important is to try to normalize the idea of shelter dogs being just as good and just as desirable as any other dogs including those which are regularly merchandised by backyard breeders, puppy millers and those few remaining pet store owners who still feel a need to sell live animals. The single greatest stigma shelter animals still face is the belief that shelter animals are substandard animals. Anyone who has had enough experience with shelter animals knows this is untrue but the general public hasn't had the same experiences you've had. They see a nice dog photo in a glossy magazine and too many of them would never think of associating that dog with a dog from a shelter. After all, no one abandons perfectly good dogs, right? Unfortunately, as we all know, perfectly good dogs are abandoned all the time.
The public still too often associates shelter dogs with images of beat up, sick, dirty, severely traumatized animals and while we definitely sometimes see victims such as these, they are certainly not the majority and, regardless, even the most abused animals can very often be saved and made whole again.
Pound Dogs sometimes discusses the sad histories some of the dogs have suffered. For the most part, though, it tries to present the dogs not as victims but as great potential family members. The goal is to raise the profiles of animals in adoption centers so that a potential pet owner sees them as the best choice, not just as the charity choice.
So, here's the favour I'm asking. Whenever you see a dog picture on these pages you think is decent enough, I'd like you to consider sharing it on Facebook or any other social media sites you're using (I know many of you do this already and thank you for that). And when you share it, please mention that the dog in the photo is a shelter dog like so many other shelter dogs waiting for a home. If we can get even five percent of the pet buying public to see shelter dogs differently, to see how beautiful they are and how wonderful they are, and to consider shelter dogs as their first choice for a new family member, we can end the suffering of homeless pets in this country.
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The public still too often associates shelter dogs with images of beat up, sick, dirty, severely traumatized animals and while we definitely sometimes see victims such as these, they are certainly not the majority and, regardless, even the most abused animals can very often be saved and made whole again.
Pound Dogs sometimes discusses the sad histories some of the dogs have suffered. For the most part, though, it tries to present the dogs not as victims but as great potential family members. The goal is to raise the profiles of animals in adoption centers so that a potential pet owner sees them as the best choice, not just as the charity choice.
So, here's the favour I'm asking. Whenever you see a dog picture on these pages you think is decent enough, I'd like you to consider sharing it on Facebook or any other social media sites you're using (I know many of you do this already and thank you for that). And when you share it, please mention that the dog in the photo is a shelter dog like so many other shelter dogs waiting for a home. If we can get even five percent of the pet buying public to see shelter dogs differently, to see how beautiful they are and how wonderful they are, and to consider shelter dogs as their first choice for a new family member, we can end the suffering of homeless pets in this country.
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So lucky that the little dog found you and Simone and was kept safe! Too bad no tags or a chip but hopefully some one is frantically looking for the sweet little guy.
Yep, Simone definitely isn't sure about the new arrival! LOL Hopefully, you will locate his owners!!
Simone knows how to throw shade!
oh, they look cute together ... mabye Simone doesn't really know she needs a new friend!
Poor Simone -- so insecure! Hope she feels reassured now that the guest is at TAS... And I hope someone is going to claim the wee mite soon!
Simone is cracking me up with the side eye! A good friend of mine lives on Sorauren so I've sent him an email asking if he knows this dog and also shared the post on FB
Owner's been located. Will pick up tomorrow.
I hope you told the found owners that they need to get this little guy his ID tags and microchipped ASAP!!!
Thank goodness, they must be thrilled and
relieved. Thank you Fred for being such a friend to animals!
I have used plastic bags, belts, purse straps, anything that I happen to have in my purse for a leash for a lost dog. If you stretch the plastic bags out, you can make a decent leash if the dog is wearing a collar. Also some treats in the purse to get a reluctant dog within reach is a handy tool.
Total stink eye from Simone. Glad this had a happy ending.
Great capture of the sidelong glance. It should go on a poster explaining dog language. Glad to see you're blogging again, Fred. Suzy