Today a stray dog wandered onto campus, Red Bone Coonhound/Vizsla uneutered male pup, probably only 2 years old. He had a collar on, no tags, and had a clip clipped to his collar ring. He was emaciated, starving, and a little beat up, but very friendly. We tried tying him up (as we had no other way of containing him) while we figured out what to do with him, I offered to drive him to a shelter, which is eventually where he went. During our deliberations and investigation into what shelter to take him to, and whether or not the Sheriff's department would come get him, someone made a decision to let him off the tie as he was in danger of hurting himself and/or breaking the tie-out. By the time we figured out where to take him, he had run off. I searched for him for a while and eventually went to the neighbors where I found him; he had just killed all of their laying hens. Understandably they were very upset, I explained that he wasn't my dog, he was a stray I was trying to take to the shelter, they understood and asked that I quickly remove them from their property. I took him to the shelter and told them what he'd done. I didn't ask, but I'm almost positive I took him to his death, probably a kinder, more humane death that being shot by a farmer or hit by a car, but his death nonetheless.
I am pissed that this happened. What happened today wasn't the dogs fault or the person who let him off the tie's fault; it's the fault of whatever dumbass decided they didn't want a dog anymore and refused to pay a surrender fee at a shelter. At the shelter the attendant told me someone had called earlier in the month trying to find a new home for a dog matching the description of the stray I brought in. Someone abandoned that dog, leaving him to starve to the point that he dug his way into a farmer's chicken coop and killed all the chickens he could find. Some careless human killed the dog and the chickens, caused a farmer to loose part of his income, and a woman to loose the pets she loved. One human did all of this.
I urge anyone and everyone considering buying a dog to think extremely carefully before picking out a pup to bring home. Dogs, while beautiful, loving, and loyal can be destructive, gross, and strong-willed; they are not a thing you buy, they are a life you take on. Before you make that purpose ask yourself if you're willing to clean up messes, to replace destroyed furniture, to repair damage to the house, to feed and house the dog for the dog's lifetime, to exercise the dog on a daily basis, and to practice patience, showing love and giving grace while the dog learns to be a part of the family. If you can't do even one of those things, you need to think twice before bringing a dog into your life. I also urge everyone to consider rescuing a dog instead of buying a puppy. There are so many dogs that need a second chance at life and are in a desperate situation by no fault of their own, but because a person made a really stupid decision.
End rant for the day...it's been a pretty crappy day so far.
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