this is why people need to keep thier dogs on leash/in house/in fence

[joyful girl]

(I posted this in my live journal the other day and since I'm to lazy to retype it you get a copied version)

I had just got home from going to apply for a job at the local humane society. I walked in the door of my apt and I heard what sounded like a dog whining.
I listened more closely and realized it was outside my window. I looked out the window and I was shocked to see a large yellow lab in the water trying to pull itself up onto the ice.

We have a channel behind our apartment that flows from Lake Winnebago to a pond at the nature reserve next to us.

Anyway.. I start yelling for Randy to wake up and come outside. I open the bedroom door and he was already up and was looking out the other window.
I run outside while he puts some pants on.

I get to the water and try calling the dog to see if it can get any closer to land. I jump over a little water/ice to get on the railroad track bridge so I can get on the other side of the water to get closer to the dog. Randy finally comes out and we start calling the dog. I start to go on the ice and just crush it since it's not very thick. So, I'm in the water/ice and I get close to the dog and as I get up next to it the dog freaks out and pushes through the ice and gets to the land on the opposite side. I jump out of the water and try to grab the dog but he takes off.

I ran after it but it just kept running away.

I tried for over an hour to get a hold of the dog but I finally lost him between houses up the block I guess.

I've seen this dog running around on the tracks before but I've also heard people walking at the same time so I assumed they were just walking him off leash.

As I was running around looking for him I passed by an older guy and asked him if he saw him. He said he had not but he's seen the dog several other times and thinks it belongs to someone a couple streets away.

When I finally gave up looking for the dog I came home and called the police to let them know there was a loose dog that had fallen in the icy water.
I hope they either find the dog or can figure out who owns it so that the owners realize their dog almost died earlier. I doubt they care.. this dog being loose seems to be a very common thing.


I never heard anything back from the police
I just hope the dog made it back home safe.. I keep looking for it around my apt but haven't seen anything.

[slartibartfast]

Poor thing. Good for you, for trying to help him.

If that's not enough incentive for people to confine their dogs appropriately, I've got dozens of pictures of horribly graphic hit-by-car cases (and one hit-by-train). When I'm taking a case history, I always ask how the dog got out, and 9 times out of 10, they say "Oh, we live in the country and don't need a fence".

Also, spaying and neutering is so important. I'd estimate (and I want to actually run the numbers one day) that at least 85% of the hit-by-car and dogfight cases we see at the ER are intact animals. In fact, we jokingly refer to testicles as "car magnets".

[Ginevive]

It is so shameful that "owners" allow their animals to roam free; then the second something bad happens to their "beloved pet", the world is over. Kudos to you for trying to help the poor dog; just the fact alone though, that he ran away from you scared like that, seems to make me think he is either gone feral or the pet of a very nasty person.

[joyful girl]

I couldn't agree more about spaying and neutering.

It was sad to see how many people had their dogs just chained to a poll or dog house while I was running around looking for the other dog.

It's winter and I live in Wisconsin.. I couldn't imagine having to live out in the cold.

I don't understand why people get dogs or any animal for that matter if they just toss them in the backyard and leave them there.

[Laooda]

Poor thing, Kudos to you!!!

Idea.... Have you thought about placing some food in an area that you've seen him regularly? Or would it be consumed by other critters??? Just thought that maybe if you get on a "first name basis" with the fella then you might be able to get him to a shelter or foster home or something???

[joyful girl]

he is either gone feral or the pet of a very nasty person.

As soon as he ran from me I imagined him being an abused dog.

I usually am the person that can get unfriendly animals to come by me when they won't most others.

[JASBALLS]

(I posted this in my live journal the other day and since I'm to lazy to retype it you get a copied version)

I think you hit the nail on the head! Lazy people cause alot of greif for the animals!!

[joyful girl]

Poor thing, Kudos to you!!!

Idea.... Have you thought about placing some food in an area that you've seen him regularly? Or would it be consumed by other critters??? Just thought that maybe if you get on a "first name basis" with the fella then you might be able to get him to a shelter or foster home or something???

Since I live right next to the nature reserve there are tons of other animals around my apartment. On a daily basis I see muskrats, rabbits, ect. I don't think food would last long.

[joyful girl]

I think you hit the nail on the head! Lazy people cause alot of greif for the animals!!

I am far from lazy when it comes to my zoo of animals though.

[wolfy-hound]

I do want to say that a lot of dogs are shy of people they don't know, and especially in a stressful situation like falling into icy water.
Kudos to you for going the extra mile trying ot find him, and double kudos for calling the police afterwards as well! I hope too that he found his way home and is fine if scared wet and nervous.
Wolfy