Thomas
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2000
- Messages
- 32,053
- Location
- Lebanon,NH.
- Tractor
- Kubota B2650HSD w/Frontloader & CC LTX1046 & Craftman T2200 lawn mower.
BIG thank you for your act of kindness!!! :thumbsup:
It just tears my heart out to think of that poor dog, sitting patiently by the side of the road, waiting for its master to return, who will never come.
My wife and I had a long discussion about the motives of someone who dumps a pet. You know, why not take it to a shelter?
One of the roads we use drops down into a ravine, crossing over a creek before climbing back up the other side. Some people use the area to dump unwanted pets though there are alternatives.
We were on a tight time line earlier this week when we drove by the area and saw yet another dog, a german shepard, waiting dutifully along the road for the perp/owner that had obviously dumped him. My wife went back later that day and tried to catch him but he ran into a drain pipe. She left him some food and continued to try to catch him for the next couple of days to no avail.
She got a group of people together today to try to rescue the dog. I had spent the day outside in the heat cutting and sanding various pieces of wood for updating our house. Finishing for the day, I had gone to the barn to tend to the horses when my wife brought me her phone. Seems her friends had gotten lost so I directed them to our place but they got lost again. Having finished my chores, I offerred to help once the others showed.
Well after dark when we pulled up to the spot with the dog dutifully still waiting, he immediately ran into the drain pipe. I knew what had to be done and looking at the cantidates, knew that I was elected. The drain pipe ended in mid air over the creek so I had to drop down from the top and crawl into a 24 inch diameter pipe over open space. The pipe was two 20 foot sections overall with the last 15 feet filled with a couple of inches of gravel and stone. I pushed the dog towards the other end where our friends had a cage set up. He was scared but not aggressive. As we got closer, someone managed to loop a lead over his head and they got him crated though he was wanting to bolt.
We have no room for more dogs so our friends will get him cleaned up and fostered until an adopter is found. Other than dirty and bitten up by bugs or fleas, he was in pretty fair shape. I don't figure it will be long before someone takes him.
Me? I have been "gimping" around on a bad knee avoiding surgury for a month or so now. I really did not need to be crawling through a drain pipe but you gotta' do what you gotta' do, lol!
Anyway, this boy was one of the lucky ones. Most of the throw away's around here get put down.
German Shepards are one of the smartest, loyal and protective breeds there are. I've had 3 that have had much better temperament than the current Maltese. Never bitten by s Sheppard and could do anything with them. The Maltese has drawn blood more times than I can count. Meanest little dog I've ever had!
Sent from the mountains
Would only that we could put them in similar circumstances, and that it would teach them to do better, or maybe it would be more just to put them at the bottom of the pool- with a nice weight tied around their neck.
South central, KY. It is a poor area. If you think animals are treated poorly based on my post, you should see what many kids have to deal with.Qr, in what part of the country did you find this dog?
I have never owned a pure bred German Shepard though I have had a Belgium Malinois and a French Beauceron, some of the best dogs that I have had. Tell you what, the first day we saw this dog sitting there we knew he was a good dog. When I crawled into that drain pipe to herd him into a loop, I drew on a lot of years of interactions with dogs that he was not going to go for me out of fear or temperment. As I said, my wife and I would have readily taken him in if not for the full house. Whomever eventually gets him will have many good years.German Shepards are one of the smartest, loyal and protective breeds there are. I've had 3 that have had much better temperament than the current Maltese. Never bitten by s Sheppard and could do anything with them. The Maltese has drawn blood more times than I can count. Meanest little dog I've ever had!
Sent from the mountains
South central, KY. It is a poor area. If you think animals are treated poorly based on my post, you should see what many kids have to deal with.
We're in laurel county close to clay county line,so I know first hand what you mean. We're on our third stray now that stay there. One was ran over & killed in the road. Another one in the pic I sent has been hit twice but he's tough.. And a slow learner to watch for cars Sent from the mountainsSouth central, KY. It is a poor area. If you think animals are treated poorly based on my post, you should see what many kids have to deal with.
A friend took in a GS that was extremely protective and weighed in at about 150 else that dog would have been probably put down. He knew how to handle her and keep her under control. That dog would have readily given her life for his family. (He never had to worry about his boat when he moored somewhere along the Cheasepeak), I have a boxer with the same temperment that came out of a drug deal.My father got a GS from my sister when he was about 4. She was taking him for a walk one day and some little ( unleashed ) something , came running up to him and picked a fight. My sister tried to separate them and her GS snapped. I think it was at the other dog but she thought it was at her. IMO, my sister is not qualified to own a dog. .02 . Because she was so freaked out, she decided to bring the dog to the vet to be put down, .. My father got there before she could and took him for himself. He was a very loyal dog, very protective but not aggressive. He lived a better life with my dad than he ever would have with my sister.
It can take alot of work to turn an animal around once abused. I don't think any animal is happy being feral but fear is a tough thing to overcome. Catching food, evading predators and parasites, keeping dry and warm, you name it. An animal gone feral reacts out of fear and it sometimes takes alot of creativity to catch them.I was asking because I lost a white German shepherd last month. I saw her a week ago and she was in a culvert as you described.
We took her in as a rescue a few months ago, but she was so badly abused she doesn't like people very much. I still see her but she won't come to me, I guess she's happy just being feral.
South central, KY. It is a poor area. If you think animals are treated poorly based on my post, you should see what many kids have to deal with.
I was asking because I lost a white German shepherd last month. I saw her a week ago and she was in a culvert as you described.
We took her in as a rescue a few months ago, but she was so badly abused she doesn't like people very much. I still see her but she won't come to me, I guess she's happy just being feral.
My wife and I moved here in 2008 so I am far from an expert on things but you pretty much have seen what I see.I went to school in Barbourville, KY my freshman year and had a GF in the SW program doing an internship, and occasionally I used to go on home visit rounds with her.
I was shocked by the poverty, and alternated between amazed at the genteel nobility of some hill folks, and dismayed by the ignorance and cruelty of others.