Pregnant Lab Girl Found!

[ash&elar]

Hmmm I have to agree with ash&elar. Leaving aside all the arguments in here re law and peoples different ethical standpoints, my personal hope would be that if I happened to lose one of my dogs that someone would take her/him home and contact the local vets/RSPCA/shelters/pounds/councils to let them know they have the dog. Also that they'd take my dog into the vet and have them check for microchip details. But mostly I would hope like hell that they did NOT hand her/him in to the pound and most definitely not to the RSPCA. That's the last place I'd want my precious dogs to end up.

Of course if I lost my dogs around here everyone knows who they belong to and the vets in the nearest towns in either direction and two Launceston vets would also be able to immediately identify both of them as mine without even needing a microchip check so that's a reassuring thing.

[Joel]

I'm glad to hear that not everyone thinks that I'm crazy for thinking that an animal could be better off NOT going to the pound I and my family have looked after lost animals on many an occasion and would do so again (they all got picked up by their owners btw). A lost animal is scared - the last thing I think they need is to be put into a tiny, cold cage with stressed out animals all around them. what the hell would that do to their mental state? people wouldn't let that happen to a lost child... it would be unimaginable for someone to even suggest it.

with that said, i do believe that laws are in place for a reason, and not everybody is as good at looking after lost animals and going through the right channels to help the owner find them, but that doesn't necesarilly mean that I don't think that the laws need changing.

Anyway, I hope the girl is either reunited with the owner (and hopefully they are responsible and were just unlucky this time around), or gets the proper care she needs and that her and her pups make it through whelping ok.

Edited August 6, 2010 by Joel

[Greytmate]

I'm glad to hear that not everyone thinks that I'm crazy for thinking that an animal could be better off NOT going to the pound I and my family have looked after lost animals on many an occasion and would do so again (they all got picked up by their owners btw). A lost animal is scared - the last thing I think they need is to be put into a tiny, cold cage with stressed out animals all around them. what the hell would that do to their mental state? people wouldn't let that happen to a lost child... it would be unimaginable for someone to even suggest it.

with that said, i do believe that laws are in place for a reason, and not everybody is as good at looking after lost animals and going through the right channels to help the owner find them, but that doesn't necesarilly mean that I don't think that the laws need changing.

Anyway, I hope the girl is either reunited with the owner (and hopefully they are responsible and were just unlucky this time around), or gets the proper care she needs and that her and her pups make it through whelping ok.

Well why don't you go and lobby local government to provide more luxurious accommodation for impounded animals.

Rather than just whinge on an online forum at experienced people here giving the correct advice for the steps that need to be taken to legally take ownership of a stray animal.

[Winterpaws]

Also, you can joke about being an irresponsible dog owner because you dont put collars on your dogs all you like, but if you ever lost one of your dogs, then those two together make you one (an irresponsible owner, not a dog). If you keep your dogs without a collar and they are 100% secure and never get out, then you are responsible, but if there is a CHANCE that they will (and everyone here seems to think that there is always a chance) and you DONT have a collar on your dog with the appropriate tags, then that makes you irresponsible. The same as you would be if you had an aggressive dog and walked it through a dog park without a muzzle on... With muzzle on aggressive dog = responsible owner, without muzzle on aggressive dog = irresponsible idiot

I bet this sparks a whole other series of arguments about whether or not people should put collars on their dogs *sigh*

I am happily and proudly an irresponsible dog owner. I think I will start a club for IDO's.

I don't have collars on any of my dogs and I never will (other than walking obviously). I've read way way too my horror stories of accidents occurring with them - does that make me irresponsible?

Any dog found needs to go to a pound - how the heck are owners supposed to find them otherwise?

[Joel]

Also, you can joke about being an irresponsible dog owner because you dont put collars on your dogs all you like, but if you ever lost one of your dogs, then those two together make you one (an irresponsible owner, not a dog). If you keep your dogs without a collar and they are 100% secure and never get out, then you are responsible, but if there is a CHANCE that they will (and everyone here seems to think that there is always a chance) and you DONT have a collar on your dog with the appropriate tags, then that makes you irresponsible. The same as you would be if you had an aggressive dog and walked it through a dog park without a muzzle on... With muzzle on aggressive dog = responsible owner, without muzzle on aggressive dog = irresponsible idiot

I bet this sparks a whole other series of arguments about whether or not people should put collars on their dogs *sigh*

I am happily and proudly an irresponsible dog owner. I think I will start a club for IDO's.

I don't have collars on any of my dogs and I never will (other than walking obviously). I've read way way too my horror stories of accidents occurring with them - does that make me irresponsible?

Any dog found needs to go to a pound - how the heck are owners supposed to find them otherwise?

*Sigh* This argument has gone over and beyond the length that it should have. What I Think is irresponsible is when people dont put collars on their dogs when there is the SLIGHTEST chance that their dog can get out. If your dog is 100% secure, then this doesn't apply to you. The same people who argue on here that their dogs dont wear collars are (on this thread anyway) the ones also arguing that microchips aren't reliable enough due to their tendency to move about the body. If that is the case, that means then that you are risking that if your dog DID ever get out, then there is no way to identify them. If you're worried about your dog hanging itself, then perhaps you should look at ways to eliminate the things that it could hang itself on. Usually peoples dogs get hanged from their fence when they're trying to get over it. Get a better fence, or even just put a flat top plate on there - problem solved. If there are other risks in your yard, then get rid of them. Its not really that hard. If you're still worried, get a breakaway collar so then if they ever DO get snagged on something, then it will come off. This gives a better chance if they ever do get out because they may not get caught on anything and keep the collar on, which means that as soon as someone finds your dog, you'll get a phone call straight away telling you where to pick them up.

ANYWAY, moving on from that argument (as I seem to be repeating myself to everyone, and nobody comes back with anything new)...

Well why don't you go and lobby local government to provide more luxurious accommodation for impounded animals.

Rather than just whinge on an online forum at experienced people here giving the correct advice for the steps that need to be taken to legally take ownership of a stray animal.

I don't lobby local government because I don't believe that it would make a difference. If I had the slightest faith that it would instigate change, then I'd be down at my local council drilling them to change. But, the simple matter is, it takes a lot of pressure from a lot of people to make change, and even though there are a lot of people who dont agree with current legislation, there aren't many who are willing to stand up and demand change.

On your second note, i'm not whinging on here, im stating my opinion. Also, I'm assuming that by "experienced" people that you are including yourself... even though you gave INCORRECT information in the beginning, saying that it was LAW to take any lost animal to a pound, which, in QLD apparently, it is not. Seeing as how you are from QLD, having been involved in rescue yourself, I would think that you would have known this.

I think this argument is just going around in circles and is quickly drifting off topic again, so perhaps we should just agree to disagree. Start a new thread if you like and by all means I'll come over and we can discuss it all again, but this probably isn't the place.

[raz]

If you're worried about your dog hanging itself, then perhaps you should look at ways to eliminate the things that it could hang itself on.

Yeah...like fences.

good grief.

Put yourself in that position - how would you feel if your dog got out and you never found it again because someone on a public forum, with third hand info, tried to flog it off rather than take it to the pound.

[Greytmate]

Well why don't you go and lobby local government to provide more luxurious accommodation for impounded animals.

Rather than just whinge on an online forum at experienced people here giving the correct advice for the steps that need to be taken to legally take ownership of a stray animal.

I don't lobby local government because I don't believe that it would make a difference. If I had the slightest faith that it would instigate change, then I'd be down at my local council drilling them to change. But, the simple matter is, it takes a lot of pressure from a lot of people to make change, and even though there are a lot of people who dont agree with current legislation, there aren't many who are willing to stand up and demand change.

Absolute rubbish. There have been quite a few recent changes to dog legislation in QLD. None of iot would have happenned without lobbying. If an idea has merit it is very possible to lobby for and achieve legislative change. That is how our democratic system of government works.

However you haven't been able to put forward a very persuasive argument for change here.

On your second note, i'm not whinging on here, im stating my opinion. Also, I'm assuming that by "experienced" people that you are including yourself... even though you gave INCORRECT information in the beginning, saying that it was LAW to take any lost animal to a pound, which, in QLD apparently, it is not. Seeing as how you are from QLD, having been involved in rescue yourself, I would think that you would have known this.

I did not give incorrect information. I did not say it is law to hand dogs into pounds in QLD, as each council has its own laws, and I haven't looked at every councils' impounding legislation.

But it is correct advice that to claim ownership of a stray dog it must go through a procedure with council and be held for a certain period of time (3 days or other depending on which QLD council), otherwise the old owner is entitled to claim the dog back at any time.

I think this argument is just going around in circles and is quickly drifting off topic again, so perhaps we should just agree to disagree. Start a new thread if you like and by all means I'll come over and we can discuss it all again, but this probably isn't the place.

Why don't you start a new thread. Joel's dreams and musings of a better impounding system. This one is about giving advice to finders of a lost dog about their entitlement to keep, sell or give away a dog they found.

From the very first post questionable information was given here. Council pounds are a necessary service provided to ratepayers. If they are turning away animals or threatening to euthanise them as claimed, that is a very serious neglect of their duty. People should feel as though taking a dog to the pound is the correct thing to do. It is a lot safer for the dog to be securely kept in there than in somebody's backyard with other animals.

[Ashanali]

Brisbane City Council

When you find a dog you are required to call up and log the details with the council on 3403 8888

They will ask if you can hold the dog, or if you can take it to a pound or the RSPCA, or if you need someone to collect it. If you choose the last option, you will be waiting possibly 24 hours.

If you're really trying your hardest to find the owner, you will also call the RSPCA hotline and as many local vets as possible.

Finders also have the ability to upload photos to the council and also the rspca.

There is not a requirement to take dogs to the pound in Brisbane.

[Joel]

You're right, people SHOULD feel that taking a dog to the pound is the right thing to do, but the fact is, pounds aren't necessarily what they should be. Even some people who work in pounds wouldn't want their animals going there. They SHOULD be better, they SHOULD be a place where you can feel confident about you're dog being looked after if they end up there, but most arent. A lot of them are horrible.

I never disagreed with you about going through proper procedure, in fact, I totally agree. Nobody on here has disagreed with you with regards to that.

I know that there have been recent changes made in QLD. Not only am I not in QLD, but I think that changes need to be made everywhere. I don't believe that our government (in my experience anyway) cares too much about what anybody has to say unless there are A LOT of people demanding the same thing (and even then something doesn't always get done). Unless it is in their best interest, a lot of it seems to be too much trouble to bother with for them. I don't really want to get into a political debate here, but I just dont think that what I say will change any legislation at all (no matter how good an idea is).