Pls Help I Found A Kitten

[Are You Serious Jo]

You really should lose your obsession with collars. It takes nothing for a person to remove a collar from an animal they found. What if your dog snaps his break away collar if it gets caught on something (as it's designed to do) does that automatically mean you don't care about him? Maybe stop assuming that your way is the only right way, there are plenty of people who chose not to have collars on their dogs because of a LOT of experience.

[persephone]

A stray dog needs to be approached with caution, whether wearing a collar or not. Unless it was an emergency,. there is NO way I would grab one by the collar.

there are several things which can go wrong...... like the dog taking fright and slipping/breaking the collar , the dog biting me, or the dog carrying on like a pork chop and making life difficult ...... and I prefer to avoid them ;) I always have some means of securing a dog in a bag or in the car.. even twine or a belt Dogs I don't know I treat with respect and with caution.

[Weasels]

btw does anyone that has taken found dogs or cats have to pay for the vet visit? I was totally shocked that the closest vet (not my regular vet) would charge me to see if the kitty was ok and scan him for a chip, I mean who would take a pet found in the streets without a collar to get scanned if it's going to cost you $50!!! I took him to my regular vet who was more charitable and looked at the kitty without charging me.

I would just assume that ethically a vet should see an animal in distress that is brought in... I mean aren't they doctors for animals? can you imagine bringing in a baby found in the streets and a doctor saying oh sorry no can do if you don't pay??!!

I didn't get charged for checking the chip, the nurse behind the counter had the scanner on hand and just swiped him in the waiting room. I would guess it's the 'seeing if he's ok' (vet consult) part they wanted to charge for.

Agree with Persephone I would sooner make a temporary slip-lead to catch the dog than grab a collar. Even my human-loving girl got scared/upset when the vet grabbed her collar the other week (she was fine until he did that).

[Guest lavendergirl]

way to go people - another newbie no doubt put off DOL forever by the resident know-it-all B*tches

Haha thanks! I don't really mind at least it shows people care about their pets and other people's pets too!

I do think that some comments were made without really reading/understanding the situation. I also might live in a different area but when I spoke to the no kill rescue lady she told me that the RSPCA is not taking any domestic animals at the moment as they are overcrowded and after she shaw the kitten she is sure that it would have been put down at the pound as he was too traumatized, tonight kitten will be sleeping with other cats being taken care of properly in a safe environment I am 100% sure this is a stray and can we all remember we are not talking about a puppy but a kitten who is obviously a stray and was definitely never handled by human.

Now about the collars, I'm not denying some dogs might have been hurt by the collars but I have had my dog for 3 years and he has a leather collar he wears when he is outside and never once he's has a problem with it if anything this collar saved his life - I was walking him and two large dogs bolted out of an unsecured gate looking for a fight they came behind me and my brave protector did just that he went for them both... I managed to scream everyone out of their homes and the dogs were called back to their home I was left in shock worrying if my dog was injured, after a careful analysis I found a small scratch in his leg and many many teeth marks on his collar!! If it had not been for the think leather collar he would have been killed or severely wounded!

If I had a dog who had issues or a place where he could get caught I would probably change the gate or whatever it was that's a danger alternatively I would put a snap collar ( I think that's what they are called) so they easily snap off if caught on something, maybe it's the way I grew up but I think a dog should have a collar or something and yes if I see a dog wondering around without a collar I cannot help but think it's a stray obviously if they have a chip that's great but my doggie will keep his collar on when left outside so that in the unlikely event he gets out my neighbors can stop him, hold him and quickly call me.

Personally think someone with a collarless dog wondering around is asking for trouble and I would not expect anyone to approach a collarless dog to get it off the streets even less to likely to be taken to a vet to be check for a microchip also would not want my dog to end up in the pound or the RSPCA I think he would be totally traumatized and btw the pound keeps animals for 10 days if not claimed they are put to sleep and I would not take that chance with the kitten nor my dog.

Also I think I made pretty clear that kitten does not have anyone out there looking for him it was a half feral cat who would have died of anemia from fleas if not found, I can assure anyone who thinks I have kept stolen animals from their rightful owner it isn't the case I have contacted who I had to contact I spoke with the vet I spoke with a knowledgeable rescuer and my neighbors we've all established this is a stray. Yes I did think about possibly keeping the kitten and giving him a home if he wasn't claimed I didn't just find a random cat and thought oh I'll keep this... I took him in because he was going in shock from being barked at by a 50kg Rottweiler, not really knowing anything about kittens I posted here and onthecat forum, spoke with neighbours they all saw mama cat and all confirmed her as a stray, took kitty to vet and established no chip and probably was never handled by a human hence a stray! Spoke with council decided I could definitely not keep him researched a no kill foster place so that kitty could be rehabilitated and adopted. Btw I will be update on kitty's progress which is great and I would recommend little paws rescue to anyone who needs to give up/finds a cat the lady was awesomely knowledgeable and had a great set up at home. I am happy with the outcome.

I take your point though this is exactly what I did recently when I picked up a little stray dog - no collar. After doorknocking the immediate area to no avail I took her to the local vet who scanned her for a chip. Fortunately for her she had a chip but I then had to leave my details at the vet and take the dog back home and wait for the person to contact me which they didn't do until late in the day. Therefore I had to cancel my plans for the day while I waited for the person to come and pick her up. Now while I was willing to do that a lot of people would not and would think twice about even bothering to do anything further after discovering the absence of a collar. So on balance I think I will leave the collar on my dog if he is left outside whilst I am out. If he is inside though the collar will be removed.

PERFECT my point exactly!!! I'm not totally nuts for saying what I said!! :-)

No of course you are not. I wish someone would design an ID tag that does not hang down off the collar to minimise the chance of it getting caught. Something that has holes to allow the tag to be sown on to the collar perhaps? Or maybe there is something similar already available??

[WreckitWhippet]

You can buy dog collars with the name and phone number on them. I did a photoshoot for a DOLer who had one. I have a feeling it may have been a K9 Pro collar

[Purdie]

You can buy dog collars with the name and phone number on them. I did a photoshoot for a DOLer who had one. I have a feeling it may have been a K9 Pro collar

What a good idea.Our council don't issue tags anymore with registration,so you are only relying on the microchip or putting your own tag on the collar and i found they often came off the collar anyway,so i will get one of these for my next dog.

[Rainy]

Personalised Pets do the collars with names on.

http://www.petcollars.com.au/collections/dog-embroidered-collars

[OSoSwift]

boomerang tags can also be out onto a collar

http://www.boomerangtags.com/

[WreckitWhippet]

Personalised Pets do the collars with names on.

http://www.petcollars.com.au/collections/dog-embroidered-collars

That's them. I don;t know what made me think k9, maybe it was because he came up in discussion during the shoot. It was a nice collar the dog had on

[WoofnHoof]

Personalised Pets do the collars with names on.

http://www.petcollars.com.au/collections/dog-embroidered-collars

I have these for my dogs

[Purdie]

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Edited September 17, 2011 by Purdie

[WreckitWhippet]

Don't apologise on my behalf, threads where people steal the animals of others and fail to follow the applicable legislation, always end up this way

[Purdie]

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Edited September 17, 2011 by Purdie

[WreckitWhippet]

There have been plenty of animals surrendered to rescue, when they had no legal right to do so... But hey, as long as the neglected puppy or kitty is safe, that's all that matters

[Leelaa17]

Wow... Who knew there'd be such strong opinions! Im confident I did the right thing as I consulted with neighbours and a vet... Council didn't seem too fussed either, now I am sure this kitten will be well cared for.

Btw on the comment about leaving the dogs without a collar, i think that's just silly I cannot imagine how my dog could possibly strangle itself...plus there's so many options out there with all sorts of different collars and harnesses, If I saw a dog without a collar I would assume it's a stray..

I used to leave my choker chains on my dogs when they were home - I then went to a trainer for my younger dog and he was telling me how the dogs can strangle themselves - I had never heard of it or even imagined something like that could happen... they haven't worn a collar at home since.

They wear collars with tags when at dog parks and getting walks, but when at home they don't wear anything... and I sleep better at night knowing I'm not going to come home and see one of my beloved dogs hanging from a fence. That is just a horrifying thought.

You say you can't imagine how it could happen - think of choker chains, think of the little circle at each end of the chainn, think of that circle getting caught on a large nail in a fence, or on the top of a wire fence, then think of the dog falling back down and the choker chain tightening. That is how a dog can strangle itself.

and if someone looked at my dogs without a collar and assumed they were strays and just kept them... I would be mighty annoyed.

[Starkehre]

btw does anyone that has taken found dogs or cats have to pay for the vet visit? I was totally shocked that the closest vet (not my regular vet) would charge me to see if the kitty was ok and scan him for a chip, I mean who would take a pet found in the streets without a collar to get scanned if it's going to cost you $50!!! I took him to my regular vet who was more charitable and looked at the kitty without charging me.

I would just assume that ethically a vet should see an animal in distress that is brought in... I mean aren't they doctors for animals? can you imagine bringing in a baby found in the streets and a doctor saying oh sorry no can do if you don't pay??!!

I picked up a young Boxer pup (around 7 months of age) from near Nepean Hwy a few years ago. I called the council, they took our details, details of the dog and collar/rego and asked me to hold it over the weekend, (this is what our council always does, we have picked up many dogs off the street). The pup did not appear in a good way, it kept falling asleep whilst standing an sitting, so I thought it either may have been hit, was in shock or an epilept, so took it straight of to the vet. There was only one of the local vets open at the time. They charged me normal rate to check the dog including running the scanner over it, only to find it was not chipped. By memory I think they charge me $90 because it was outside normal hrs.

Luckily the council got back later that arvo with information on the owner, so I phoned them. We reunited the pup with owner once they returned from their weekend away.

Owner did not reimburse me with vet cost, which I thought a little miserable, but I took the dog off my own bat, so that was my bad luck.

I would never expect a vet to check an animal I picked up at no charge. They are running a business not a charity. Good deeds are not supposed to be rewarded. They are done out of ethics and good will.

I also have never been offered or given a reward for any dogs I have picked up off the streets and reunited with their owners, including 2 Golden Retrievers, 2 Labrador Retrievers, a Irish Wolfhound and several SWFs. Nor would I accept a reward even if offered. I say to the owners that ensuring their dogs do not get out again is reward enough for me.

We have picked up so many dogs off the roads, because I refuse to leave them wandering the streets. We have always found their owners either by way of their tags or the council has assisted us. Our council always request we hold the dogs and let us ring the owners if they have their number and we do not.

I picked up 2 Staffords on Friday that were trotting down my street. I had to cancel my plans to get them off the street. They did have phone numbers on their collars. Owner's sister came over to collect them about an hr later.

I would never assume a dog without a collar is a stray. My dogs do not wear collars in the yard. I do not believe my dogs would or could escape from here, but never say never.

Edited August 14, 2011 by dyzney

[Guest lavendergirl]

Personalised Pets do the collars with names on.

http://www.petcollars.com.au/collections/dog-embroidered-collars

Thanks for letting us know about this - I have ordered one today.

[jacqui835]

Awesome, another animal destined to be kept, rather than possibly being reunited with it's owner... but hey, it's rather typical of what goes on and I just hope that one day a treasured member of your family doesn't go missing.

I don't know. I would act one way if I found a flea infested, anemic very young kitten, and another if I found a well-fed, healthy looking animal... In fact I have found many obviously loved pets, and always taken them straight to the vet if they don't have a number I can ring on them. But if I found what would appear to be either a stray or a victim of abuse (or perhaps extremely unlikely circumstances such as being stolen and escaped - is it some sort of rare pure breed even?), well I would say I think it's been through enough and it's time to start a nice life. The last thing a tiny young kitten needs is months at the pound...

[cannibalgoldfish]

I don't know. I would act one way if I found a flea infested, anemic very young kitten, and another if I found a well-fed, healthy looking animal... In fact I have found many obviously loved pets, and always taken them straight to the vet if they don't have a number I can ring on them. But if I found what would appear to be either a stray or a victim of abuse (or perhaps extremely unlikely circumstances such as being stolen and escaped - is it some sort of rare pure breed even?), well I would say I think it's been through enough and it's time to start a nice life. The last thing a tiny young kitten needs is months at the pound...

I think what some people are trying to say is a well loved pet that goes missing can very likely look like a flea infested unhealthy stray in a very short amount of time. It may appear scared or timid because it is frightened rather than abused...

[Rainy]

Awesome, another animal destined to be kept, rather than possibly being reunited with it's owner... but hey, it's rather typical of what goes on and I just hope that one day a treasured member of your family doesn't go missing.

I don't know. I would act one way if I found a flea infested, anemic very young kitten, and another if I found a well-fed, healthy looking animal... In fact I have found many obviously loved pets, and always taken them straight to the vet if they don't have a number I can ring on them. But if I found what would appear to be either a stray or a victim of abuse (or perhaps extremely unlikely circumstances such as being stolen and escaped - is it some sort of rare pure breed even?), well I would say I think it's been through enough and it's time to start a nice life. The last thing a tiny young kitten needs is months at the pound...

This is the bit i dont understand!!! the dogs and cats are only held for a limited amount of time. If you really want to do the right thing you put your name on the animal when you hand it in and you get first call if the animal is not claimed. then go ahead and take it to a no kill shelter if you wish.