Very Worried About Dog That I Found

[Kitt]

Hi all,

Please move this thread if it should be elsewhere.

I'm feeling worried about a dog that I found yesterday, wandering along a very busy main road. It looked like a cattle dog cross; desexed male with collar but no tag. I have a permanent medical condition that prevents me from driving, so I couldn't take the dog to a vet to check for a microchip. Also, for various reasons, I was unable to get anyone else to drive me to a vet (I realise now I could've taken him to a vet in a cab, so I do feel bad about that).

I took him home. Neither the RSPCA nor the council had any record of a missing dog matching his description. I was unable to keep the dog here over the weekend, so the council sent someone to get him.

The lady that came to get him was in a van that said "Lost dogs' home". After the dog was taken, I looked up LDH on the net. My understanding is that they are where all lost dogs in Brisbane get taken. Some things I read online (including here on DOL) concerned me, so I'm worried about the outcome. (Admin please delete my previous sentence if it's a concern.)

I suppose I'm wondering if LDH will check for a chip? I'm aware that I could phone them and ask, but I thought some DOLers might have some info or experience. I had never heard of the LDH in Brisbane - so maybe not everyone knows that they exist? If the owner phoned council or RSPCA searching for the lost dog, would the council or RSPCA advise the owner to check with LDH? Or would they just say "No we don't have him"?

I guess that what I'm worried about is that the owner won't know where to look. So hopefully LDH check for microchips, and RSPCA and council advise owners to check with LDH for missing dogs? It would be great if anyone could let me know if that is or isn't what happens.

Thanks,

Kitt.

[Weasels]

I thought it was specifically the Melbourne LDH that people were concerned about the kill rate? Never heard anything either way about Brisbane (but of course I'm not local, so could be way off)

[Sheridan]

I think they'll be obliged to check for a chip and to keep him for whatever days the law allows for lost dogs.

[Guest Ams]

LDH Bne do check for chips and will contact owners but they still building relationships with rescue organisations. It's a bit hit and miss at the moment for some rescues being able to get dogs released to them. LDH Bne seems to have a similar policy to Logan Pound and the dogs have to pass the standard temperament test before released even to rescue and as we all know a lot of dogs don't pass temp tests in pound situations as they are way too stressed.

It's too early yet to make an informed decision as to whether LDH Bne will follow in the footsteps of LDH Vic.

You can always ring the BCC and RSPCA yourself and advise them of the details of the dog you found. Also if you have a FB account you can post details of the dog you have found and ask people to share, that seems to be having a lot of success. Be aware in Qld that unchipped dogs get 3 days to be claimed.

You can also list on Queensland Lost Pet Register on FB. This page is run by volunteers via Red Collar Rescue.

[Kitt]

I thought it was specifically the Melbourne LDH that people were concerned about the kill rate? Never heard anything either way about Brisbane (but of course I'm not local, so could be way off)

Yeah, that was the main impression that I got, but I wasn't certain.

I think they'll be obliged to check for a chip and to keep him for whatever days the law allows for lost dogs.

Thanks Sheridan.

LDH Bne do check for chips and will contact owners but they still building relationships with rescue organisations. It's a bit hit and miss at the moment for some rescues being able to get dogs released to them. LDH Bne seems to have a similar policy to Logan Pound and the dogs have to pass the standard temperament test before released even to rescue and as we all know a lot of dogs don't pass temp tests in pound situations as they are way too stressed.

It's too early yet to make an informed decision as to whether LDH Bne will follow in the footsteps of LDH Vic.

You can always ring the BCC and RSPCA yourself and advise them of the details of the dog you found. Also if you have a FB account you can post details of the dog you have found and ask people to share, that seems to be having a lot of success. Be aware in Qld that unchipped dogs get 3 days to be claimed.

You can also list on Queensland Lost Pet Register on FB. This page is run by volunteers via Red Collar Rescue.

Thanks for the info, Ams. Yep as I mentioned, I gave the BCC and RSPCA very detailed descriptions of the dog, so hopefully that will be helpful if the owner phones either of them.

Thanks all for your replies. :)

[mita]

It's too early yet to make an informed decision as to whether LDH Bne will follow in the footsteps of LDH Vic.

Good advice you gave that answered the OP's main question.

Bit O/T but I have concerns about brochures & request for money donations sent to me by the Lost Dogs' Home as now-operators of the Brisbane pounds.

Seems this went to all people whose dogs are registered with the Brisbane City Council. And that the awarding of the Brisbane pound contract to LDH is a fairly recent thing.

First, the donations had to be sent to the LDH's Victorian address, which seems to blur boundaries between their operations.

Second, the brochure complained about how expensive it was, now that the LDH has other pounds to run (well, why did they seek the Brisbane contract?).

Third, nothing seemed to refer to any policies....like aims to expand ID'ing dogs, or aims to preserve lives of healthy. rehomeable dogs.

I have no idea how much autonomy those who run the Brisbane operation will have. But this material featured a large photograph of the Victorian man who runs the LDH.

In fact, I'm sending off this material to the Brisbane City Council to ask what it's all about.

Edited March 18, 2012 by mita

[Kitt]

It's too early yet to make an informed decision as to whether LDH Bne will follow in the footsteps of LDH Vic.

Good advice you gave that answered the OP's main question.

Bit O/T but I have concerns about brochures & request for money donations sent to me by the Lost Dogs' Home as now-operators of the Brisbane pounds.

Seems this went to all people whose dogs are registered with the Brisbane City Council. And that the awarding of the Brisbane pound contract to LDH is a fairly recent thing.

First, the donations had to be sent to the LDH's Victorian address, which seems to blur boundaries between their operations.

Second, the brochure complained about how expensive it was, now that the LDH has other pounds to run (well, why did they seek the Brisbane contract?).

Third, nothing seemed to refer to any policies....like aims to expand ID'ing dogs, or aims to preserve lives of healthy. rehomeable dogs.

I have no idea how much autonomy those who run the Brisbane operation will have. But this material featured a large photograph of the Victorian man who runs the LDH.

In fact, I'm sending off this material to the Brisbane City Council to ask what it's all about.

This is interesting, thanks Mita. That (the bolded bit) is what I was concerned about.

And I was also concerned about the fact that many people probably don't know that LDH exists in Brisbane, and I'm hoping that RSPCA and BCC will direct owners of lost dogs to the LDH. Does anyone know if RSPCA do that? Or will they just say "Nope we don't have that dog"?

[Guest Ams]

RSPCA will definitely refer people to look at other pounds and facilities. They don't take stray dogs anymore unless they require medical intervention.

[mita]

[This is interesting, thanks Mita. That (the bolded bit) is what I was concerned about.

And I was also concerned about the fact that many people probably don't know that LDH exists in Brisbane, and I'm hoping that RSPCA and BCC will direct owners of lost dogs to the LDH. Does anyone know if RSPCA do that? Or will they just say "Nope we don't have that dog"?

I sure didn't know the LDH exists in Brisbane until I got that brochure requesting donations. We're life members of both AWL Qld & RSPCA Qld & get their newsletters. There's been no mention of LDH in them. Nothing in the regular Brisbane City Council newsletters either.

No mention on the Annual BCC Registration form for one of our dogs recently. Where will the $40 registration fee go to, now that the LDH has the pound contract? And why is the LDH asking for donations on top of that?

The brochure hasn't made me any wiser about how people will find them, in Brisbane (will they still be listed as Pounds under the Council or will they be listed separately as LDH Brisbane?).

Edited March 18, 2012 by mita

[Guest Ams]

Mita they have simply taken over the two Brisbane Pounds at Warra and Willawong so the locations have not changed at all. You can still ring the BCC and they will forward the call to the pounds during business hours.

[Kitt]

Mita they have simply taken over the two Brisbane Pounds at Warra and Willawong so the locations have not changed at all. You can still ring the BCC and they will forward the call to the pounds during business hours.

Good to know. Thanks Ams.

[Whippetsmum]

Kitt,

You've given your lost friend his best chance of his family finding him safe and well. His chances on a busy road could have been very grim, and you've saved him from being hit, maimed or killed. Don't try and second guess yourself, you've done everything you can.

[Kitt]

Kitt,

You've given your lost friend his best chance of his family finding him safe and well. His chances on a busy road could have been very grim, and you've saved him from being hit, maimed or killed. Don't try and second guess yourself, you've done everything you can.

Thanks Whippetsmum :) I do tend to worry about these things