On Your Head Be It

lurchin along

Driving along on the Cork Road(N8) one day and to my horror I saw a dog hit by a car on the other side of the road.I brought my camel to a screeching halt and grabbed one of the slip leads I keep on the passenger seat.
Dodging the traffic like a matador I scoot over to the dog which is huddled on the verge with blood all over its mouth and chest.
It came toward me when I called would you believe although it didn't want to cross the road with me-fortunately it was a small sheepdog cross and within my weightlifting limit-so with a resigned sigh for the death of my new beige suit I carried it to the car and transported it to the nearest vet.
Injuries weren't serious and treatable so that was done.
I then contacted the dog warden who told me I MUST hand it in to him as it was a stray(He lied - you MAY lawfully hold onto a stray if you report it to the nearest gard barracks)but neither he nor the local SPCA showed any interest in reimbursing me for the vet's bill I had paid.
No wonder people drive past injured animals...
That would't stop ME from stopping again but I can think of a lot of people who'd drive on for that reason alone.

kerrysgold

poor little dog, at least you saved her though! idiot dog warden though, can just imagine the poor injured dog lying in a cold pound where is she now?

lurchin along

She went to the Kilkenny/Carlow shelter as the DW told me I HAD to hand her in(all I contacted him for was to report finding her so if the owner was looking for her they'd be able to tell them where she was)
I followed up to see if the owner had come forward but no.
He lied again when he told me her pic was going into the Kkny People that week...
Has ANYONE had a GOOD experience of these wardens?
My impression is that they've failed the intelligence/integrity test to be traffic wardens so they end up in this job instead!

jameshayes

pretty sad state of affairs. Just like many other sectors in this country - dog wardens need to be privatised.

Just a note to anyone reading this and is in the situation - you should be very careful with an animal in this state they can become highly aggressive - just like a human would. Remember they can’t tell you where it hurts so best thing is to muzzle them. You can use a cloth, a tie or even a scarf

Owen

Fair play OP, if only more could follow your example!

lurchin along

Good point James.When you lift a hurt dog you're bringing it awfully close to your face and throat.I have been bitten on occassion by terrified dogs(never badly enough to put me off) and always when I first reach for them.You've got to get your hands on them to improvise a muzzle...
I picked up another RTA dog not long after this one,an elderly spaniel whose injuries were so bad that it had to be euthanised(it was wearing collar and tag so at least it didn't go on MY vet's bill)
By the time I got to it quite a crowd had gathered and to my horror they were all just STANDING there watching this poor creature screaming in a pool of blood,one leg hanging by a piece of skin,pelvis broken and trying to drag itself away.
What touched me in particular about this dog was that he stopped screaming THE SECOND I scooped him up and tried to lick my face...
Why though does it ALWAYS happen when I'm wearing something that will be permanently ruined by blood stains?

dollydishmop

On a similar note, a friend of mine picked up a dog off the side of the road after an RTA...and the vet he took it to refused to treat it until the owner had been found, despite my friend saying he'd cover the bill if no onwer came forward.

jameshayes

dollydishmop wrote: »

On a similar note, a friend of mine picked up a dog off the side of the road after an RTA...and the vet he took it to refused to treat it until the owner had been found, despite my friend saying he'd cover the bill if no onwer came forward.

Well there's a vet thats in the profession for the money not the animals!