Stray German Shepherd found in Drogheda

gregers85

Hi All,

A Female German Shepherd named Amber was found today wondering loose near the N1 at Colpe cross , Drogheda. If you own or know the owners can you please PM me your contact details!

Mods please feel free to move or close if breaking any rules

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

A Female German Shepherd named Amber was found today wondering loose near the N1 at Colpe cross , Drogheda. If you own or know the owners can you please PM me your contact details!

Contact the dog warden, as any responsible dog owner will have contacted them to see if the dog had been brought in to them

What was the dog wondering about, I wonder!

gregers85

Duke Nutritious Typhoon wrote: »

Contact the dog warden, as any responsible dog owner will have contacted them to see if the dog had been brought in to them

What was the dog wondering about, I wonder!

thanks for correcting my grammar always confuse them two haha

Owners have literally just got in contact! she will be home safe n sound soon!

borderlinemeath

Ambers owners are an elderly couple who live near me. They found Amber by ringing my neighbour who in turn rang me. They wouldn't have had a clue where to start other than the pound/dog warden, which for years, was the only option available to people who lost their dogs. These days when somebody finds a dog, there's so many options before the pound/dog warden (and with good reason, the pound can be a death sentence). There's Drogheda Animal Rescue, the local vets who can scan for a microchip and/or see if the dog is on file with them, and numerous facebook pages that can help reunite lost pets.

It just shows that while technology and social media have come so far, there are members of our society who just don't have the knowledge or the means (I don't think Ambers owners have a computer, or would even know where to start if they did have computer access) so it really is vital to keep in contact with your neighbours and community when you're in need of help and assistance. Even something as simple as on a day like today when the weather is diabolical, just asking do they need anything from the shops or a newspaper to keep up to date with goings on.

BBOC

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Ambers owners are an elderly couple who live near me. They found Amber by ringing my neighbour who in turn rang me. They wouldn't have had a clue where to start other than the pound/dog warden, which for years, was the only option available to people who lost their dogs. These days when somebody finds a dog, there's so many options before the pound/dog warden (and with good reason, the pound can be a death sentence). There's Drogheda Animal Rescue, the local vets who can scan for a microchip and/or see if the dog is on file with them, and numerous facebook pages that can help reunite lost pets.

It just shows that while technology and social media have come so far, there are members of our society who just don't have the knowledge or the means (I don't think Ambers owners have a computer, or would even know where to start if they did have computer access) so it really is vital to keep in contact with your neighbours and community when you're in need of help and assistance. Even something as simple as on a day like today when the weather is diabolical, just asking do they need anything from the shops or a newspaper to keep up to date with goings on.

Great advice.

Please contact Drogheda Animal Rescue - NOT the Dog Warden.
In the meantime always try to take the animal in, to keep it safe.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

BBOC wrote: »

Great advice.

Please contact Drogheda Animal Rescue - NOT the Dog Warden.
In the meantime always try to take the animal in, to keep it safe.

I'm sorry but I cannot agree with this advice as being the only routesvpossible. (Besides the point that not all not Louth is in Drogheda )
Firstly, while some may not believe it, many people do not use social networks online. Of course it can have it's merits but it cannot be taken as an exclusive remedy? Secondly, the dog warden is a first stop for many who have lost their dogs. I have returned 4 dogs in 5 years to their owners because I contacted the dog warden, as did their owners.
To emphasise that owners should emphatically not contact the dog warden is irresponsible , in my opinion and based on my experience. It is scare mongering to suggest that a dog will be put down just because it is taken in to the care of the pound. All it takes is an enquiry to the warden and the dog is reunited with it's owner.
Let's just say there are many ways to get the word out there about a lost or found dog.

borderlinemeath

Duke Nutritious Typhoon wrote: »

I'm sorry but I cannot agree with this advice as being the only routesvpossible. (Besides the point that not all not Louth is in Drogheda )
Firstly, while some may not believe it, many people do not use social networks online. Of course it can have it's merits but it cannot be taken as an exclusive remedy? Secondly, the dog warden is a first stop for many who have lost their dogs. I have returned 4 dogs in 5 years to their owners because I contacted the dog warden, as did their owners.
To emphasise that owners should emphatically not contact the dog warden is irresponsible , in my opinion and based on my experience. It is scare mongering to suggest that a dog will be put down just because it is taken in to the care of the pound. All it takes is an enquiry to the warden and the dog is reunited with it's owner.
Let's just say there are many ways to get the word out there about a lost or found dog.

There are but...

There are many rescues. Drogheda Animal Rescue was mentioned by me because it's was a dog found in Drogheda. Had the dog been found in Dundalk then Dundalk Dog Rescue would have been the first port of call, even still DAR covers a LOT of Louth, East Meath and North Dublin.

While the first port of call is meant to be the dog warden, I have called the number on a few occasions and it rings out. Always. It's a very stretched service. Not only that there is no cover for Sundays/BHs or an out of hours service. Local rescues and networking do not work as rigidly as this. Dogs can be reunited the same day without having to stretch the services of the pound/warden.

When the pound gets stretched with people bringing in every dog that is found, the ones that are there the longest may end up getting pts. Dogs that are picked up as strays only have 5 days to be claimed from the pound. Dogs that are surrendered only have 24 hours in which to be rehomed/taken by rescues and then they are at risk of being pts. Dogs that are restricted breeds such as Amber at at a further risk as they cannot be rehomed to members of the public through most pounds, only released to their owners or rescues if they have the resources to do so.

Both the Louth and Meath pounds are fairly remote. Neither can be accessed by public transport and if an owner doesn't have a car they may have to rely on the goodwill of family or neighbours to reclaim their dog. If they don't have that option then a taxi to either is going to be very costly on top of the release/reclaim fee and possibly licence fee if the owner cannot prove the dog has one. What if they are struggling financially and cannot meet the fee, let alone the transport to get to the pound? It's a stark reality these days.

Rescues do not have these restrictions/red tape, inaccessabililty, time limitations or restricted breed conditions. They work on a voluntary basis to help animals get reunited or rehomed if no owner can be found. What if Ambers owners were away when she went missing and the person who was feeding her didn't contact the pound? She could be dead by the time they get back had she been handed to the warden and that is the reality of animal welfare these days. It's at breaking point. The only reason that the Louth pound pts rate is as low is because Dundalk Dog Rescue take as many rehomable dogs as they can out of the system and give them a second chance. DAR would do the same only they rely on volunteer fosters for their dogs as they don't have a premises to hold rescue dogs, only cats.

The system that has served you so well over the years is failing miserably these days. Statistics released by the dept. of the Environment for dogs brought to the pound (strays, seized dogs or surrenders) was 6903 dogs countrywide.
Of that 6903 dogs 4500 were PTS. . So please don't dismiss me stating that a dog going to the pound can mean a death sentence when the official figures state that 65% of dogs that go in the door of the pound don't come out the other side. Scaremongering indeed.

As it stands the pts rate for Meath pound last year was only 5% and Louth only 9%, but this is depended on the rescues working tirelessly to keep dogs out of the pounds and in Louths case DDR taking dogs from the pound and in Meaths case, Dogs in Distress taking dogs from the pound. So think twice before you hand over the next stray you find to the dog warden before contacting a rescue.

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/DogControl/

While I am in agreement that not everybody uses social media, the vast majority know somebody that does, be it a friend, neighbour, child, grandchild and this is where community comes in. I was in Allpets vet last night at 5pm when a kind member of the public brought in a dog that was weaving through traffic. By 8pm the owner had been notified through DAR and facebook. Try doing that with your dog warden that clocks off at 5pm on the dot and the pound that opens for 2 hours a day.

I put the figures in bold as I've ranted on a bit, but it's something I feel very strongly about.

Edited to add - the dog warden should be called in addition to contacting local rescues, however if at all possible the finder should hold onto the dog or hand over to a local rescue rather than the dog warden. Once the warden is notified, the legal obligation by the finder is fulfilled.

BBOC

Srameen please read the post by Borderlinmeath carefully because what he/she says is very true.

I have only had dealings with Drogheda Animal Rescue and Dundalk Dog Rescue when I have fostered dogs from both organisations and both do great work. I believe the Louth Pound figures would be a lot higher only for the fact that DDR rescue the dogs from there to prevent them being pts. I have since adopted one of my foster dogs because his previous trial adoption didn’t work out well. Not all dogs are wanted by their previous owners unfortunately, maybe because of the sad state of the country or for some other reason that I couldn’t even begin to understand.

As for the Animal Rescue Facebook sites, they are a great tool for reuniting pets with their owners even if the owners themselves don’t use a computer. I have seen posts where other people/neighbours are able to point the Volunteers of the Rescue Centres in the direction of their owners.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

BBOC wrote: »

Srameen please read the post by Borderlinmeath carefully because what he/she says is very true.

I have only had dealings with Drogheda Animal Rescue and Dundalk Dog Rescue when I have fostered dogs from both organisations and both do great work. I believe the Louth Pound figures would be a lot higher only for the fact that DDR rescue the dogs from there to prevent them being pts. I have since adopted one of my foster dogs because his previous trial adoption didn’t work out well. Not all dogs are wanted by their previous owners unfortunately, maybe because of the sad state of the country or for some other reason that I couldn’t even begin to understand.

As for the Animal Rescue Facebook sites, they are a great tool for reuniting pets with their owners even if the owners themselves don’t use a computer. I have seen posts where other people/neighbours are able to point the Volunteers of the Rescue Centres in the direction of their owners.

Look, I am not here to argue with you and agree that social networking is a very useful tool but have to stress that many people (like myself who are over a certain age) are not using such networks nor do we know neighbours who do so. I also stand by my comment regarding the dog warden because my actual experience with 4 dogs (the last as recently as September 2013) has a 100% record of reuniting dog and owner. Please do not preach to me on what I should read, as I have done so and did not say not to contact face twitter about a stray dog but to not rule out contacting the dog warden either. You can hold on to the dog after contacting the dog warden, if you wish, until the owners then make contact.
I care passionately about animals and spent over 40 years of my working life protecting wildlife, so I do not advocate killing any animal and have never caused such by my finding the owners of lost dogs via the dog warden. Use whatever means you wish but I at least know my process has a 100% record and you will never convince me otherwise.

borderlinemeath

Duke Nutritious Typhoon wrote: »

Look, I am not here to argue with you and agree that social networking is a very useful tool but have to stress that many people (like myself who are over a certain age) are not using such networks nor do we know neighbours who do so. I also stand by my comment regarding the dog warden because my actual experience with 4 dogs (the last as recently as September 2013) has a 100% record of reuniting dog and owner. Please do not preach to me on what I should read, as I have done so and did not say not to contact face twitter about a stray dog but to not rule out contacting the dog warden either. You can hold on to the dog after contacting the dog warden, if you wish, until the owners then make contact.
I care passionately about animals and spent over 40 years of my working life protecting wildlife, so I do not advocate killing any animal and have never caused such by my finding the owners of lost dogs via the dog warden. Use whatever means you wish but I at least know my process has a 100% record and you will never convince me otherwise.

Do you agree though that the pound is not a safe haven for strays given the official pts rate of 65% in 2012? Do you agree it's not scaremongering to suggest that if a dog ends up in the pound that it's survival rate greatly decreases? That is where the dog ends up if the warden takes the dog, like it or not. You may be willing to hold onto the dog, but there's plenty that can't or won't and will not be aware of the consequences of their actions.

BBOC

Srameen, I'm not here to argue with you either and I'm very happy that your experience with the Dog Warden has been 100% good. I personally prefer to go the Animal Rescue route.

BTW just for the record I'm an OAP.

Have a lovely day tomorrow and I hope there will be a lot less stray dogs in 2014.