Lost Dogs

In my childhood, you were not obliged to keep dogs on leads except near flocks of sheep.

Our dogs happily trotted off for walks by themselves or in company with one of our cats and they knew their way home.

I suspect that now, dogs are not so observant of the way home, when they are on a lead, accompanied by a human.

A more earthy solution is if they were males, that there is a bitch in season somewhere nearby. It's the right time of year after all.

It's very rare to see a dog off a lead here it's a good job. We are steps away from an old railway turned into woodland walks and cycle pathways that stretches for miles. We did have two dogs homes close by but they closed begining of COVID and never to open again. We did have local warden but I think that service is finished now too. We do however have local Nextdoor community site. I have to say it's excellent if an animal has gone missing. Neighbours do pull together and physically do look around the area.

I don’t know if it’s happening more often or whether because of social media we’re just hearing about it more.

There are many more dogs, of that I’m certain, and many of them are off-lead. Someone in my rural area recently lost their blind dog in a forest - it was off lead. I don’t know if it was ever found.

Other dogs have been found dead, drowned in the river, or caught by their collar/harness in undergrowth. What a horrible death for a poor creature. ?

Not always lost but stolen Coastpath.
Recently 3 sausage dogs were stolen from a house near me.
The thieves make money selling them and breeding.
Sadly another trend is when owners don't want them anymore, instead of taking them to a rehoming centre they take them out in the car open the door and shove them out. Poor dogs are left wandering the streets and motorways.

Thank you for your replies. The owners of the dogs we found this week were very pleased and relieved when they got them back. I imagine they were fearing their dogs had been stolen or would be injured. I remember years ago when dogs just pottered around by themselves, but the roads were definitely not so busy then.

I don't like to think of what the dogs feel when the car drives away without them Sharon103. Too sad.

There is a special place in Hell for people who abandon puppies/dogs bought during the pandemic and now "surplus to requirements".
Some are ending up as bait in organised dog fighting groups. Others are being sold on PreLoved. Others are abandoned far from their initial homes.
Sometimes, humans are vile.

I was told that when trying to rehome my daughter's dog.
A woman messaged and begged me to find a rescue for her, as people would take her as bait.

I'd had a message from a young woman with a child, who seemed to be over keen and not safety conscious at all, and I was starting to feel uneasy about it, but i had no idea dog fighting was so prevalent.

There are far more (too many?) dogs around now and many owned by people who probably don't have the time, willingness, ability to train or tp properly care for them. Add that to the intentionally unpleasant: unscrupulous breeders, dog fight organisers, dog thieves etc. and it is no wonder we see and hear more about lost /missing/ hurt dogs.

I know dogs can be great companions and help with lonliness, well-being and do become full family members BUT if there was a high cost licence, compulsory registration/microchip etc etc.. it might reduce the influx of dogs and neglect/crimes associated with dogs.

Micro chipping is compulsory and if you find a dog a vet will scan it to find it’s details.
There are more dogs, I agree. I do know that my old girl has been my best friend and comfort through some hard times over the last few years. Would be beside myself if she got lost/ stolen.

Illegal breeders cut the microchip id tags out, hence many abandoned dogs are bitches who have been stolen, used for breeding and then deliberately abandoned when their breeding days are over. No tag, so they can’t be reunited with their original owners. It’s heartbreaking.

Sharon103, one of the best dogs we ever shared our lives with was thrown out of a moving car, on the road outside our local shelter. On Christmas Eve. He came to us six weeks later, still skin abs bone, every rib showing. He vomited in the car on the way home, no surprise there. He had awful gastric problems for some time, feared men and ran to hide if my husband tried to encourage him into the garden before bed but he’d go out with me.
He stole food off plates snd surfaces at first. He became a lovely family member, happy and uncomplicated.
Yes PECs too many dogs, far too many untrained dogs left for long periods alone - thrm encouraged to sleep with their owners
Anyway enough grumbling about dogs ??