On Monday night we found a stray female mixed breed roaming around without a collar or tags. She looks like a Chow/Boxer mix or a a Chow/Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix? Here is the kicker - She is also in heat! :yikes: We couldn't leave her out there like that, so we took her in and put her on our second level enclosed deck.
We've been trying to find her owner ever since, or at least someone who will take her. First, we called animal control. Apparently, they are on vacation until the 6th. The police officer I talked to recommended that we just turn her loose! :yikes:
Obviously we weren't going to do that. So we called the county animal shelter. They said they would put her down after 72 hours. Next, we called the SPCA. They would give her 5 days.
We made flyers and posted them in the area, placed an ad on petfinder, and reported her as found to the shelters. Her owner has not claimed her yet. We've contacted every rescue in the area and they are all full. So now we are thinking about trying to get a rescue to sponsor her, to pay for her vet bills, until we can rehome her ourselves. Right now, it is tough though. Kai has not been neutered yet (we are responsible with him, but we wanted to wait until he matures to neuter him) so she can't be in the house. It is supposed to get into the 30s at night this weekend, so I am worried that it will be too cold for her. We put a plastic crate out there for her, but that is the only protection she has from the elements. Do you guys think it will be too cold for her outside? I thought about crating her inside, but she also has diarrhea, so that could make a real mess. Besides, her scent drives Kai wild.
I am taking her to the vet this afternoon for a checkup and to scan for a microchip. But I doubt she has one, since her owner allowed her to get free with no collar or tags while in heat!
It's just awful, because we really aren't prepared to take on another dog, especially a female in heat. But the alternative is to send her to her likely death... and we just can't do that. We are not even supposed to have more than one dog... hopefully our landlord will be understanding until we can rehome her. I want to try to get her spayed as soon as possible so that we can bring her in... there is also the possibility that she is already pregnant. Would she still be bleeding if she were? How will we know when her heat cycle is over?
Any advice or encouragement would be appreciated.
And of course, here she is:
She is a real sweetheart. She very friendly, smart, and she knows how to sit.
We've been trying to find her owner ever since, or at least someone who will take her. First, we called animal control. Apparently, they are on vacation until the 6th. The police officer I talked to recommended that we just turn her loose! :yikes:
Obviously we weren't going to do that. So we called the county animal shelter. They said they would put her down after 72 hours. Next, we called the SPCA. They would give her 5 days.
We made flyers and posted them in the area, placed an ad on petfinder, and reported her as found to the shelters. Her owner has not claimed her yet. We've contacted every rescue in the area and they are all full. So now we are thinking about trying to get a rescue to sponsor her, to pay for her vet bills, until we can rehome her ourselves. Right now, it is tough though. Kai has not been neutered yet (we are responsible with him, but we wanted to wait until he matures to neuter him) so she can't be in the house. It is supposed to get into the 30s at night this weekend, so I am worried that it will be too cold for her. We put a plastic crate out there for her, but that is the only protection she has from the elements. Do you guys think it will be too cold for her outside? I thought about crating her inside, but she also has diarrhea, so that could make a real mess. Besides, her scent drives Kai wild.
I am taking her to the vet this afternoon for a checkup and to scan for a microchip. But I doubt she has one, since her owner allowed her to get free with no collar or tags while in heat!
It's just awful, because we really aren't prepared to take on another dog, especially a female in heat. But the alternative is to send her to her likely death... and we just can't do that. We are not even supposed to have more than one dog... hopefully our landlord will be understanding until we can rehome her. I want to try to get her spayed as soon as possible so that we can bring her in... there is also the possibility that she is already pregnant. Would she still be bleeding if she were? How will we know when her heat cycle is over?
Any advice or encouragement would be appreciated.
And of course, here she is:
She is a real sweetheart. She very friendly, smart, and she knows how to sit.
