27/01/2022
Street dogs and owners and Welfares
We have recently had a blow up again regarding a "vagrant" (forgive the term) and his dog (in this case a Pitbull). This dog and owner are known to at least 3 welfares in various areas, which is in line with their transient lifestyle. The dog has been sterilized through a welfare, microchipped and vaccinated by the welfare and the chip is registered to the welfare. The reason for this is quite simple, the welfare has a consistent phone number so should anything ever happen to the owner or the dog and he is scanned, the welfare will be contacted and can assist and intervene. Transient lifestyles often lead to various cell number changes so it would not make sense to register a chip to a number that won't be in service all the time.
Now, comment was made why would you adopt a dog to a homeless person, firstly no welfare will do this however there is such a thing as Outreach. Now Outreach entails engaging with owners of animals either on the street or in a distressed income state, ensuring that animals are fed, vetted if needed and owners educated on proper care. This typically will include sterilization and microchip registered to the welfare (see reason for this above) This is more often done with great success. And when it's not successful other interventions are considered.
So then the question or plea comes just remove the dog!!!! To what end? Most of these owners and dogs are bonded, the dog often the owners only real unjudgemental company, the dogs are often exceptionally close to owners. It's traumatic for dog and owner when people forcibly remove them, unless you have seen a street dog forced into a home or shelter and go ballistic you can't understand the impact.
Some do adjust, most don't.
Also, where would they go? Welfares are full, shelters are full. So the next step is to euthanize, because there's so few fosters and homes ready to take an unknown animal from the street. And guess what happens then, next week there is a new dog and the process starts all over again.
So have a conversation, observe the demeanor of the dog and person, is the dog in a severely neglected condition (bear in mind that these animals do live on the street, they may have fly strike, fleas, be dusty) so it's about are they injured, severely underweight, dehydrated etc. If not offer some food and water for the Animal if you can, generally most street dog owners are grateful for the food and water for their pets. If it's a regular maybe buy a flea treatment, sponsor a vac, help keep them healthy.
Have a few welfare numbers saved so that if there is a genuine concern you can call someone to ask, take a photo so we can see what we are dealing with.
And don't assume just because it's a "vagrant" with a dog it must be stolen, must be saved and must be removed. In welfare we worry less about the ones we can see, it's the ones we can't that are hidden that really keep us awake at night.
Welfares have it rough right now more than ever, so get involved, help us educate, help us feed, help us maintain these dogs.
