Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Unbelievable.
Sometime during the day yesterday someone tied up a small mixed breed dog to our fence. No note. No food. No id tags. Nothing. Just a helpless dog alone and abandoned. This happens a lot, but we always tell ourselves that it was probably some Good Samaritan who found the dog and wanted to "do the right thing" by bringing it to the SPCA. We don't like to think of the alternative...a owner dumping their pet in this bizarre way rather than choosing one of so many alternatives for rehoming him or her.Well...today, someone called the clinic and asked about the dog. She had left it there, but now she wanted him back.
"East Bay SPCA, this is Rachel, can I help you?"
"Hello?"
"Yes, are you the one that abandoned your dog yesterday?"
"Ah yes, but I have a home for her now, so can I come get her?"
"Why did you leave her tied up alone?"
"I was moving and had to get rid of her."
"But why did you tie her up and leave her?"
"I didn't know if it would cost anything to leave her so I just left her."
"Well, abandoning an animal on private property is illegal."
"I didn't abandon her...I left her at the SPCA."
"That is still abandoning her. I will not give her back to you."
"Why not?"
"Because you have already proven yourself an irresponsible pet owner and I could be held liable for negligence if I knowingly put her back in this situation. We will take her to the animal control department in Oakland."
"Doesn't it make a difference that I am calling now to get her back? It isn't like I dumped in her the ghetto. I'm willing to pay a fine."
"No. She could have been hit by a car, stolen, hurt, attacked by a loose animal after she was tied up, so you put her at risk the moment you left her."
"Are you not going to give her back for personal reasons?"
"I don't even know you so it couldn't be personal."
"I mean, is this a procedure or are you just doing this to me?"
"Yes, it is our procedure to take all stray and abandoned animals to the city animal control department."
"Will they give me my dog back?"
"I don't know. You will have to talk to them. She'll be there tomorrow."
"Are you in charge there?"
"Yes I am and my name is Rachel."
"Can I have the number for animal control"
"Sure."
"Thanks."
"Good bye"
Unbelievable.
