Remember the lost English Setter that found us??

[minisaremighty]

After 7 1/2 months!!!! The guy lives just down the street!

He never even really looked for the dog because the lock to his enclosure was broken and he thought one of the many transients he has been having problems with on his property stole the dog (the collar was left behind). He did call the Humane Society once, but kept telling them the wrong BREED. DUH. It's a SETTER and he kept calling it a spaniel. Two entirely different looking dogs. He never looked in the paper to see my "found" ad and never looked at the Humane Society website where the picture was posted for a couple weeks. We did call everyone on the street except them (we didn't have their number), but one of their next door neighbors said they would contact them and find out if it was his (but they didn't think it was as they'd never seen any dogs there). Guess they didn't??

Anyhow, I was satisfied with his explanation (I've known all along it had better have been a good one or the dog was NOT going back). We (he and us) haven't decided what to do. He got another dog. He actually saw him last week when driving by and has been hesitant to call because he saw the kids playing with him. He doesn't want to break their hearts. I told him we would be ok with him going back if it was ok for the girls to visit once in a while (that portion made the girls OK with him going home as they have bonded bigtime with him).

I'm planning on leaving it up to him (at this point anyway) and I don't think I'm going to ask if he can stay. He sounded like he could go either way. But he wasn't sure about having two large dogs (his new one is a lab/retriever mix). He did mention that the dog had been in an enclosure. THAT concerns me a bit, so I might have to ask him about it before I decide. Buddy (as we have been calling him, Gunner is his original name, and we've started calling him that), goes bonkers when confined to our 40x25 courtyard (which isn't often anymore, we've made changes to the main gate so he doesn't have to be in the courtyard hardly at all). He seems neurotic when he's confined, pacing, barking, pacing, barking, doesn't relax at all. I'd would feel guilty if I let him go back to spend 10 hrs a day in an enclosure (that's based on how long the guy is at work and ASSUMING he would be out of the enclosure in the evenings

). Here he has 3 full acres at his disposal and he roams freely all day every day.

I just want what is the best for the dog, so I'm hoping some divine intervention comes into play and he ends up in the best situation for HIM. Here's a pic of Gunner (seems a bit of a silly name to me for and english setter, I picture a dobie or rottie when I hear the name Gunner! LOL!). He sorta seems to remember it, not as well as Buddy though.

 

[Robin1]

After 7 1/2 months the dog would be going nowhere. Here in Arizona the dog is concidered yours after a month. Which I find some what amusing as the shelter only needs to hold them 3 days before they are put up for adoption.

You did all the right things, it has been 7 1/2 months, and he has another dog. That is your daughters dog now.

Robin

 

[minisaremighty]

Here in Arizona the dog is concidered yours after a month.  Robin

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Here is it 90 days, but I spoke to an Animal Control officer out of curiosty yesterday before speaking with the guy who owned the dog. He said that even with the 90 day thing, if the guy can PROVE it's his dog, we have to return it. Unless the dog was turned into the Humane Society and then adopted out (it takes 7 days), the dog will never really be considered "ours." Nice huh? I know he can prove it. He seems to be a nice enough guy and we really were not intending to add a dog to the family at the time and if we were we wouldn't have picked that breed. To me, he's just been a friendly visitor, I've never really considered him OUR dog the way he came to us, but he's sweet as can be and I've just enjoyed spending time with him.

My girls are fickle.

They may be bonded with him, but when I told them if he went back and they could visit him from time to time, they were HAPPY with that. They didn't seem to mind if he was gone all the time as long as it came with the option of seeing him. I think it was the fear of never seeing him again that upset them the most.

We'll have to wait and see what happens. I think we'll be speaking tomorrow evening maybe.

 

[minimama]

I just wanted to throw in here that Setters were bred to hunt so Gunner does actually make sense, as he would have been bred to be under a gun while out hunting.

Keep us all posted on the outcome. Very good of your daughters to be so mature about teh whole thing too.

 

[Miniv]

Go with your heart, Kathy. You sound a bit hesitant and he sounds rather wishy washy. So, go with your "gut" (heart) . The right answer for "Buddy" will happen.

MA

 

[minisaremighty]

Go with your heart, Kathy.  You sound a bit hesitant and he sounds rather wishy washy. So, go with your "gut" (heart) .  The right answer for "Buddy" will happen.
MA

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I'm trying to Maryann. But I'll tell ya, it's difficult to determine what "I" from what's best for the dog.

I think it will all work out, just not sure what that means!

 

[lilhorseladie]

He is such a regal looking animal. What wonderful eyes and he looks like he is in love with your girl. I hope that the right thing is for him to stay where he is.

 

[Magic]

He's a beautiful dog. I hope that he will be happy, (and you too) however it turns out. Good luck!

 

[CAM]

I never heard the original story but he sure is a cute little guy and sure looks happy in the photo. Looks like he's found his home.

 

[minisaremighty]

Well, Buddy (Gunner) has gone home!

I feel very good about the whole thing. I think it was the right thing. The man (Mike) was soooooooo nice. Not this weekend, but the next, I'm taking my daughter to visit Buddy (it's just down the street on 80 acres). He didn't ask for the dog back, he said that he couldn't in good conscience do that. I called him back and told him I couldn't in good conscience keep him! It was soooo apparent how much he loved the dog. We liked him a lot (and my one daughter loved him), but he really never was part of the family. Always felt like he was just a visitor we were caring for under the circumstances in which he came here. Jess was there to meet Mike and was ok, she saw that Buddy remembered him and was sooooooo excited to see him. Mike offered more than once to pay for the vet bills we incurred and to compensate us for our time. I refused. I felt so bad that he lived soooooo close and we didn't figure it out. I did tell him my concerns about keeping him in an enclosure that is small. He said he is planning to build a much larger (like a 1/2 acre) enclosure for him this weekend. I was happy to hear that.

Told the girls to NEVER bring home a stray dog again! LOL! If they do, they will be going door to door within a 2 mile radius with the dog until they find it's home.

I will sleep well tonight.

I feel very good about our decision.

 

[lilhorseladie]

What a Happy and Sad Story. It breaks my heart as you have a great loss, but it warms my heart to know that he found his home. What a story and what a wonderful thing you have done.