Joe,
Sounds like the same pooch that was seen Saturday morning by a couple
of people, thought to be a pit mix. It's too bad he/she is still on
the streets, and interesting he is still in the same location since
Saturday. I hope he doesn't get hurt on the street or wind up in
abusive hands. If you (or anyone) see him again and you want to help
him you could...
1) offer food and water and see how close he'll come to you; 2) if
he's friendly, try to secure him with spare leash or strong rope or
belt, and keep food handy for positive reinforcement; 3) take him to
either VHUP ER or PAWS clinic (Grays Ferry) and have them check for a
microchip ID; 4) if no ID you can either house him and attempt to
locate the owner yourself (by contacting both ACCT/PSPCA and Morris
Refuge shelters and giving them a 'found dog' report) or find someone
willing to foster, OR 5) you could drive him to Animal Control (ACCT/
PSPCA) in north Philly. (If you call them for pick-up it might take a
couple of days.) If you do take him to ACCT they'll ask you if you'd
be willing to foster him if no one turns up to claim within 2 to 3
days. After that period in the shelter anything goes. fyi, a fairly
high percentage of dogs at ACCT are rescued pits. Not sure if Morris
Refuge takes pits - you could call their adoption coordinator to
discuss (http://www.morrisanimalrefuge.org/). The lost and found
coordinator at ACCT/PSPCA is: [email protected] (http://pspca.org/static/search.php?q=lost
).
Stray/lost dogs that have been outside for a bit are often scared/
untrusting and won't allow you to approach, may bark or growl if they
feel threatened. So one needs to be cautious.
When I captured the (large) dog we have now I followed her and
cornered her in a dead-end alley, keeping a safe distance. She
definitely felt threatened and barked (not growled) if I got too
close. I very gradually gained her trust after offering food...
Fortunately, she had a collar and a cut off leash still attached, so
it was easier to grab her when I felt it was safe to do so. As soon
as I got hold of her she was fine and walked without hesitation. I
took a risk, but I couldn't ignore her.
Can anyone else contribute their experience here? -linda
On Sep 12, 2011, at 4:50 PM, Joe Clarke wrote:
This morning I saw a pit bull wandering around 48th & Kingsessing.
It look a little lost and perhaps older. I looked around and didn't
see anyone who might be its owner. What does one do in that
situation?
Joe Clarke
