Dog on road, what would you do?

[jhu]

It's 3:00 AM and you're driving on a country road when you see a dog. You stop and the dog seems friendly. Do you drive away or take the dog and call the owner?

 

[*kjm]

It's 3:00 AM and you're driving on a country road when you see a dog. You stop and the dog seems friendly. Do you drive away or take the dog and call the owner?

Take the dog to the shelter let them deal with someone dumb enough to have a dog out at 3AM.

 

[Platypus]

I'd look for identification on the dog and try to contact the owner, in the absence of this information I would call a non-kill shelter so they can shelter the dog and check it for microchips for identification that I don't have tools to look for.

That is what I would hope someone would do if they found my dog.

 

[SlitheryDee]

If it has an ID collar with a phone number I'd call it. If not, I'd move on.

 

[AstroManLuca]

This exact thing happened to me last summer. Country road, it wasn't 3 am but it was nighttime. This dog was just standing in the road and didn't even get out of the way when I approached. I pulled over, turned on the flashers, and checked his collar. Called the number and the owner came out to pick him up.

Turns out he was one of two hunting dogs this guy owned. They were out taking a walk when they came across a coyote. The coyote bolted and the dogs both freaked out and ran away. He had been driving around for over an hour looking for them. Was so happy to know that at least one of them was safe.

You never know why a dog is out on its own. If it has identification, there's no excuse to not at least try to contact the owner. If that dog hadn't had ID, I'm not sure what I would have done. I wouldn't have been able to keep him at my place since we already have a dog and you can't just throw another one in the house like that. I guess if the dog was completely without a collar, I'd just let him go, but I'm not sure what the right thing would be to do in that situation.

 

[rivan]

Any dog that's friendly enough that I can catch them, I pick up and do my best to get them home.

 

[TwiceOver]

3am country road? Leave it. It'll find its way home. My vehicle isn't made to haul a dog and something tells me a farmer doesn't want a call at 3am just to let him know his dog is roaming around.

 

[Anubis]

dont stop, drive around the dog and do absoutly nothing

 

[ch33zw1z]

It's a trap.

 

[clamum]

dont stop, drive around the dog and do absoutly nothing

This.

 

[vi edit]

3am country road? Leave it. It'll find its way home. My vehicle isn't made to haul a dog and something tells me a farmer doesn't want a call at 3am just to let him know his dog is roaming around.

Pretty much this. Only animal I stop for is the random cow or horse that gets out. Then I would try and find an owner to round them up.

 

[TwiceOver]

Pretty much this. Only animal I stop for is the random cow or horse that gets out. Then I would try and find an owner to round them up.

A buddy of mine didn't stop for a horse once... Totaled his car. The farmer tried to small claim him and his insurance for destruction of private property, but he didn't have a sign posted that animals might be crossing the road (no fence) so my buddy won.

 

[blackdogdeek]

I'd look for identification on the dog and try to contact the owner, in the absence of this information I would call a non-kill shelter so they can shelter the dog and check it for microchips for identification that I don't have tools to look for.

That is what I would hope someone would do if they found my dog.

I would do this.

 

[LTC8K6]

3am? What fool stops at 3am for a dog?

Maybe these guys?

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/1/2/9/2237921.jpg

 

[olds]

Unless the dog is injured, I keep going. Dog knows where he is going.

 

[Humpy]

Stop and get the dog if there is no danger.

In the city I'll rarely stop as I'm always afraid I'll just chase the dog into traffic and witness the splatter.

 

[KeithTalent]

I'd look for identification on the dog and try to contact the owner, in the absence of this information I would call a non-kill shelter so they can shelter the dog and check it for microchips for identification that I don't have tools to look for.

That is what I would hope someone would do if they found my dog.

100% this.

KT

 

[NetWareHead]

A buddy of mine didn't stop for a horse once... Totaled his car. The farmer tried to small claim him and his insurance for destruction of private property, but he didn't have a sign posted that animals might be crossing the road (no fence) so my buddy won.

What if your buddy counter-sued the farmer for letting the horse out and pose a hazard to passing traffic?

 

[TwiceOver]

What if your buddy counter-sued the farmer for letting the horse out and pose a hazard to passing traffic?

He was drunk, so it probably wouldn't have gone well.

 

[kalrith]

Many dogs in the country roam free, so I'd just assume he's one of those and drive on.

I live in the country and don't let my dogs roam free. I put "INDOOR DOG" on my dogs' tags, so hopefully if they ever get loose, someone will notice that and call me. I wouldn't expect a car to stop at 3:00 AM though.

 

[SithSolo1]

dont stop, drive around the dog and do absoutly nothing

this times every situation in which a dog is found, unharmed, in or around the road.

 

[marvdmartian]

Oh, sure, the "friendly" hitchhiking dog! Until he does this!! D:

 

[Number1]

I have done it before. Picked up a dog off the highway and took it home so it would not get run over. We found the owner the next day.

 

[Fern]

Take the dog to the shelter let them deal with someone dumb enough to have a dog out at 3AM.

Dogs in the country often roam around at night. There's no reason they shouldn't unless they go over to somebody else's place and bark too much or get into the chicken coop etc.

Many dogs, when left outside, will hang out at your house. In the country, dogs are used for protection, your property included. The dog isn't much use sleeping in your bedroom when somebody comes to steal your livestock or eqiup out of your barn or outbuilding. Also, hard for it to protect your livestock from predators if not outside.

Fern

 

[Fern]

It's 3:00 AM and you're driving on a country road when you see a dog. You stop and the dog seems friendly. Do you drive away or take the dog and call the owner?

I don't stop. I just go slow enough to make sure I don't hit it. It'll go home when it feels like it.

Fern