GSD...Dumped or Lost? - Paw Talk

DirtySouthChins · #1 07-19-2004, 05:40 AM

About a week ago the dog catcher for security found a pure breed GSD on one of the bases here. The dog had a collar and tags, the rabies tag was an american tag and was traced back to a vet clinic in Florida. Come to found out it was an Italian man that owned this dog and according to the vet who recalls this dog, this man loved his GSD very much and that it just wouldn't make sense for him to dump the dog especially after bringing it back over here to Italy. Well for the past week the dog catcher has contacted every local vet in the area and still not a trace on this person or any records of the dog being in the country (Italy). So with having no place to keep this dog, the dog catcher took him home. Upon getting him home she discovered that this poor dog was covered in ticks around the ears and neck, upon treating him with frontline and such the ticks did fall off, but now he appears to have several soars and open wounds around his ears. The dog catcher called us this morning and asked for our help because one of her pitbulls is attacking the GSD and apparantly the GSD is so sweet that even the dog catcher's cat attacks him.....The GSD is almost 2 years old and is current on his shots, but not neutered, so Darren and I have agreed to pick him up later this afternoon and bring him home to see how he does around our dogs in hopes of finding him a good home. The search will continue to find the owner, but if there is no luck then the GSD will go to a new family that can love him as he should be.
I personally think the GSD was dumped only because he was on the base with american tags UGH!!!! I will be sure to post pictures of him when we get him, as I will take some as soon as he arrives in our home as I do with all of our foster's.
We will give the information to our favorite vet Dr.Friz and let her use her contacts in hopes of finding the owner, if she can find the owner then we will know whether or not the dog was dumped or lost. If the dog was dumped then hopefully the owner will relinquish his rights without any problems, and if not then the polizia will be called. I really hate situations like this, because now it may take awhile to figure out what is going on and if the dog can be adopted out, ect.....
Okay I'm done just wanted to share yet another story, will have pictures later on today.

Chrisanne · #2 07-19-2004, 11:11 AM

awwww poor baby. I agree Kim, sounds to me like he was dumped. But why would someone spend the time and money to get him back there then dump him.

Personally, I hope the owner is not found so he can be adopted into a loving family. I can't wait to see pictures.

capnsweets · #3 07-19-2004, 11:12 AM

Awww poor thing. I just cannot believe how people dump their pets. Growing up our pets were always part of our families, but I know not everyone was raised like that but to just dump them? UGH.

DirtySouthChins · #4 07-19-2004, 04:14 PM

Update.... The GSD is now here and things aren't looking good for him. What the dog catcher told us was soars is appearing to be the onset of leishmaniasis, Dr. Friz did a quick test at the vet's and the result was a slight positive so we inturn took the remaining blood that was drawn to a lab out in town which will take 48 hours for results. If the lab shows a positive result then the poor guy known as "Zeus" will most likely have to be put to sleep as there is no cure for this disease

... Currently Zeus is isolated, he will be spending his days on our patio off the living room and his nights (before dusk) in the hallway bathroom. He must be brought in at night, because that is when sand flies are most active from dusk to dawn. Sand Flies are what carries the leishmaniasis disease. For those of you that have never heard of this, you can go here to read a little about it. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no5/reithinger.htm
or
http://www.showdogsupersite.com/leishmaniasis.html
there are many sites out there these are just 2 to give you an idea.
I have taken some photo's of Zeus and one of them shows the back of his ears where Dr.Friz believes the sand flies are burring in.

P.S. if the test comes back positive we will believe that Zeus was dumped because of this and it's sad, because the owner should have done what was right for the animal.

**Scarlette** · #5 07-19-2004, 05:24 PM

I don't see why someone would spend the money to have him shipped to Italy just to dump him. Plus, he had his collar and tags on. It seems like if he were dumped then the person would have at least removed the collar and tags so no one could track him down and "bother" him about the dog.

In any case, I hope the poor dog's test results come back ok and that he doesn't have to be put to sleep. He's very handsome.

dappledoxie · #6 07-19-2004, 05:24 PM

Poor baby and boy what a gorgeous shepherd!

lixx · #7 07-19-2004, 05:52 PM

Poor Zeus! I would take him in a heartbeat! I hope that the test is negetive!

Chinchilla_Girl · #8 07-19-2004, 06:26 PM

OMG! He's Gorgeous! Looking at his eyes, you can tell the love for people he has. I agree with Scarlette, if he were dumped, I would think his collar and tags would have been removed...he may just be lost. I hope the test comes back negative and the owner is found and worried about him. Keeping fingers crossed for good outcomes

veggiegirl · #9 07-19-2004, 06:33 PM

How sad.

I hope the tests come back negative. He's a beautiful dog.

Chrisanne · #10 07-19-2004, 06:45 PM

What a beauty for sure. I'd love to take him in. Poor guy.

I pray his tests come back negative.

**kittygurl823** · #11 07-19-2004, 07:13 PM

Ohh Kim!

That is so awful!

Poor Zeus, he is so adorable. I hope his tests come back negative.

Jodi · #12 07-19-2004, 07:14 PM

Man, what a sad story.

Poor little buddy. Give him a big nose kiss from me.

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed about the test.....

DirtySouthChins · #13 07-20-2004, 04:01 AM

Thank you all, and Zeus says thank you too..... It's not uncommon to find dogs around here with collars and tags still on that have been dumped. Itailians don't have the tags like we do back in the states, so if it is the case that he was dumped because of his possible disease it makes sense for the owner to dump him near the base, knowing he would be picked up. Dr.Friz looked into it yesterday and still nothing on the owner. It's been well over a week now, and IMO if the dog was lost you would think the owner would have been posting a flyer, contacting local vets, ect.... to find Zeus. I don't know it baffles me, and we are just praying his tests show to be negative.
? for you GSD owners how old do you think Zeus is from those photo's ? We think it is possible that his tags may have been switched as well, only because the vet in florida said that this dog is "Zeus" and is said to be 2 years old and his last recorded weight was 90 pounds (and that was about a year ago), and Zeus doesn't look either of those.

pihlaja · #14 07-20-2004, 04:50 AM

He looks like at one time he may have been a 90-pound dog at one time, but at the moment I would say around 75'ish?

The vet in Florida didn't give you a name? I know when I got Gerona's rabies shot, on her file is my name also. And I guess they also have no records of him importing the dog into Italy? With my cats, the vets had to fill out a USDA form which they took a sheet of and the rest had to be stamped by the USDA office.

It seems very strange to me, too, that if he is Zeus for him to be dumped once he arrived in Italy. It's VERY costly to bring pets overseas (at least it was for me) and after spending over $400 just to bring two cats to Finland, I'd hate to imagine what it would have been for a GSD.

However, I do think you have a point, Kim, when you said that if the tests do come back positive that leismaniasis could have very well been the reason for him being dumped. My thoughts are with Zeus and you and I really do hope that things turn out for the best.

puppylove103 · #15 07-20-2004, 05:47 AM

Oh poor baby

Sending good thoughts Zeus's way