Steelhead said it years ago. Once in a while it gets driven home again.
I have been seeing a beautiful young German Shepard around work for about a month. Dark rich mahogany and black. But obviously malnourished, and a collar which appears too tight.
Today it was hanging out on the street near our worksite. As I passed in the car, it fell in behind and followed for a block.
I unlocked the gate to our yard and was there a couple hours. When I went to leave and lock the gate, I saw the dog inside our yard.
He would not let me approach. Trying to haze him/her toward the gate was like trying to herd an elk. I called the City Cops for Ordinance Enforcement. It rang through to Malhuer County dispatch. "We have no ordinance officer. I have no Officer available. We will not respond unless the dog is aggressive."
I told them: If I lock this gate, the dog is locked inside the fence from Noon Fri till 7:00 AM Mon with no food and water.
"We suggest you chase him out."
Just across the driveway from our gate is an animal shelter. It is the contracted city and county pound. They could not take control of the dog without paperwork from the cops. Even though it has been feeding on their property for a month. The cops refused to give authorization over the phone for them to take the dog.
If it were not for the dratted city limits thing and a firearms discharge, I would have come home and got a rifle and put the poor skinny thing out of its misery. Well that and dealing with my new young female vegan, can't kill a mouse or a pigeon on the property, plant supervisor.
Later this afternoon, I was able to round up enough help to chase his skinny little butt out the gate. But he will be back next week.
It looks to be a persistent problem with no easy solution.
Damn people who dump or abandon their responsibilities.
