Heeessss Baaacccckkkk

[ruth]

We had a stray beagle show up a few weeks ago. He didn't look particularly starved or anything and after a couple of days here, he had settled in with our pack of dogs. But we had put out the word that we had found a stray beagle/hunting dog and we had someone who asked if they could have him - said they needed an extra hunting dog. So they came and picked up the beagle we had begun calling "Butler".

Well Butler showed back up today looking really skinny and hungry. We don't know if the hunter that took him did the same thing the original owner/hunter did - that is, to dump their dogs at the end of hunting season - or if Butler ran away and found his way "home".

Here he is when he first showed up:

And here he is today - our other dogs ran to greet him like they were old friends - guess we have to keep him now:

 

[little horse]

hes lovely, you can see were he"s lost alot of weight, i am glad he found his way back to you and a forever home. good luck to him and thankyou for giving him a home.

 

[coloradochick]

Hooray for Butler!! He knew where "home" was and nobody was going to stop him from getting there. Good for you Ruth!!

 

[ruth]

He has lost a lot of weight and it makes me really mad. It's bad enough how the hunters around here treat these dogs and just dump them at the end of the season but the man who took him is the husband of the lady that works for us and we were assured that he took care of his dogs all year - that they stayed at his "hunting camp" and someone fed them. Well obviously no one fed this dog. He's only been gone about three weeks and shows up starved and skinny. My husband thinks the man used him for hunting season and then brought him back here and dumped him. I don't think he did because he knows we know he had him and would probably just call him if the dog showed up and asked him what happened.

I truly think Butler took off during a hunting trip and nosed his way back here and has been going without food the whole time.

 

[imfowl]

A good beagle costs anywhere from $1200 to $1500. I cant imagine someone just "dumping" him off. I think he may just run off during a hunt, or maybe he is a deer runner. If they get off on a deer, they can run for miles and be hard to find. Since this is the second time he has showed up at your house, it is likely that he remembered that you fed and housed him, and found his way back after the hunter cuoldn't catch him. If this is the case, he still could make a good pet, but is probaly not a good rabbit dog. If you or someone else keeps him as a pet, please make sure he is neutered so he can't pass those genes on. Just my opinion from past experience, but I have seen beagles get lost this way many of times. I have two that are still out right now that got on a bobcat Sunday.

 

[Cara]

imfowl is right, many hounds end up in shelters just because they ran off, not because they were dumped. At this time of year it doesn't take much for a dog to look that poor. Our stud dog got scrawny just from pacing the house for a week because we had a grump in heat! Running and sleeping outside in the cold they'll lose condition fast.

 

[ruth]

Unfortunately there are a lot of poor people in this area. Most of the land is owned by land-wealthy/mineral-rights wealthy descendants of the original Spanish Land Grant folk and own many thousands of acres which are leased out for hunting at big bucks and there are expensive hunting "camps" that are mansions but that's the big dollar side of hunting. They don't use dogs because they have baited fields that are maintained all year with heated stands where they just wait and shoot.

The poor black folk around here use dogs and they keep lots of them. At the end of hunting season they take the tags off the dogs they no longer want and turn them loose. When I first started asking around and putting up signs about the dog, the locals just laughed at me and said "If he doesn't have a tag, he isn't lost, someone dumped him. By the end of hunting season the area is full of stray beagles without tags." Apparently the good dogs or expensive dogs have tags and the hunter ethic is to call the guy if you find his dog.

This dog is old, has a small growth on its belly, and has a back leg that seems to come out of joint. And since I put signs up at the only places in town and no one claimed him, I'm quite sure he was dumped.

However, I do believe he remembered the kindness and food he was given here and returned as soon as he could get away. He will go for a vet check up and neutering right away just like all the other stray dogs and cats we have that have shown up here.

 

[Skyesrocket]

Bless your heart for taking him in. He clearly knows where he wants to live and he is so lucky that you are keeping him.

 

[CityClucks]

You are a good person, ruth.

 

[jacyjones]

That dog should thank his lucky stars he found you! He will enjoy a comfortable retirement now and I hope you have good times together! He looks really sweet.