When I lived in Spartanburg I had a neighbor whose dogs wandered in my horse pasture and were either killed on the spot by the horse or chased out of the pasture. If the dog ticked me off by chasing me while working a horse in the round pen, the animal control officer was called in. She/he would have a discussion with the owners of the dog and warned the dog would be taken in. 99 % of the time the owners relinquished the dog and brought a puppy home within a few weeks. They were a constant problem.
Then the house was sold and the new owners had a pitbull who quickly learned to stay off my property, and was usually kept in the house. This was a well-loved pet who was a friendly social dog who was never a problem on my property. He read my body language and knew to keep away from me. The owners usually kept to themselves, and one day when I came home I thought the house had an empty look. The dog sat on the porch and wagged his tail as I did my chores. He looked very proud to be a dog on his porch. (The house was only a 100 yards from my barn.)
For three days I noticed the dog on the porch. He politely wagged his tail at me, and I began to suspect he had been abandoned. On the fourth day he was gone and I figured the owners came for the dog. Two days later the dog appeared in my front yard. He was haggard and exhausted. He saw me, assumed a submissive gesture, and came crawling on his belly to me. He whimpered and whined as he tried to tell me his plight. I understood and invited the dog on the porch and gave him food and water. He was very appreciative and assumed guard duty on my porch.
With great reluctance I called animal control. They came and the dog greeted them with a happy face and wagging tail. Very polite as always, he allowed them to place a leash on his neck, and happily followed the woman to the truck. He balked at going in the cage in the back of the truck. He looked over his shoulder at me. I felt awful and took a step toward him.
"Let him ride in the front," I said. "He'll ride beside you."
She opened the front door and the dog happily jumped in. The last I saw of him he was grinning from the front seat next to the officer.
We all know what happened to this dog, and I will never forget how this dog came crawling to me for help. I felt I had failed him but I had to consider my dogs and my animals. Keeping them safe and healthy were my responsibility, and I was just not able to keep another dog.
At least I did not leave him to fend for himself.
