Stray Dogs

A neighbor called me this morning, there were a pair of dogs after our rabbits. So out I ran (barely dressed mind you) and down to the pen. I didn't think to take anything with me (dolt!), I guess I was just intent on scaring them away. Sure enough, there were 2 dogs in the pen, at first I thought they were large Shepherds, then I realized they were medium mutts. I approached cautiously, I just wanted them out of the pen so I could close off the rabbits. There was a black and a brown, when I approached, the black one dropped to her belly and crawled over to me in complete submissiveness. She had on a collar, so I took hold of that and tried to call over the brown (who was trying to get out the back of the pen). He was determined to stay clear of me (fine by me!), so I led the black out of the pen and the brown followed her.

I shut the pen and took the black up in the yard. The poultry were out, but staying grouped together and far away from the dogs. I couldn't seem to get hold of the brown, and I didn't have a leash. So I led the black up and put her in the basement, ran and grabbed a leash, made a quick slip-knot-noose, and ran back out to get the brown. If he hadn't gotten himself trapped, I probably never would have gotten close enough to put the noose over his head. I tied him up, got another leash and tied the black up near the brown, then called animal control to come and get them.

Then I went and checked all the rabbits (all fine thank goodness). The dogs were both thin, but I don't think they've really hunted before and didn't know how to get into the cages. The gander was protecting the flock, which kept the dogs away from the poultry too.

The animal control guy probably thinks those were our dogs or something. LOL Because the girl was so friendly, I let my eldest feed her some milk-bones (which she gobbled down), and my eldest had wanted to keep her. Because they were so thin, I figured they'd either been on the run for awhile, or had been neglected by their owner. So I told the officer that I didn't think the girl would have any trouble finding a home. He said since she was wearing a collar, she probably had one, and then I told him that they were quite thin, and my theory on them being on the run for awhile. He said, they'd fatten them up again.

I don't know whether those dogs were strays or whether they had an owner. My neighbors told me they'd seen those dogs before, so they apparently came here trying to figure out how to eat my rabbits for lunch! I'm still not certain as to how they managed to get in this yard. I truly hope they can find owners that will appreciate them better.