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Lost Dog
updated: Jul 17, 2012, 11:03 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

We have an abandoned dog on our street, that apparently has been on the loose since Friday. She also appears to have been injured. She runs away whenever you try to approach her. The Carpinteria Animal Control knows about the dog and has responded to multiple calls but hasn't been able to get her. She keeps coming back to our yard, which is on the corner by the freeway and I think she may have been left here.

Does anyone have a suggestion of an organization that I can call that will invest some time in getting this sweet injured dog some help?

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 298428	2012-07-17 11:16 AM
You could put out a bowl of water and some food to help her out and even gain her trust enough to let you get close and put a lead on her so Animal Control, or whoever, can take her to get some attention. Since she keeps returning to your yard you seem to be in a prime position to do the most to help.
COMMENT 298432P	2012-07-17 11:21 AM
I would call Care4Paws. I think they are involved with another organization that helps critters receive medical attention that their owners (who have fallen on hard times, etc) can't afford. http://care4paws.org/ Email: info@care4paws.org Tel: 805.968.CARE (2273) Fax: 805.456.2095 Good luck!! Thanks for opening your eyes to the critters in our world that are in need and not just the humans!!
COMMENT 298437P	2012-07-17 11:27 AM
This is yet one more problem with the City of Carp failing to either contract with County Animal Services, or provide their OWN animal shelter and services. Really a shame
COMMENT 298438	2012-07-17 11:27 AM
I am surprised the first though was not the SB Humane Society, exclusively devoted to this type of animal care. Please call them and learn about their good works for animals in this town and their excellent boarding facilities too. They are there for you and your animals all the time.
COMMENT 298440	2012-07-17 11:30 AM
After 4th of July, it's likely this animal ran from its owners home. Post a found ad (here and CL) and let Animal Control know about it. Somebody's probably looking for it.
COMMENT 298443	2012-07-17 11:35 AM
Put a post on craiglist too. All the resue orgs check there I bet it will attract volunteers out to find it. Try and get a photo of the dog. Information on lost/found dogs, licenses, etc.: SB County Animal Services Santa Barbara Animal Shelter 5473 Overpass Road, Santa Barbara 805-681-5285
COMMENT 298444P	2012-07-17 11:37 AM
You should never try to put a lead on an injured dog yourself. Especially one who runs when you get close. Anything can happen no matter how sweet the dog appears. Being restrained suddenly is very frightening for a fearful injured dog. This needs to be handled by professionals. It would be better to put out food to try to lure her into a secure yard then call animal control. Have you spoken to all the neighbors ? You can also call the lost pet hotline. Perhaps she wasn't dumped and has been lost for a while. It's sad but many people give up looking for their pets after a couple weeks assuming the worst. I agree Care 4 Paws would be a great resource for you to contact.
JUST FOR NOW	2012-07-17 11:39 AM
There are volunteer rescue groups for nearly every breed of dog out there. They are usually pretty easy to locate through a simple Google search. You might want to try reaching out to one of these groups directly, as they are usually able to provide medical care and probably re-home the dog in a stable and loving environment. Shelters, although they serve a necessary role, can be a very traumatizing experience for a dog, especially when injured.
COMMENT 298447	2012-07-17 11:42 AM
OP here. Thanks for the suggestions. I have put out food and water, and am now in contact with a local animal clinic who is also trying to help. We have some plans going now that will hopefully lead to success. She is so frightened of people; it's at times like this I wish I could speak dog.
COMMENT 298449	2012-07-17 11:51 AM
You might not speak dog but Laura Stinchfield does. She lives in Ojai and is an animal communicator. (805) 895-5968 Maybe she can re-assure the dog that you guys are friend not foe. Good luck.
COMMENT 298453	2012-07-17 12:00 PM
Just For Now: I think the local shelter would have an injured dog go into foster care. At least that's what they do with some of the other animals (the bunnies, namely). Try to get it into a confined space where it'd be easier to catch, then call AC. Or try calling some of the local places (DAWG, K9 Pals, Care4Paws, etc) & see what suggestions they have. I'm guessing they'll have better ideas than a group of random people on the internet.
COMMENT 298456	2012-07-17 12:04 PM
DAWG on Overpass in Goleta, they are great!
COMMENT 298472	2012-07-17 12:33 PM
Please update us, OP, for future reference for those of us who may find ourselves in a similar circumstance. I always carry a leash and treats in my car and have rescued numerous dogs just in my regular travels around town. If you can lure her in with food and water, maybe into a car or yard, you can contain her for the experts to tend to. Good Luck!! I would hope that if my dog was lost, some good soul would help her.
COMMENT 298475	2012-07-17 12:43 PM
Instead of paying up to $8 per person per year to SB County Animal Control for their help, Carpenteria has their own Animal Control officer (like SB City) and pays local vets to board strays that are found in the City limits. They like what they have and don't see any reason to change it. Their AC officer has already responded to this situation and that is a good sign. The local rescue groups are stretching their budgets to provide medical care for the animals in their shelter. K-9 Pals at the county shelter is spending up to $12,000/month to provide special food and vet care for the shelter dogs there. But since the groups (DAWG, C4P, HS) all love dogs, they will try their best to help this stray if they can. If it ends up at the County shelter, K-9 Pals will be the group that provides the care for this pup.
COMMENT 298487	2012-07-17 01:04 PM
Any idea what type of dog? Lab, hound, chihuahua type? There are a lot of rescue groups in the area but often specialize in certain dogs.
S.B.RON	2012-07-17 01:40 PM
@298438. This kind of situation is not within the scope of the Santa Barbara Humane Society's services. They take "owner turn in" pets for adoption and offer low-cost spay/neuter/vaccines as well. They do not come out and trap strays.
COMMENT 298504	2012-07-17 01:41 PM
@444P & 472 You are right about not trying to leash a strange dog, especially one that is frightened/injured. That said, I, like 472 , have picked up at least 10 "on-the-run" dogs, over the years. It takes a lot of patience. Worst part of it is SOMETIMES finding out the owners are stupid. Saying things like "Oh, he would have come home on his own" (this said of a small dog miles from home and found right next to a freeway onramp). First thing you should have done, aside from calling Carp Animal Control (dropped ball, Carp AC!), was to advertise online & put up brightly colored posters. SB News-Press will place a FREE found ad for five days & renew it free. Calling the after-hours county pet lost & found hotline--- great suggestion. I would have called Carp Mayor and asked why Animal Control wasn't trying to get this dog. They do have live traps, don't they?
COMMENT 298528	2012-07-17 02:32 PM
One of our volunteers who lives in Carpinteria is working with Animal Medical Clinic and Dr. Smith to try to catch the dog. They are close and hope to have her captured tonight. She needs medical care asap. Apparently, she was abandoned at her house by her owners and is scared of the world. Isabelle C.A.R.E.4Paws
COMMENT 298542	2012-07-17 02:50 PM
Thank you Isabelle, and your volunteer, Animal Medical Clinic, and Dr. Smith for your hard work, and willingness to help this poor dog. And thanks for letting the rest of us know that he/she will be in capable hands.
COMMENT 298548	2012-07-17 03:07 PM
Laura Stinchfield can also be reached by her e-mail. Which is laura at thepetpschic dot com Laura, if given the specifics and where the lost dog is and be able to quiet it down. Good luck
COMMENT 298573P	2012-07-17 03:55 PM
Is there any description of this dog? I was just in Summerland and saw a lost dog ad posted; I think it was a white, female pit mix.... just a shot in the dark.
COMMENT 298580P	2012-07-17 04:04 PM
DOGMOM is right--a friend consulted a animal communicator when her dog jumped out of her car while she'd parked for a few moments at her mechanics, scared by a loud noise. He was on the loose in Santa Maria (he'd never been there before) for almost a week. The communicator could visualize a street, a trailer park, the dog's whereabouts (hiding in shrubbery by day) etc. The elderly folks in the park were putting out water and food but Lou would not them come near (he was trained never to go with strangers) My friend was able to find the neighborhood and ultimately her Mr Lou, from the communicator's description of colors of buildings, surroundings, etc.
COMMENT 298677	2012-07-17 07:49 PM
Carp doesn't kennel their lost dogs at the shelter anymore?! Any one know?
COMMENT 298778	2012-07-18 08:38 AM
Their strays go to local vets who board them until the owners can come get them. This saves the Carpenteria residents a drive out to Goleta to get their dogs. I don't know what happens if no one ever comes to get them- maybe then they end up at the County shelter.
COMMENT 298779P	2012-07-18 08:40 AM
The Humane Society only takes owner surrenders - not strays. DAWG is only supposed to take dogs they pull from shelters SBCounty shelters take 100% of the strays in their jurisdictions. Various groups, like Care4Paws and K9pals will help with specific dog needs from the shelter or rescue community, but are not a part of the shelters. Carp does it on their own. Thanks for trying to help.
COMMENT 298855	2012-07-18 11:04 AM
Were they successful in catching the dog?
ANIMALLISTNER	2012-07-18 11:45 AM
Have a local Vet use a little ACE in some wet doggy food. Works great! Keep us posted. ART, Inc.
COMMENT 299390	2012-07-19 12:37 PM
This poor dog still hasn't been caught and it's so sad to see her so lost & scared. I know several people are trying different things to catch her but we need some professional help, it's almost been a week and she needs to get some medical assistance. She's exhausted and probably getting dehydrated and walks with a little limp but it might be because she's on the run and her pads are sore. She's (maybe it's a he) is a white dog with brown markings, greyhound style build, with no collar if you know anyone missing a dog. She seems to stay within a 6-8 block radius and is good about staying off the streets. I have contact Carpinteria Animal Control and they're no help.
COMMENT 300774	2012-07-24 09:32 AM
So, the City of Carpinteria does in fact have a contract with a local veterinarian, who just so happens to be the Medical Director of CARE 4 Paws. They do NOT take owner turn in's, but are always happy to help a stray! They did get involved and arranged for the capture of that poor stray dog from up at the industrial park area, with the aid of a CARE 4 PAWS board member and Animal Control. She (the stray) already has a home and will be reunited with her sibling, who was caught 5 days prior. The sister was treated for injuries at CARE hospital and is already at her new home, doing well, and waiting for her sister!!! Thank You to all the CARING and WONDERFUL people who helped out.

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