Was at work this morning and my mum phoned to say that she had found a CKCS. Apparently she was standing on our driveway talking to the neighbour, and the little guy just ran right up to her. There was a lady walking not far behind, who said that he had followed her right the way down the road.
My mum brought him down to the vets to see if he was chipped. I have never seen anything more awful in my life
the poor guy was one big matt! He absolutely stank and his nails were so overgrown! It took me and another nurse fifteen minutes just to remove the matts from his ears! He had a bath and he still stank awful afterwards - needless to say he wasn't chipped. His teeth were disgusting, but judging by them I would say he was around 8 - 9 years old, and he was massively overweight. The poor guy was also riddled with fleas
When I went to clip the matts from around his bum, I noticed that one of his anal glands looked very swollen. When the vet looked, she found that it was full of puss, and said she could feel a growth inside, and from it's location she wouldn't be surprised if it was cancerous.
He had a collar on, but no ID tag. I was really at a loss for what to do with him. Of course I would have loved to keep him, but there was just no way I would be able to afford the type of treatment he would need, and not only that - he was clearly owned, however badly so. I really didn't want to call the RSPCA, as I'm afraid I don't have much faith in them, and the dog warden was closed as it was the weekend, not that I really liked the thought of him being in a pound either. I tried a few rescue centres, and all were full or wouldn't take him for another fortnight incase someone claimed him. In the end I took him down to the polcie station, again to no avail. Their kennels were full, and the centre who takes their dogs was closed. The police suggested I take him home, keep him for the weekend, maybe try to find his owners, and try again on Monday. So that's what I intended to do.
However when I got him home, all Max wanted to do was play, and roughly too, being the young boistress BC that he is! He didn't mean any harm, but he was just too much for the little Cav who I could see was getting quite upset.
I decided to take him for a little stroll around the streets, and see if anyone recognised him. Was just about to give up and at my last door when a young lad, looked around 17/18 came wandering over. He stopped and looked at the dog, and then said a name. The dog seemed to recognise him instantly, and certainly knew his name. I asked the boy if he knew the dog, to which he replied "yeah he's mine!"
I have to say I was slightly shocked, a dog in that state I would have expected to belong to an old person who was unable to care for him properly anymore.
I explained to the boy that he had been found wandering the streets, and told him the state that he was in. I told him what had been done, bathed, clipped, nails clipped, flea treated, and told him that he needed to see a vet urgently as he had a growth in one of his anal glands.
To be totally honest the boy didn't seem that interested, I don't know if I really had a choice by law but to hand the dog over to him, after all, he/his parents are the rightful owners, however bad. I'm now left wondering whether or not I did the right thing - I feel awful for sending him back but then I couldn't keep him with Max bullying him - but then maybe I should have until Monday
I can't stop thinking about the little man and wondering what will become of him
I will certainly be keeping an eye out for him making an appearance again!