Crap, I got a stray dog in my utility room and my dog is going nutty!

[MidwestMomma]

I heard this god-awful barking outside so I went to investigate and there was a stray dog running around and barking like crazy. It's a beagle-mix and I felt sorry for it with it raining and all. Plus I thought maybe it was hurt.

So me and the neighbor rounded it up but animal control doesn't work at night so I've got to keep him until tomorrow morning.

My beagle wants like heck to go investigate as she loves all dogs but I don't know anything about the stray dog so I'm afraid to let them interact.

Am I being too paranoid?

So anyway, I think it might be a long night with the one doggie in the utility room and my doggie whining to go in there.

Dang, why am I such a softie when it comes to animals. :)

[Patiod]

1. why risk it if the stray is ill?

[karlrschneider]

2. Been there, done that. Keep them apart. Probably the most you can lose

is a good night's sleep. You don't want your doggie to 'catch' something.

[TexasSissy]

3. Keep them apart. You are to be commended, BTW, for doing

the right thing toward the stray dog. (BTW, you DO know animal control euthanizes strays, don't you? You're better off if you can get the dog into the SPCA or facility like that. They'll hold for a while, at least in my area, and try to adopt it out. And a small dog has a good chance of being adopted. They're hard to come by in the stray dog world.)

[Flaxbee]

4. I'd have done the same thing.

Total pushover when it comes to animals, but I always keep the strays separate from my babies, just because you don't know anything about the stray's health. Can you put a few rooms between the stray and your dog? Like, have the stray in the utility room but your dog in your bedroom (or a spare one) for the night so you can get some sleep?

[MidwestMomma]

5. My poor beagle is looking so dejected right now...

She doesn't have a mean bone in her body and keeps looking at me like...hey, I finally got that playmate I've been looking for...what's the problem.

I'll just keep the stray doggie in the utility room tonight and decide what to do in the morning.

The city I live in doesn't have a pound. They take the strays to a local shelter. Do most euthanize?

I have a no-kill shelter down the street from me but they will not take a stray found in my city. I did adopt my beagle down there so maybe they will cut me some slack.

I can't think of the name of where my city takes strays so I can't look it up to see if it's a no kill. Drats.

[Shanty Oilish]

6. Maybe the stray is trying to tell you something

Listen...

[Gloria]

7. I'm currently feeding two strays ....I'm a softie, too.

I peek out the window and see them eating in our foyer. As soon as it warms up enough to leave the garage door up about half way, I'm going to sneak out the garage and close the front gate to trap them in the little courtyard we have. Then I call my partner who will come and take each one to his house, where he will test their socialization. He usually works with coyote mixes, but he's been watching these guys for months, too.

The are not aggressive and animal control can't catch them, but I think I can and get them off the street, but not put down!!