Wandering dogs finally captured – but whose are they?

WSB lost/found pet reports are usually handled via the Pets page – but we’re showing this photo, shared by Susan via Facebook, here on the main page because we received so many calls/notes about these two yesterday, it seemed half of West Seattle had spotted them. They were reported to be wandering Admiral/Alki, and many were worried; we even heard police-scanner reports about them again this morning. Finally, Susan caught them a little while ago, and took them to the VCA Animal Hospital at 5261 California SW – where, she says, they couldn’t find chips, so their ownership remains a mystery. They’ll likely be headed to the Seattle Animal Shelter next, so if you have any idea whose they are, now that you’ve seen a photo (our listing from yesterday didn’t include one), now’s the time to come forward.

39 Replies to "Wandering dogs finally captured - but whose are they?"

  • onceachef December 6, 2010 (12:41 pm)

    Any idea on breed (look like mutts)? Size or age? The big one looks sad :(.

  • Pat December 6, 2010 (12:50 pm)

    Oh, so sad. I would love to adopt them, but my cats wouldn’t allow it. I hope this link can be shared beyond West Seattle somehow — although you’d think someone would remember where they lost their dogs! (Maybe it was someone visiting a Seattle relative, who can’t remember the neighborhood?)

    Best of luck to these pooches. At least they have each other.

  • hopey December 6, 2010 (12:58 pm)

    I hope someone will re-scan them for chips with a different wand… had it happen recently with one of my boys where two different chip-scanning wands did not detect his chip, but a third wand found it. Just a thought.

  • alki_2008 December 6, 2010 (1:07 pm)

    These dogs meandered their way south along Alki/Harbor Ave, then cut up the path (at the open space at the point) to get to California Ave…then they went down California Lane. Apparently, they did the same thing the day before (Saturday). Might be that their owners are out-of-town.
    .
    Both dogs were fearful, but especially the bigger one…which is an older, geriatric dog. The two are definitely bonded to each other though.
    .
    Hope their owners show up…or even a neighbor that recognizes them.

  • coffee December 6, 2010 (1:08 pm)

    I cannot stress how many times I see dogs roaming without their owners! I sure hope that they find their home!!!!!

  • old timer December 6, 2010 (1:31 pm)

    Are those ‘cookies’ lying on the floor?
    One for each?
    If so, they must be dismayed – to leave a cookie untouched!
    Hope thing work out for them.

  • Scar December 6, 2010 (1:46 pm)

    Find the owners before they destroy these dogs! Taking them to many Seattle shelters is like giving them a death sentence.

  • LisaM December 6, 2010 (1:55 pm)

    call the Humane Society in Bellevue and see if they will accept them, it’s a no-kill shelter!

  • drb December 6, 2010 (2:02 pm)

    We saw them on alki too and tried to coax them into our station wagon…along with a bunch of other worried people. They were so lost and disoriented it was just tragic. If the Humane Society won’t accept them call Animal Talk on Roosevelt Way..they are also a no kill shelter and we have taken several litters of feral kittens to them and they are always the largest part of our United Way donation..they never turn away animals but I’m not sure they have room enough for large dogs..but you might try.

  • Scar December 6, 2010 (2:10 pm)

    No-kill at most shelters and humane society’s means “no-kill for adoptable animals” aka a way to make people feel good about taking animals to them but they still euthanize an overhwelming majority of the animals they take. It’s important that people know this.

  • onceachef December 6, 2010 (2:21 pm)

    Also talk with the owners (I will start this) at Tails of the City in Georgetown…Elaine and Olivia…they have a lot of connections (for dogs) and might be able to help with placement if necessary.

    http://www.tailsofthecity.biz

  • sassy December 6, 2010 (2:23 pm)

    We saw them Saturday night, running down Alki Ave. close to Anchor Park.
    We pulled over, and I jumped out to call to them.
    They were in the middle of the road, and it was so dark.
    They seemed focused on moving along, and staying together.
    SO HAPPY to hear that they were found safe & sound.
    The Malamute/Shepard mix is quite large, hard to tell in the photograph.
    The other Lab mix was small in comparison.

    I so hope their owners are found, and soon. Sweet dogs, and they look so sad.

  • RP December 6, 2010 (2:28 pm)

    Thanks ‘Scar”! I was afraid everyone was actually thinking ‘no kill’ meant ‘no kill’. I found a stray dog once and contacted the Bellevue Humane Society and was told that I could leave the dog with them, however, if they had no room or if the dog was unadoptable, they would transfer him to another shelter with no guarantee of his future…”No Kill” means they won’t euthenize an animal, they let another shelter do it…

  • ad December 6, 2010 (2:42 pm)

    I think I saw the one on the left wandering on Genesee Hill in the snowy road on Nov. 23rd. I could be wrong though…

    I hope their owners are aware of them missing and that they will be reunited.

  • Elikapeka December 6, 2010 (2:46 pm)

    I’m so glad these guys were caught. I saw them on Harbor yesterday and tried to coax them to my car, but they were so scared. Animal control showed up around the same time and the last I saw them they were headed up that steep hill. Kudos to Susan, because they wouldn’t come to anybody and were running in traffic. I don’t know what you did to get them to come to you, but good job!!! I was scared to death they would get killed in traffic. I hope they find their way home soon.

  • crystal December 6, 2010 (2:48 pm)

    Im so glad someone caught these guys, we saw them running around Alki and had our dogs in the car so we couldn’t catch them!
    In answer to the first question, one looks like a lab cross and the other is a malamute cross. They both seemed like really sweet dogs and definitely were bonded with each other.
    I would also like to comment on the “no kill” discussion. You are right that it doesn’t necessarily mean strict no kill, but different shelters are better than others. I do know that the Bellevue humane society is great about only euthanizing dogs who truly are un-adoptable (due to aggression, or if their quality of life really is too low to justify living in a kennel). They put a lot of thought into it and have something like a 95%+ adoption rate, which is really good!! Many shelters though, do advertise “no kill” and have a much lower rate, so be sure to take it with a grain of salt and do some looking into a place if you need to relinquish an animal.
    Finally, this seems to be an all to common occurrence here in West Seattle. We have found quite a few dogs running around and even found one running around in the snow storm without any identification!! It is so so important to a) put identification on your dog and b) spay or neuter them!! Almost all of the dogs I have picked up (somehow I seem to be a magnet!) have lacked any identification and have been unaltered males. It is simply in their nature to escape and roam if they are not altered. Tags cost less than $5 and there are many low fee neuter clinics, please please please do these 2 little things to protect your pets!!!
    Ok, off of my soapbox now…

  • Kelly December 6, 2010 (2:57 pm)

    I’m surprised no one has recognized the dogs as belonging on their block. Perhaps these two are looking for their cat before continuing on their Incredible Journey to Canada? I hope we hear of a happy ending.

  • Raechelle December 6, 2010 (3:04 pm)

    I can’t believe that no one recognizes these dogs. Someone must live next door to them or be friends with their owner. How baffling. Can we get their picture on the news somehow, to reach more people who might know the owner? (Boy, I hope the owner is okay….kind of a scary thought..)

    If they end up being adopted, I sure hope the new owners chip them. Such sad looking little doggies. So glad they’re safe now.

    • WSB December 6, 2010 (3:13 pm)

      If the dogs are from West Seattle, no other news source has more readers/viewers *in WS* than this one. That’s why we put it on the home page. If they’re not — citywide/regional news sources check WSB frequently looking for story ideas, and if any of them are interested, they have certainly seen it by now. We’ve also sent it out via Facebook and Twitter, 13,000 aggregate friends/followers (no way to tell how many overlap with WSB’s regular readership), some of whom hopefully have shared it with their networks. And I hope everybody who’s seen it here has too – the “Share This” button on all WSB items gives you options of sending via FB, Twitter, e-mail, and a bunch of other sharing services. But your comment reminds us we should see if our informal partners at the Seattle Times might consider a link to this, to reach people outside WS … off to e-mail them about that now … TR

  • Robert December 6, 2010 (3:34 pm)

    I posted this at http://www.seattledogspot.com. I hope the owner comes forward soon.

  • Jessica December 6, 2010 (5:20 pm)

    Saw them this morning in Seaview (on 48th and 49th), where someone (maybe Susan?) was trying to get them to come to her car, but they kept heading off in the other direction–definitely scared. So glad Susan was able to get them. Like everyone else, I hope their owners come forward or that someone adopts them asap.

  • Alki Resident December 6, 2010 (6:30 pm)

    We live on Alki,they were running down the middle of the road.So many people tried to capture these two.I hope the owner is ok and not in some sort of medical trouble.I hope we get an update on the owners or if they get adopted,hopefully together,theyre definitely buddies.

  • LisaM December 6, 2010 (7:00 pm)

    Regarding the “no-kill” issue, I am a volunteer at the Humane Society and my direct experience with them is that they have a large facility, foster network and amazing volunteers! Unless the dogs have a major behavioral or health issue, they will be adopted out. I have personally seen 10-15 year old dogs who were stray or given up adopted out to loving homes.
    I have worked at other shelters and I can say with assurance that the Humane Society does their absolute best by the animals.

  • MsEvelyn December 6, 2010 (7:28 pm)

    I am so impressed by our communities concern for these two dogs! My heart goes out to them and the stress that they have been through. Whatever happens to them, I hope they are allowed to stay together. They obviously are bonded! Bless them and to the angel who rescued them…

  • cma319 December 6, 2010 (9:02 pm)

    That really is the same as the Seattle Animal Shelter, where I volunteer. The Humane Society of the US has recognized the city shelter as a model municipal shelter–I’m not sure why some posters above are badmouthing it, unless they are getting it confused with the County shelter, which has had serious problems. The dogs that are put down usually have failed a temperment test (they’re aggressive), which is the same as the Humane Society. Old Dog Haven helps us out by taking the oldest, hardest to place dogs.

    If the dogs are a bonded pair the shelter usually tries to get them adopted out together.

  • DC December 6, 2010 (9:40 pm)

    Oh they are so cute. I am so glad someone was able to get them. Thank goodness they are warm and safe off the streets. Poor pups. Hope they find their home (new or old) soon. That big one needs a hug!

  • Richelle December 7, 2010 (2:09 am)

    I have shared on Facebook and asked that anyone who lives in West Seattle or knows anyone in West Seattle to please Share as well. Hope they are claimed soon. That picture just breaks my heart.

    • WSB December 7, 2010 (2:22 am)

      Thanks – the Times did link this from their home page, and that is the widest we can cast our net. Given our geographical challenges here, they can’t have just walked themselves here from some other part of the city …

  • David December 7, 2010 (4:03 am)

    Another option for older dogs that might not be “adoptable” at most shelters is Old Dog Haven, a rescue organization that finds “retirement” homes for geriatric abandoned dogs.
    They just happen to be one of my favorite charities…
    http://www.olddoghaven.org/

  • Alki Resident December 7, 2010 (8:51 am)

    Just a thought.Someone who may never read these blogs are the homeless under the bridge.I wonder if they belong to someone down there and something happened to the owner.I had a strong vibe about this today.

  • Brian December 7, 2010 (9:32 am)

    There’s a poster for a lost dog in my neighborhood (24th & Thistle) and from what I remember the brown dog looks pretty similar.

    I will check the poster when I get off work, but that won’t be until about 10pm tonight. If someone else reading this is in that area, you can’t miss the bright orange poster tacked to a telephone pole on 24th, right before you hit Thistle…

  • Julie December 7, 2010 (10:44 am)

    Does anyone know where the dogs ended up yesterday? I don’t see them posted on the Seattle animal shelter website yet.

  • mickey mouse December 7, 2010 (7:28 pm)

    What has happened with these poor dogs? Hope they have been found by ownwers. WSB can you update?

    • WSB December 7, 2010 (7:32 pm)

      I meant to ping the VCA folks today and didn’t get a chance. Will do it now even though they probably won’t see the note till morning …. TR

  • ws mavrick December 8, 2010 (6:22 am)

    have they found the owner yet

  • Sheryl Guyon December 8, 2010 (8:35 am)

    I’m thrilled that the animals are in safe hands.

    The Seattle Animal Shelter does not euthanize animals, if they do not get adopted right away they put them ito foster homes.

    Things have changed in the past few years for the better, both in Seattle and in Bellevue. I see there is still some misinformation out there.

    Please get involved in either of these organizations – they welcome volunteers and realy need your help!

    Sheryl G

  • Snowed in December 8, 2010 (10:34 am)

    Does the large grey and white pup answer to Olivia? If so I think I might know the owner…

    • WSB December 8, 2010 (10:46 am)

      Update for anyone checking back on this comment thread, VCA had no room left that day so they went to Seattle Animal Shelter. VCA tried to get through to someone to see if they’re still there – they were still on the “hotline” as of last time it was updated, we’re told. – TR

  • KR December 13, 2010 (7:27 pm)

    Has anyone found out who these dogs belong to or have they found a home?

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