Shelter Seeks Owner of Lost, Injured Dog

The is looking for the owner of a lost, tan Shiba Inu that was found Nov. 17 in Maryland.

A woman found the dog running in traffic in Oxon Hill, Md., then drove the dog to her place of employment in Alexandria, left the dog in her car for five hours, then brought the dog into Fairfax County shelter.

The dog was sent to Hayfield Animal Hospital for treatment and returned to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter later the same day, but is still injured and receiving supportive care at the shelter.

The orange dog, wearing a black nylon collar with no tags was caked in mud, had wounds and was limping when he came to the shelter that day. The woman who found the dog told authorities she believed the dog had been struck by a car.

"Many people believe they are helping a lost pet by taking it to any animal shelter,” said Dr. Karen Diviney, director of the county shelter. “However, it is imperative that citizens who find a lost animal take it to the animal control facility where the animal was found. It could make the difference between the pet’s owner being found or not."

If a lost pet is found and is driven far from its home jurisdiction, the chance of the pet being reunited with its owner is diminished.

The dog is being housed at the shelter on extended stray hold, as the mandatory holding period to allow time for owners to claim lost dogs expired Monday.

The Fairfax County Animal Shelter encourages citizens who find a lost pet to:

• Note the exact location where the animal is found.
• Call the local police ask them to send the local animal control to pick up the animal. This will give the owner a greater probability of finding the dog if it is kept locally in the owner’s home jurisdiction.
• If a personal travelling is not aware of the local police number or local animal control, dial 911 and explain that you have found a lost animal, tell them your location and ask for assistance from the local animal control. If traveling on a major highway, it helps to have a mile marker or if on a smaller route, provide a landmark to aid police or animal control in locating you.
• Leave all identification on the dog (collars, tags, dog licenses, etc.). This is how local animal shelters reunite pets with their owners.
• If an animal is injured, call animal control locally or drive the animal to a local veterinary clinic. Police dispatch or 411 may be able to assist you in finding a local vet clinic if you are not familiar with the area.
• Do not drive the animal out of the jurisdiction in which you found it. This decreases the chances of the pet being reunited with its owner.

For more information, call the Fairfax County Animal Shelter at 703-830-1100.