Our town bum has a new dog

[Problem Child]

I live in a small town. Less than 25,000 people, and we have a town bum. We probably have more than one, but this bum is the one everyone knows about. He's probably in his mid fifties, but looks seventy-five. He has long silver greasy hair and a scraggly beard. He walks huched over and shuffles along in tiny steps, but moves pretty quickly for a bum. His clothes are stained and torn, and he wears old tennis shoes with no socks and no laces in the shoes.

He's a crazy old coot. He talks to himself outloud in stores. He goes on about this "motherfuckercocksucker" and how the special sauce is soaking his brain and his duck feet can make him swim across the jello lake. He's nuts. He dives into dumpsters and collects bottles and cans, for money to stay alive I suppose.

Today I was in the auto parts store, and this stinky old bastard brushes past me and buys several packages of candy and pays with change. Mumbling to himself the whole time. I followed him outside and watched as he fed the candy to a little puppy he has tied up to the inside of a shopping cart. The puppy was tied with a one-foot-long piece of cord. There was nothing to keep him off the steel grate of the shopping cart. You could see where he had been shitting through the steel mesh.

I wanted to go over to this crazy old fucker and tell him he wasn't allowed to have a dog. I wanted to tell him that the dog's well-being was more important than him having a pet.

I didn't though, and but I wish I would have. I guess I was too busy trying to take care of my business to help out a little dog. I'm going to be looking for that old man next time I go to town.

He'd better not be sleeping or passed out if he wants to keep that dog.

 

[amelia]

awww..that's sweet...

it made me teary...poor little puppy dog

*edited to say..it's not sweet that he has a dog..it's sweet that you care about the dog's well-being

 

[Bindii]

PC is there an animal welfare agency in your town? A quick call to them would probably sort out the problem.

 

[roxie]

PC is there an animal welfare agency in your town? A quick call to them would probably sort out the problem.

Or maybe even a call (I hate to say it) to animal control. They may be able to take the dog and make sure it's taken care of properly.

 

[morninggirl5]

i can't believe none of you are concerned about the human being PC described. Small town or not, there's got to be some help available for him.

 

[miles]

He's not a bum, he's an urban outdoorsman.

 

[ExLimey]

i can't believe none of you are concerned about the human being PC described. Small town or not, there's got to be some help available for him.

I agree with you to a point. However, this dog has no control over it's life. Now this bum (urban outdoorsman to use Miles moniker) may be nuts enough that he has no control over his lifestyle either. But the dog has zero control and probably deserves better than candy to eat (chocolate is poisonous to dogs but PC wasn't specific about what candy he was getting).

 

[roxie]

i can't believe none of you are concerned about the human being PC described. Small town or not, there's got to be some help available for him.

I agree with you completely, but how do you help someone who won't help themselves?

 

[Problem Child]

i can't believe none of you are concerned about the human being PC described. Small town or not, there's got to be some help available for him.

I'm sure lots of people have tried to help him, he's been around forever and everyone knows about him. He's not new at the bum game...he's been down and out for years. I occasionally see him wearing new clothes that people must give to him. I have never seen him with the dog before.

I just can't see that dog ending up anyway but dead if Mr. Bum keeps feeding him milk duds and starbursts.

 

[Bindii]

Or maybe even a call (I hate to say it) to animal control. They may be able to take the dog and make sure it's taken care of properly.

Yes as the dog is a puppy they should be able to find it a home, it will need help fast though as it sounds like its not getting its nutritional needs met - crucial for a pup.

i can't believe none of you are concerned about the human being PC described. Small town or not, there's got to be some help available for him.

I'm concerned, but nobody can force him to get help. For all we know he is happy living this way, we may not see it as an appropriate lifestyle but who are we to judge. He obviously has some disorder and may be content with this lifestyle. I am sure that he has been offered help before by welfare agency's.....
And the puppy cannot ask for help!

 

[RudeNastyAssBitch]

Buy A Huge Ass Bag Of Doggie Food And A Leash With Coller

And Leave It In His Cart In The Middle Of The Night!

It'll Feed Him And His New Woofie.

Crazy Urban Outdoorsmen Need Friends Too!

Imagine Sleeping Outside With The Rest Of Those People, Stealing Your Stuff While Yer Sleeping, Perhaps Even Trying To Kill You.

A Dog Sounds Like A Good Friend To Have Under Those Conditions.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Re: Buy A Huge Ass Bag Of Doggie Food And A Leash With Coller

And Leave It In His Cart In The Middle Of The Night!

It'll Feed Him And His New Woofie.

Crazy Urban Outdoorsmen Need Friends Too!

Imagine Sleeping Outside With The Rest Of Those People, Stealing Your Stuff While Yer Sleeping, Perhaps Even Trying To Kill You.

A Dog Sounds Like A Good Friend To Have Under Those Conditions.

Yes, but that won't solve other living condition problems that the dog has. One foot of moving space for a puppy is not enough, they're growing animals and need freedom to run and move. You also have the fact that fecal matter is not sanitary, even for pets, and a puppy's feet are designed to be on ground, not grating. Cages for animals need to have solid surfaces for the pet's feet, a shopping cart doesn't have that. The puppy may contract things like Parvo, Fleas, or other problems living like this and without vet care. That dog might be a good friend to the man, but the man would be a better friend to the animal if he let the dog get the proper care and life for an animal.

 

[Bindii]

Re: Buy A Huge Ass Bag Of Doggie Food And A Leash With Coller

And Leave It In His Cart In The Middle Of The Night!

It'll Feed Him And His New Woofie.

Crazy Urban Outdoorsmen Need Friends Too!

Imagine Sleeping Outside With The Rest Of Those People, Stealing Your Stuff While Yer Sleeping, Perhaps Even Trying To Kill You.

A Dog Sounds Like A Good Friend To Have Under Those Conditions.

And is PC supposed to continue this for the term of the dogs natural life? Should he also start an account at the local vet so the puppy can have all its immunisations too. As LDF pointed out there are other matters to take into consideration,its a nice idea but not feasable.

 

[Laurel]

Re: Re: Buy A Huge Ass Bag Of Doggie Food And A Leash With Coller

And is PC supposed to continue this for the term of the dogs natural life? Should he also start an account at the local vet so the puppy can have all its immunisations too.

If the guy is mistreating the dog, the dog should be removed from him. Period.

The indigent man is a thinking human being who has a certain degree of choice. The dog - like a child - is at the mercy of his environment and his caretakers, both of which he doesn't get to choose. If you saw a child in that sort of situation, you would do what you could to help the kid. (I hope you all would, anyhow.)

Everyone complains about how the world is full of uncaring assholes, but when given the chance to make the world a slightly better place for some poor animal or person, how many of us actually put our money where our mouth is? How many of us just walk on by because we're too busy to deal with it? The world doesn't become a better place in one big feel swoop - it gets better little by little, one person at a time.

PC's a cool dude for caring about the little pup.

 

[kotori]

I can't help but thinking that the dog might be the best thing to happen to this guy in a long time. You know all the research they've been doing on bringing dogs into nursing homes and Alzheimer wards? Great for the people. Of course, the dog shouldn't be put in danger, but it's sick to care more about the dog than the human.

 

[naudiz]

Bottom line is, whatever this guy's situation, what he's doing is committing a crime. In some places it's even a felony offense. It's called cruelty to animals. Starving a dog, feeding it something it can't eat, keeping it in harsh conditions (the wire mesh on a shopping cart is -not- appropriate long-term housing for a dog) -- that's a crime, boys and girls.

If there's an ASPCA in your area, I'd call them. Their shelters are no-kill, and they've got the legal capacity for seizing animals in situations like these and in some cases placing offenders under arrest.

That's not to say I don't feel bad for the bum and his tough luck. It's a hard life, and companionship would probably make it easier, but if you're not equipped to take care of an animal appropriately, you are not allowed to have one. It's not just a good idea, it's the law.

Like it was said before: that pup has zero control over its life. It doesn't have the option to leave the situation.

 

[Problem Child]

I called the cops, and they keep tabs on Mr. Bum. He lives down by the river, and they said there isn't much they can do for him except try and take him some food and make sure he's not freezing in the winter. He's apparently not crazy enough to be committed and he stays in shelters occasionally.

The dispatcher said that his brother just died (they lived together in the riverbed) and now the little dog is all he has. They said they'll make sure the dog is not being mistreated, and if it is they will take it to Woods humane center, and not the animal shelter.

Whatever. Life sucks.

 

[Laurel]

I can't help but thinking that the dog might be the best thing to happen to this guy in a long time. You know all the research they've been doing on bringing dogs into nursing homes and Alzheimer wards? Great for the people. Of course, the dog shouldn't be put in danger, but it's sick to care more about the dog than the human.

It's not a matter of caring more for a dog than a human. The man is legally an adult. There ain't a whole lot anyone can do for him. Sad as it is, he is the captain of his ship.

I have a mentally ill sister who's over 18. She lives on the street for periods of time. Legally, there's nothing I can do to stop her. I can't force her into treatment. I can't force her to not drink, or to take her meds, or to even eat. I spent many months trying to "help" her. It all boils down to this - she's an adult. She's responsible for herself.

Many indigents are mentally ill, and their families are in the same situations as mine. I used to think that people were cruel to allow their crazy relatives to sleep on the streets...but what choice do you have? Drag them back home and force them to stay with you? Legally, that's kidnapping. Force them into treatment? Unless they are a proven threat to themselves or others (and it takes a lot of proof), no one will take them without their written consent.

I definitely feel bad for the guy, but I feel worse for the dog. Adult human beings make choices and live with the consequences. Children and animals are at the mercy of adult's choices, and they must live with the consequences.

If the guy is treating the dog well, fine. If he's abusing it, the dog should be removed. It's unfair to allow an animal to be abused to make some guy feel better.

 

[RudeNastyAssBitch]

Yes!

And is PC supposed to continue this for the term of the dogs natural life? Should he also start an account at the local vet so the puppy can have all its immunisations too. As LDF pointed out there are other matters to take into consideration,its a nice idea but not feasable.

Come On Now Folks!

The Dude Needs Some Help As Does The Dog.

Poor Puppy Doggie, Even More So That Poor Man

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Re: Yes!

Come On Now Folks!

The Dude Needs Some Help As Does The Dog.

Poor Puppy Doggie, Even More So That Poor Man

Yes, they both need help, however this man doesn't seem to be giving the dog the help it needs, and we can't force the man to get the help he needs. You have to pick and choose your battles, unfortunately, because some, while they may be right, just can't win.

 

[sunstruck]

I called the cops, and they keep tabs on Mr. Bum. He lives down by the river, and they said there isn't much they can do for him except try and take him some food and make sure he's not freezing in the winter. He's apparently not crazy enough to be committed and he stays in shelters occasionally.

The dispatcher said that his brother just died (they lived together in the riverbed) and now the little dog is all he has. They said they'll make sure the dog is not being mistreated, and if it is they will take it to Woods humane center, and not the animal shelter.

Whatever. Life sucks.

That is what the cops told you??? I don't know what state you live in, but around here any dog not provided with proper shelter (which a homeless man couldn't provide) or food, (ditto) is reamoved from possesion no questions asked.
If the cops aren't doing anything because they feel bad for the old man, that's their issue, but the humane society can and will force their hand. Especially if your dealing with a puppy which has intence nutrition needs.
You seem to want to help. There's more you can do if you choose to.

 

[*bratcat*]

 

[Rubyfruit]

I agree about bringing him supplies for the dog and also trying to talk to him about caring for the puppy. Some dog food, an adjustable collar that will grow with the puppy, a leash, food and water bowls, and a good strong piece of cardboard for the bottom of the grocery cart.

Probably you and your neighbors, PC, have most of that stuff in your garages.

You're a good man, darling.

 

[patient1]

I feel like such a cynic, & I've never lived in a town of 1500 people or more.

Before PC mentioned that the dog was this guy's inheritence, I was thinking that the dog was his "meal ticket", because it would generate more sympathy & donations than he ever could.

Now I'm wondering if they could both use some flea powder...

 

[alexandraaah]

It's a human being and an animal.

You are a human being who also cares for animals.

Talk to the man. Introduce yourself and tell him how cute his pup is; give him dog food and tell him you're concerned because you know that he wants what's best for his pup and candy really isn't good for the dog.

Shake his hand, smile and go away.

It's really not so difficult.