My littlest skid just told me that his dog "lives at the pound." This perked my interest enough that I had to know more. It took a while for him to explain, due to a lack of general getting-his-point-across skills, but he managed to tell me that his dog (that someone pawned off on Psycho when they moved out of town) basically runs away pretty much every day and they have to go to the pound to pick him up. I asked him how many times this happens and he replied, "aaaall the time. Hundreds of times." I acknowledge that this is probably skidlet exaggeration, but apparently the poor dog runs away at least twice a week.

My question is: has Psycho heard of doors? Or a leash? I am wondering if anything can be done for this poor dog? I wish there was something I could do. This canine definitely has good instincts, but it breaks my heart to think of this poor mutt trying to escape constantly and getting dragged back to Psycho every time. I am a totally nutty animal lover and am in the process of beginning vet school, but I don't think there is a thing I can do about this. My skids were spawned by Psycho and have to live with her, but as far as I know, she has never given birth to a puppy and this poor thing obviously is doing exactly what I would do if I was forced to live with her.

I know some of the background of this dog and he didn't start running away from her until last month (has been living with her for about four months). His previous owner (who I also know and loathe) actually gave him a good home (until in a move of jerkassiness abandoned him) and took good care of him while she owned him. He never ran away when he lived with his previous owner and this is a fairly new thing. The dog has gone drastically downhill since he's been "cared for" by Psycho and he went from being a healthy weight with a shiny healthy coat, to being underweight and dull and matted and walking like he has arthritis and/or hip dysplasia. I know that she forgets to feed him and also tends to give him food you shouldn't give to a dog (pancakes and syrup, anybody?). My older skid is anxious about him and does his best to feed him, but has told me that the dog throws up a lot and lately hasn't wanted to eat at all. The thought of this animal suffering makes me physically ill. The problem is that I don't think he is being blatantly abused or neglected enough to call the ASPCA and I don't think there's anything I can do. I'm hoping that the folks at the pound will notice something and step in (or at least notice that the freaking dog runs away like he lives with a tyrannosaurus rex with a taste for Canis Lupus Familiaris)

Any thoughts? Suggestions? I am doing what I can for my skids, but they were unfortunate enough to have been pushed out of Psycho and are therefore eternally linked to her (unless there really is a merciful God). But this poor dog just got a bout of bad luck and I wish I could do something to help him.