Hello!

So I've reached this site in hopes of learning more about being a husky owner. I've lived with a husky and eskimo in the past (roommate's dogs) but that was a long time ago, but I was more of an "uncle" to them. This is the first time that responsibility of being a "dad" just somewhat fell into my lap.


My husky's name is Hannah, and her story begins in an odd little town in Florida where a friend of mine saw her walking on the side of a road in the pouring rain. She felt sorry for it, but didn't want to take it, so later on that day, she calls me to vent about how bad she felt. I asked her what kind of dog it was and she said it was a husky. I immediately thought of my roommate's dog Shadow and so I immediately told her we would go see if the she was still around. This was a few hours after and honestly, I didn't expect her to still be there.

After we turned into the street, we immediately saw her. I stopped the car and opened the door. She was skiddish at first but she approached us. At one point she just jumped into my car. She had no tag or anything and I told my friend.. okay, I'll take her into the humane society in the morning but there's no way this dog could be roaming the streets like this without an owner. So I took her home and gave her a bath and cleaned her up.

The next day, the local shelter checked her for a microchip, came up negative. We filed a report and at this point I didn't know what to do, because I was expecting an owner to come right up. I decided that I had to take her to the vet because she couldn't really hang out in my house yet without knowing her health status. She was riddled with fleas, but as far the the doctor could tell she seemed healthy, with the exception of a large gash across her back that was healed over. Seemed like the result of a dog fight, barbed wire fence or possible burn of some kind.

She seemed so quiet, but friendly. She would never fuss when I handled her and at times would shove her face into my lap and just lay there.

I awaited a phone call but no one.... My conscience was getting to me because I knew that no one in their right mind would leave a dog like this. I figured it'd only be fair to try and find the owner.

Eventually I decided I had to go back to the neighborhood. A day or so later I went back with her. She seemed very very reluctant to be in the area. As soon as we turned into the street, she felt uncomfortable. She started to pace inside the car and she just seemed really agitated to be there. I started going door to door asking questions.

Here is where the story turns...

I found the owners.

Honestly, the house gave me the creeps! Seriously just standing in their front door I had this eerie feeling. I knocked and no one answered. I went next door to the neighbors house (and this is where I found out that the dog had belonged to that house). Their neighbors didn't have such a good story to tell.. apparently the dog was never leashed, well at least once as a pup, she was leashed to the front gate in the glaring 90F Florida heat. There's been at least 6 dogs at the house, including bulldogs and other breeds. Animal Control and the police have been called on them many times and eventually the dogs were taken away. Not sure how she got left behind, but she just walks up and down the streets. They weren't sure how it was getting fed, but it definitely wasn't their primary concern and the dog could be hit by a car or even get into a fight with other dogs.

After a second interview with an a neighbor across the street, I heard more stories of negligence and abuse. Keep in mind they too had dogs of their own. One guy told me that he would've taken her if he wasn't their neighbor, and that anyone else would've been a better home than where she was now. To add to the pressure, the dog got into my front seat and started honking the horn, I'm not kidding! I looked over and was like.. okay okay.... fine.

I decided to take her home. My decision to do so came from the testimonies of the neighbors. If anyone here feels like I did the wrong thing, please feel free to say so, but my gut feeling was that I didn't want to take her back there. I left reports at the pound and the shelters.. if the owners really did want her back, it's literally a phone call away. But after the waiting period, I'm going to claim her.

After we left, she lit up, she stuck her head out the window and was just relaxed. I took her to Petsmart and decided to spoil her... and after a day.. decided to name her Hannah.


... so this all happened within a week, and I'm still awaiting the day I can finally claim her. I'm now doing so much research and trying my best to make it as comfortable for her as possible. She's started to display a lot of separation anxiety as of late, and the more time we spend together the more she doesn't want me to leave. Last night I finally let her into my place and since she's not potty trained, I leashed her to an area in one room. Whenever I wasn't in plain sight of her she would whine and bark.

I'm not 100% sure of what I'm doing, all I know is I've fallen in love wit her and will take care of her. I've been scouring the internet for how to do this or what to do when this happens... it's been exhausting but has been well worth it so far.

... SO... Hi "It's A Husky Thing!" I hope learn a lot from here! Sorry for the long introduction, but I felt I had to share her story.

Welcome! I think us Floridians are going to take this place over

My personal opinion, in a case like that, you have done your part by filing reports and talking to neighbors. The neighbors may tell the owners that you have her, they may not. I'd say be prepared for the owners to come after you, but it may not happen. If they do, be ready with animal control reports from taking their other dogs away. As long as all that can be proven, I'm sure you'll be able to keep her. Odds are though, if they didn't care enough about her to keep her off the streets and at least being fed, they won't come. I hope you do get to keep her, and we're here to support you and offer advice.

If you're up in the Western Panhandle, I run a meet up group that rotates between Mobile and Destin. Our next meet up is going to be in Pensacola, and if you're close enough you're more than welcome to join in

I'm sure my neighbors wouldn't paint a pretty picture of me but I also wouldn't let my dogs live on the street. So- I can say I'd have done the same.

We're south Florida here- Broward/Miamidade/West Palm. We also have a meetup group (Parkland, Davie, Hollywood) and Sara is in central Fl and does her own up there. I also hear Jax has a large Husky following up there with their own meetups as well

Thanks Ghost!

I'm not 100% sure of the rules in FL, but the humane society here says that it's 7-10 business days. I think that's more of a courtesy thing than law. At that point I will be registering her and going by the rules of the state if there are any. She wasn't on a leash and I did not steal her from their property. She was wandering in the rain.

Also, Destin isn't too far of a drive, actually just a few hours! When is the meetup?

For obvious reasons I haven't posted pictures of her yet. Even though I doubt that anyone that negligent of their husky would ever visit a site like this, I'd like to wait till I can legally claim her before posting them. Although just like every dog here, she's a beautiful pup ^_^ She's about 6-10 months old according to the vet, and has a black raccoon band around her blue eyes.

This month's meetup is going to be Saturday the 22nd at 10:00 am at Scott Complex park in Pensacola. We're actually rotating back west right now, but we'll be back in Niceville or Destin in December (subject to change of course). Hopefully you'll be able to make the drive out this way from time to time

I highly doubt you'd leash your pups on a gate in the middle of the FL summer. And normally I do take people's words with a grain of salt as opinions can be highly swayed with personal interactions. But these neighbors were all dog owners. They didn't specifically say the dog was physically abused, but she was neglected. The gates were not fenced in or anything and the dog was covered in fleas.

And Ghost, we"ll certainly try! We're west of Tallahassee

Awh, this story made me cry a little bit <3 Although I don't know what is legally right, I think you did the right thing morally and I hope you get to keep her <3 She sounds like a great girl ^-^

Welcome. From your story it sounds like they will not be claiming her. As soon as the waiting period is over If I was you I get her microchip what ever else she need done at your vet.

Can't wait to see pictures of Hannah.

Yay to your rescue of her there are a few others on here who have rescue dogs off the street like you did.

That sucks. I just found two huskies earlier this week and really didn't feel good about giving them back to the owner, cause someone in their neighborhood had seen them running loose before about three weeks ago and the male was not neutered which makes me think they breed the two.

Anyway, you case sounds even worse. From what my mom has told me (and I don't know if this is just for Volusia county or all of FL) is that you have to keep the dog a month before it is legally yours or the shelter has to keep the dog 7 days. If I were you, I'd probably take her to a shelter OUTSIDE of your county (less likely the owners will look there) and tell them that you want first option to adopt her when she goes up for adoption. That way she'll get all her shots, spayed, and you can legally say you own her. If anyone calls from your found dog report, I would say she ran away or something like that (I know I'm bad!).

Good luck with her. Hopefully the owners don't come looking for her. How long have you had her so far? I was mad that the owner of the two huskies I found waited until the second day before calling animal control! But I guess I could give her a break. She said she had just had a kid 3 days ago.

Hey thanks everyone for the support. I really really tried to give the original owners the benefit of a doubt. But the way the neighbors described the people, I just couldn't believe the dog didn't just run away forever. I won't ever second guess her loyalty.

Sara, I've had her since Monday and NO calls. I've taken her to the vet to get her rabies shots and will get the rest of the workup done when I'm sure and ready that they won't try to get her back. It'd suck to pay that much in vet bills only to have the owners claim her, which I'd rather not even think about.

To me, these are "kids" and some people just don't realize the responsibilities. It's not a pet them from time to time and shove them aside when it's less convenient. Since getting Hannah I've had to change my entire schedule of daily events. And the thing is, I don't even mind!

The more I read on here, the more I realize that you all are like that too in the way you love your dogs. It's a great feeling when they're return it with love and loyalty

Just keep the pup stashed for the next month. You can keep your eyes and ears open if you think someone is trying to find their lost Husky then assist in the matter.

DON'T post pictures or to much of a description you could end up with scammers trying to claim her.

Duly noted Here4thePics!

By the way nice name for your dogs! Haha, I can immediately tell you know/married to someone Filipino

I'm so glad that she's with you now! Her behavior when getting into that neighborhood would have been a huge red flag for me. They're very smart. Mine know when we're a few minutes from home and immediately perk up and get excited. If she seemed scared then she was not being treated properly. Who in right mind would let their dog just roam the street?!

My neighbors know how I feel about my dogs and would only have a good things to say. Not too long ago there was a loose husky right in front of my house while we were at work. The minute I got home I had neighbors coming to me asking if one of my dogs had escaped. The dog was completely gone when I got home. I drove around for a while and nothing

Oh welcome btw! Can't wait to see pics of Hannah!!! We're in Miami FL

Mobezilla wrote:

Awh, this story made me cry a little bit <3 Although I don't know what is legally right, I think you did the right thing morally and I hope you get to keep her <3 She sounds like a great girl ^-^

Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one! I was tearing up!

LRomero wrote:

Duly noted Here4thePics!

By the way nice name for your dogs! Haha, I can immediately tell you know/married to someone Filipino

Right you are as you probably noticed the avatar pic, Beth is Chinese on her dad's side and Filipino on her mom's. Born and raised in the Philippines so as she says she says she is 100% Filipino. Its not everyday that people know what is behind Adobo and Biko's names, so I'll guess you are Filipino????

By the way welcome to the forum.

Right you are! I was born there but was raised here in the US since I was 6. Managed to lose the accent but keep the language, so I'm fluent on both sides of the globe Hannah will be grow up with me so she'll learn Tagalog at some point! HAHA

Nice to meet you!

Beth, was from Bulacan north of Manila. She says if your a Tagalog speaker your probably from the island of Luzon, so she is curious to where in the Philippines you were from.

I get so angry whenever I heard about neglected dogs like that. People always thinks it's fun to have a dog to play with, especially huskies which has pretty beautiful appearance. But once they realised they can't handle the dog, they give it away or worst chuck them to the streets. This is going to cause some serious emotional issues on the dog. It was a surprise when I checked my local lost dogs home to see that many huskies there.
Actually I kinda agree on what Sara said. With those irresponsible owners, you're more than welcome to keep the pup.

Here4thePics wrote:

Beth, was from Bulacan north of Manila. She says if your a Tagalog speaker your probably from the island of Luzon, so she is curious to where in the Philippines you were from.

Originally from Quezon province. Tagalog is more like a general language of the Philippines. There are many dialects and regions that don't speak it, but for the most part you can communicate with it in many of the major cities there, I believe.

Titus&amp;Lycan wrote:

I get so angry whenever I heard about neglected dogs like that. People always thinks it's fun to have a dog to play with, especially huskies which has pretty beautiful appearance. But once they realised they can't handle the dog, they give it away or worst chuck them to the streets. This is going to cause some serious emotional issues on the dog. It was a surprise when I checked my local lost dogs home to see that many huskies there.
Actually I kinda agree on what Sara said. With those irresponsible owners, you're more than welcome to keep the pup.

I'm already starting to see a bit of the emotional issues. I'm sure all dogs have it to some degree, but Hannah has been having major separation issues. Of course I've been giving her a lot of attention this past week, so I'm trying to just break her into a more normal routine. She's quite smart and is quite keen to my tone of voice. She's a bit of a priss though and wants to get her way, haha.

It's a lot of work so far but I'm loving every minute of it

I agree with Len, don't post signs just keep her and love her! I doubt they will come looking for her! Thanks for rescuing her!

I think separation anxiety runs high in Huskies, my 4 1/2 months old and has never been abused, but if there is no one home with him, even for 10 min he gets really anxious and destructive. You have done a wonderful thing for this dog, I do not know how people can abuse animals, to me they become your children, in the fact that they depend on you 100%. Some people do not deserve to own animals. I hope with plenty of love and reassurance Hannah becomes a secure dog, and realizes she is safe.

Thank you all for your kind words and support!

It's definitely been a wild ride so far, but every minute has been worth it!

I spent the good part of Labor Day weekend cleaning pee, poop and vomit all over my apartment, lol. It's a learning experience for both me and her. It seems that no matter how much of the carpet I cover, she finds that ONE spot that's not and decorates it.

She's a very calm dog for the most part. I've actually gotten a lot of comments thus far on how calm she is. However, I've seen where her past life has affected her. She's very skiddish around certain types of dogs, especially bull dogs or rottweilers. I saw this while I was at Petsmart, she would have a low growl and at times even bark, which she RARELY does. She also HATES the sun, lol, not even kidding... she'll be walking fine in the shade and then all of a sudden where the sun breaks on the ground, she stops and will not move. I actually had to pick her up and take her to the car after leaving Petsmart.

The SA is definitely hard but in the week I've had her, she's upgraded from barking whenever I'm not in plain view, to letting me go in and out of my kitchen if she's in my room. I'm trying to give her as much interaction with people as possible. My complex is built in a giant circle so I walked her every day this week and people have stopped and greeted her which she absolutely LOVES.

I will be registering her officially next Monday and getting her paperwork under way. I plan on getting her microchipped as well.

She's not the most expensive girl I've been around, but she definitely a contender