Rescued Dog's Owner Still a Mystery

Stray found in Maryland cared for in Virginia shelter

After more than a week since he was rescued, the Fairfax County Animal Shelter is afraid a rescued stray could become just another face in the kennels.

A wounded Shiba Inu believed to be 4-to-6 years old was found wandering the streets in Oxon Hill, Md., but his time at the shelter is up, so the search is on for the dog’s owner.

The woman who found the dog took him in, drove more than 20 miles away to work, kept him in the car for the day and then took him to the shelter.

“She really did have the best of intentions to try and get him someplace safe,” said Karen Giviney, of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. “He would have had a better chance, I believe, of finding an owner if he had stayed in his own area.”

Instead, when finding a stray you should write down the exact location the animal was found, leave on identification it may be wearing, call local police or animal control, but under no circumstances take the animal out of the jurisdiction where it was found.

“He really needs to go back to the people he belongs with,” Giviney said.

Euthanasia is not entirely out of the question, but Giviney believes the stray she calls Foxy likely will be placed in an adoption program by the end of the week.

The Fairfax County Animal Shelter still has high hopes Foxy’s owner will come forward.

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