So I went to the Downey, CA animal shelter, and lo and behold there's a black and white female basenji sitting there. She was brought into the shelter with tags that said "Lady" on them on July 13. She's about a year old, and is a bit long and stubby but is otherwise basenji-looking (corgi mix? Just sort of weird?). I adopted her out of the shelter today and will (depending on how Yoshi feels–right now he's not thrilled) get her a good home. I've already been in touch with Karen of Medfly Basenji Rescue (who's wonderful, by the way), so she's not going to have anything bad happen to her. I just wanted to make sure that "Lady" can get to her rightful owner if possible. Her ears and teeth are very well cared for. She'd been in the shelter for a month...

If anyone knows anything, let me know.
(Obviously, I checked Craigslist and Pet Harbor. Anywhere else I should know about?)

That's great what you did. I just got a tri from Karen and she will be of great assistance. Just her name on her collar? Were you at the shelter looking to adopt?

Apparently–by the time I got to her (the dog, I mean, not Karen!), she'd been in the shelter for thirty days, so the staff didn't think that her owner would come back. I know how overworked and overwhelmed the shelter is, though, so I wanted to make sure that no one knew anyone who was missing a dog.

It's funny, since I got Yoshi I've been wanting to add a purebred basenji to my house--maybe it could teach Yoshi to yodel the way that my roommate's airedale taught him to bark. If Yosh doesn't ultimately approve of this girl, I might let him pick out a rescue basenji friend.

@Varanus:

Apparently–by the time I got to her (the dog, I mean, not Karen!), she'd been in the shelter for thirty days, so the staff didn't think that her owner would come back. I know how overworked and overwhelmed the shelter is, though, so I wanted to make sure that no one knew anyone who was missing a dog.

It's funny, since I got Yoshi I've been wanting to add a purebred basenji to my house--maybe it could teach Yoshi to yodel the way that my roommate's airedale taught him to bark. If Yosh doesn't ultimately approve of this girl, I might let him pick out a rescue basenji friend.

Give Yoshi a little time and he will come around and like Lady I'll bet. Take them out for walks together. It may be no accident you went to that shelter and found her.

Post some pictures of her.

I assume she was scanned for a microchip? If not or if you don't know, a vet's office should be able to scan her.

I assume so, but I'll take her in this weekend just in case. Assuming Yoshi doesn't try to kill her (or vice versa!), I'm gonna let her just kind of chill for a bit. She just got spayed this morning, so she's laying low on the couch right now.

@Varanus:

I assume so, but I'll take her in this weekend just in case. Assuming Yoshi doesn't try to kill her (or vice versa!), I'm gonna let her just kind of chill for a bit. She just got spayed this morning, so she's laying low on the couch right now.

Did Karen ask if she had been scanned by the shelter? Give the shelter a call just to make sure.

Will do first thing tomorrow, though I'm almost positive that the shelter will say it's not their problem anymore. Plus, she's now chipped with my ID since shelters here automatically chip before adopting animals out now. I know that odds are she's either been abandoned or just given up on, but I'd want someone to do this for Yoshi if he (god forbid) got lost, so I'll take her to the vet to get a full-body scan to see if a chip has migrated out of where it should be.

Yoshi is currently sulking in the corner with his airedale roommate's pork shank. The hostility between them right now is mutual, but everything looks better with pork. It's way too soon to say anything about her personality (since she was just spayed like 8 hours ago) or even whether she and Yoshi can be friends. My housemate has taken the airedale with her for the week, so there's a third dog in the mix as well. We'll see. I'm just glad she's not in danger of euthanasia anymore.

@Varanus:

Will do first thing tomorrow, though I'm almost positive that the shelter will say it's not their problem anymore. Plus, she's now chipped with my ID since shelters here automatically chip before adopting animals out now. I know that odds are she's either been abandoned or just given up on, but I'd want someone to do this for Yoshi if he (god forbid) got lost, so I'll take her to the vet to get a full-body scan to see if a chip has migrated out of where it should be.

Yoshi is currently sulking in the corner with his airedale roommate's pork shank. The hostility between them right now is mutual, but everything looks better with pork. It's way too soon to say anything about her personality (since she was just spayed like 8 hours ago) or even whether she and Yoshi can be friends. My housemate has taken the airedale with her for the week, so there's a third dog in the mix as well. We'll see. I'm just glad she's not in danger of euthanasia anymore.

The shelter should have scanned her. Being in a shelter for a month is absolutely no fun for any dog, they pick up bad things physically and eat cheap food. Anyway she'll just need a some time to adjust. I adopted a rw and I already had a bw at the time. The rw was a very angry and sick dog. It took some time for him to adjust. He turned out to be a very good and once he got acclimated and calmed down he and my other would play really hard. It was at times quite hilarious!

Give her time you know she may not like anyone right now. New home, new people, just having been spayed. Looks like life is bad right now but wait until she knows everyone and feels like running and jumping. My son's Pom and Jaycee were about 2 months before Pom (Bo-Bo) would have anything to do with Jaycee. After he found out she was here to stay they would play a little more each day. Now look out they are comming through the house. Just took time but it's great now and all is really good. Good luck and I bet before to many days you will be back telling us about how much they run and play.

Rita Jean

First off, I am so happy you gave Lady a home..very big heart..second..give them some time, it will get better, but only if it is not rushed by humans but taken the sweet ol' time dogs sometimes need..Just be very matter of fact about it..like "lady lives here now and there is nothing you, Yoshi, can do about it..". They will come to a mutual agreement and maybe/hopefully learn to love eachother as siblings..

Dogs work things out. They may get a little growly at first which is OK as long as there's no bloody fights. The second day I had Ringo he bit Nika on the neck as he was not happy being dumped at the Basenji rescue then bouncing around from home to home, being returned, feeling ill and under weight. I had to supervise closely, get him back to health, take him out for off leash fun with Nika and everything worked fine out over time. Nika was a real trooper and did her best in the beginning. Her persistent playfulness brought him out of his feeling upset and he turned into quite a character.

Congrats on the new addition. How wonderful that you took her in! Keep us posted on their progress…and pictures, please - when you can!

I have no doubt that they'd work things out, and I'm not gonna make any judgments for a bit. I figure I can see how it all pans out, see if our house can handle three dogs, and see if this particular dog is a good fit. As it stands, Karen is expecting her in rescue. If she works out that's one less dog in rescue. If she really hates everyone in the house but the multiple-dog issue is fine, I'll take another dog out of rescue. If the house descends into chaos, at least Lady (must change name) is out of danger.

And can I just say that the spaying she received was positively barbaric? No wonder the poor thing's mad right now.

The spaying was barbaric? What happened?

Well, when I went in to pick her up, the vet (who looked and acted remarkably like Dr. Nick from the Simpsons) led me through a maze of stinking, feces-filled cages. "Lady" was laying in one, covered in her own vomit, with her ears to the sides making little "I would scream but I just don't have the energy" sounds. I was given no aftercare instructions whatsoever, and the incision itself is none too neat. I had some painkillers left over from Yoshi's neutering, so I gave her one of those when we got home, but I wasn't even given the option to purchase any (like you normally are at shelter vets). I like low-cost vets generally, and all the dogs here have been neutered at cheap/free clinics, but none have been quite so…bloody.

Jezz! Poor thing was laying in her own vomit! That's what I was saying before about stays in these shelters can be traumatic! Besides picking up sicknesses too!

Well done on trying to help her!

@Varanus:

Well, when I went in to pick her up, the vet (who looked and acted remarkably like Dr. Nick from the Simpsons) led me through a maze of stinking, feces-filled cages. "Lady" was laying in one, covered in her own vomit, with her ears to the sides making little "I would scream but I just don't have the energy" sounds. I was given no aftercare instructions whatsoever, and the incision itself is none too neat. I had some painkillers left over from Yoshi's neutering, so I gave her one of those when we got home, but I wasn't even given the option to purchase any (like you normally are at shelter vets). I like low-cost vets generally, and all the dogs here have been neutered at cheap/free clinics, but none have been quite so…bloody.

That is horrible… sorry, but with those conditions, I would have to call animal control and complain.... there is no excuse for that.... and sorry, I hate 90% of the so called low cost clinics... I know of way too many that have had problems after with leaking urine (especially the bitches) that I would never use one... or if I had to, I would certain want to see the facilities and where they do surgery first... and talk to people that have used the clinic

The problem was, that IS Animal Control. Animal Control insisted on spaying her right there on-site before I could take her. I have had really good luck with the "shelter vet" in West LA, who did both Yoshi and my roommate's (female) airedale mix. They were clean and efficient, and both dogs came back to me with pain medication, detailed instructions, a (working) phone number, and well-done, well-healing incisions. I completely understand about limited budgets, etc., especially in this jacked-up state, but come on! You can't even pay someone minimum wage to scoop out the #$@! cages?

@Varanus:

The problem was, that IS Animal Control. Animal Control insisted on spaying her right there on-site before I could take her. I have had really good luck with the "shelter vet" in West LA, who did both Yoshi and my roommate's (female) airedale mix. They were clean and efficient, and both dogs came back to me with pain medication, detailed instructions, a (working) phone number, and well-done, well-healing incisions. I completely understand about limited budgets, etc., especially in this jacked-up state, but come on! You can't even pay someone minimum wage to scoop out the #$@! cages?

Wow! That's bad. Karen got my Buddy from a shelter I think in Highland, CA. That's where he was found. He was about 7 months (?) at the time and had no collar, no chip, nothing. They didn't neuter him, Karen had that done with her vet.