Was out with the hunting team: “Thought it was a wolf” • Dumping of animals increasingly common
In the Värmland forests, Andreas Ollén finds an abandoned dog. Neither the police in Sweden nor Norway know who the owner is.
– She refused to move, so we thought “oh she can come home with me”, he says.
Andreas Ollén was having a barbecue with his hunting team in the forest when he suddenly caught sight of something in the periphery.
– People jumped and thought it was a wolf, but then we quickly saw that it was a dog. It’s wolf-proof, so you’re always on full alert.
He thought the dog was out with his hunter and continued to hunt. But five hours later, the dog had laid down by his car – which was then full of paw prints.
– She refused to move, so we thought “oh she can come home with me”. I was joking and said that the dustman had caught a woman in the forest, says Andreas Ollén.
Became lost property
For almost a week, Andreas Ollen tried to get hold of the dog’s owner. He called around to acquaintances, posted on social media and contacted both Swedish and Norwegian police – but no success.
– You get a little curious about what background she has. Those dogs go pretty far so we were hoping someone would recognize her.
The dog was missing a chip and the leather collar she was wearing had no name tag. The police took her as “found property” – and drove her to Djurskyddet in Kristinehamn.
Dumping more common
A dog without a chip is ownerless. For ten days, Djurskyddet waited for the owner to get in touch – after that time, Djurskyddet automatically becomes the dog’s new owner.
– No one contacted her so now she is at an emergency shelter, says Kristina Gustafsson at Djurskyddet in Kristinehamn.
For the past 15 years, Kristina Gustafsson has taken care of animals that people no longer want – and she sees an increase in dumped dogs.
– This is a huge problem. Many can no longer afford to give their dogs care when they get sick and dump them instead. But we take care of everyone and no one leaves a dog in the woods, says Kristina Gustafsson at Djurskyddet in Kristinehamn.