'I have not learned to be good,' Kennel finds elderly Labrador abandoned outside with a note

Netizens were left heartbroken after learning of an elderly black Labrador that had been abandoned outside kennel in Upchurch, Kent, with nothing more than a note. The handwritten note that was posted on Facebook by the Swale Borough Council Stray Dog Service, stated that the owner had decided to abandon the canine after 10 years together because the Labrador had "not [learned] to be good." Posting photos of the dog and the note online, the service urged netizens to come forward with any information about the dog or its owner.

This elderly black Labrador was found tied up to railings at Jasmil Kennels this morning. We would very much like to speak to the owner to establish why the dog has been abandoned. No chip. If you recognize him and can be of any assistance, please contact the council in confidence or message this page. He will now be taken into our care, the service wrote on Facebook. The note left behind read: Please can you take me in as my owner has abandoned me after 10 years because I have not [learned] to be good so I have been returned here where he found me.

Thank you for looking after me. Sorry for [the] inconvenience, the note concluded. According to BBC, a spokesperson for the council condemned the dog owners abandoning their pets in such a manner. "If an owner is struggling with their dog, this is not the way to deal with it. Rehoming is the last option, but this isn't the way to do it, so we would appreciate any information we can get so we can speak to the owner," they said. Luckily, the Swale Dog Service soon posted an update revealing that they were able to get in touch with the dog's owner.

"Having fully investigated the elderly dog left abandoned on Monday, we were able to get in contact with his owner, and all is not what it first seemed. We are now taking appropriate action based on the situation and circumstances," the service revealed. It added that they'd also contacted members of the individual's extended family who'd expressed interest in welcoming the dog to their home. "We have also been in contact with members of the owners extended family, who know and love the dog," the service stated.

"They had no knowledge of the owner's plans and have asked to take the dog on so that it can live out the latter part of its life in a safe secure home, with people it knows. If home checks and the dog's reaction to them are positive, this is the kindest way forward for the dog's welfare," it explained. Speaking to Bored Panda, Rebecca Dart, the communications and marketing officer at Swale Borough Council, revealed that the dog was both happy and healthy. "It is rare that we find abandoned dogs in Swale as we try to proactively work with owners to find other solutions," she said.

"He is around 14 or 15 and is doing well for his age," Dart explained. Although the council is often able to trace stray and lost dogs back to their owner's thanks to its network of contacts, social media, and microchipping, it proves to be quite difficult with abandoned dogs. "Abandoned dogs can be trickier, but we have had some success in finding owners in the past," she said, adding that the primary motive for doing so is to "better understand the situation that led them to abandoning the dogs." Dart also explained that financial pressures are often a common factor for those who choose to abandon their pets. This can be due to "mounting vet bills, or due to personal circumstances," she said.