the good, the bad and the very, very ugly

And folks, lets face it, it doesn't get much uglier than this.

I am furiously angry.  Those who know me, know that I should have been in bed an hour ago (it is currently 11:53 pm).  I am so angry that I can not sleep.

Earlier today, I was home alone... blissful, quiet, solitude.  I was getting things done, making progress on some projects that have been needing attention.

Suddenly, the dogs began to bark... and not just bark, but bark wildly.
I go to see what's going on (this is, after all, what I have the dogs for!).

And this is what I see:

Why, WHY would you let your animal starve?

Why would you think it was a good idea to drive him out into the country and pitch him out!?

Why?

Do you think country folks have magical powers?
Do you think that they don't MIND this?

How do you reconcile the misery of this creature, with potential harm to your own precious pets or to the animals on a farm?
How do you know if the animal will be violent, or worse, rabid?
How do you respond?

For the record, folks, the vast majority of animals that are 'dropped off' in the country are dispatched swiftly and certainly.  Farms are not inclined to have an open door policy to animals that almost certainly bring disease and at the least require expensive medical care and rehab.  Most days and for most animals, the end is very certain. 

Alternatives, if available, are animal control services.  If they do not feel like the animal should be destroyed on the spot, then they are taken to crowded shelters, often with a 'kill date'.
Rescue groups are another alternative.
Please, please, please, save your animal the pain and suffering by using one of these alternatives or having the animal put down yourself if you can no longer care for it.

I do not, at this time, know what will happen to this dog.
I know the following things. 
At first, he was aggressive, to my dogs, and to me.
He does not understand or recognize what to do with commercial dog food.  (Yes, I fed him, both commercial dog food and table food, which was all that he understood.)
He is trying frantically to get inside.  (Is he someones HOUSE pet?)
He seems, now, to have reasonable manners.  (Why would you bother to own a pet, teach and train them, then starve them to death?)
He is asleep on my front porch.
Which is more than I can say for myself!

Sometimes, you just want to scream!