advice needed

BlueIsland

I picked up a very confused/hungry dog the other day. Her paw was hurt and she had obviously been roaming the streets for a few days. I brought her to my house in the hope of reuniting her with her owners. She has been playing with my labrador since yesterday after I fed her etc. Im bringing her to the vets today to let him have a look at her. Here is the issue. I think I found the owners, well im nealy certain I did. I am very suspicious of their intentions with her. They had barely noticed she was gone and didnt seem impressed I had found her and attempted to bring her back. I dont know what to do now. It may be their dog but Im not going to march the poor thing back to her deathbed which I genuinely think is a possibility. On other note I suppose it is my responsibility to bring her back! any advice?

BillyMitchel

It's nice that you took the dog in and looked after it but unfortunately you have to give her back. It their dog. If its an option to keep the dog and the owners don't care for her you could always ask could you keep it?

BlueIsland

Its not that I want to keep her! She is a lovely dog and gets on well with my lab and that but not ready for another dog and it would be unfair on her. It more a case of im afraid for her safety if I bring her back. I have idea of maybe i could rehome her myself but you are right in sense it is their dog. It my conscience Im struggling with!

andreac

No, you cannot rehome her. You must return her to the owners.

BillyMitchel

Is it possible to hold on to the dog for another bit longer? If so, put some posters up around near where you think the owners live and if you hear nothing back then there's the green light to rehome her yourself!

BlueIsland

andreac wrote: »

No, you cannot rehome her. You must return her to the owners.

I know the moral high ground on the issue. I just dont think this is black and white. If this a the pets loving family I wouldnt even be asking. They let her run away without noticing she was gone. They let her run around streets starving and in danger without one poster or attempt to get her back. They deny her initially out of fear she had caused a crash or something. Now Im gonna bring her back to this?

eoglyn

You need to be more specific OP, did they deny her and then admit that they are the owners - you say you are nearly certain they are the owners. Have they admitted it or shown any desire to have her back? If so, you have to return her, maybe offer to rehome her before you do, make sure to do that in the absence of any kids they might have. If not, rehome her and do it fast in a new town far away if at all possible - if they ever come looking say that the owner of the dog you have came forward

BlueIsland

eoglyn wrote: »

You need to be more specific OP, did they deny her and then admit that they are the owners - you say you are nearly certain they are the owners. Have they admitted it or shown any desire to have her back? If so, you have to return her, maybe offer to rehome her before you do, make sure to do that in the absence of any kids they might have. If not, rehome her and do it fast in a new town far away if at all possible - if they ever come looking say that the owner of the dog you have came forward

It was a weird situation. Few kids around and they didnt know the dog I was talking about. The father initially said they were missing a big dog.( this is a small terrier like dog). I got the tip off as to regards who owned it earlier that day and a possible name for her. She wags her tail at the name I called her. After a few minutes of reckoning they didnt lose a small dog another kid said the name I had been told she might answer to! Then all of a sudden they knew her. I specifically didnt bring her with me when I went to check it out because i dont want her getting into the wrong hands!

**Vai**

Sounds dodgy alright. Unfortunately you will have to give the dog back. Any chance they are puppy farmers? Only reason i can think they wouldnt even remember a dog.

Whispered

If they've denied owning the dog then they're hardly going to go back and say it is theirs? Legally, you have to inform the warden and leave the dog in the pound, if the family don't go looking for the dog after 5 days you can take her yourself and she is legally yours to re-home.

Right - I know the moral high ground is to approach the family, but in my opinion, if they're not searching the pounds for their dog then they as good as surrendered her.

maggiepip

I was just going to suggest almost exactly the same as whispered. If you inform the dog warden and get her into the pound - they will then have to pay a fine to get the dog back (around 50 quid I think) - see then if they want to pay the money to get the dog returned.

BillyMitchel

maggiepip wrote: »

I was just going to suggest almost exactly the same as whispered. If you inform the dog warden and get her into the pound - they will then have to pay a fine to get the dog back (around 50 quid I think) - see then if they want to pay the money to get the dog returned.

But if the dog goes the dog pound and is not claimed will they not only give it a certain amount of time to be rehomed before its PTS?

maggiepip

BillyMitchel wrote: »

But if the dog goes the dog pound and is not claimed will they not only give it a certain amount of time to be rehomed before its PTS?

As whispered suggested - the OP can then take the dog out and re-home it herself.

Kloecor

Doesn't sound good. Very hard position to be in. You could ask the owners could you keep her (lie) and just tell her the dog has been great with your other dog and you'd LOVE to keep the dog as a family pet. They might be happy to give it to you!

BlueIsland

Kloecor wrote: »

Doesn't sound good. Very hard position to be in. You could ask the owners could you keep her (lie) and just tell her the dog has been great with your other dog and you'd LOVE to keep the dog as a family pet. They might be happy to give it to you!

That is an option but I really dont want to even chance them taking her back! Ill be in an awful way leaving the estate after dropping her! I have called the dog warden an hour after finding her. he said he would collect her but i said id hold on to see if I could find owner. I dont want her PTS!

Sigma Force

Unless they have proof of ownership I can't see why you'd have to return the dog
..haven't read all the replies so not sure if someone mentioned it.

BillyMitchel

OP seems like you came here for some reassurance because it sounds like you know what you want to do. Forget about the owners who obviously don't look after the dog and what might be morally or legally right or wrong. Do what's best for the dog and rehome her yourself. At least you know the dog will have a happy life and not be mistreated.

Tranceypoo

Agree with Whispered and BillyMitchel's posts!

The dog warden might let you do the '5 days' at your own place save putting her in the pound but regardless, you can get her back after 5 days (unless the unsavoury people claim her, what are the chances), it's all very well taking the moral high ground as others have advised but I would feel exactly the same as you and would not be happy returning the dog to the people you talked about and you're not even sure 100% sure that the dog is theirs.

Good luck OP, personally I think you're doing a good thing.

BlueIsland

Tranceypoo wrote: »

Agree with Whispered and BillyMitchel's posts!

The dog warden might let you do the '5 days' at your own place save putting her in the pound but regardless, you can get her back after 5 days (unless the unsavoury people claim her, what are the chances), it's all very well taking the moral high ground as others have advised but I would feel exactly the same as you and would not be happy returning the dog to the people you talked about and you're not even sure 100% sure that the dog is theirs.

Good luck OP, personally I think you're doing a good thing.

Brought her to the vets. She was microchipped to a different address in same estate! none of the phone numbers (3 in all including a house number) are in service for the people who microchipped her. She is also neutered. vet says I did right thing in terms of my gut instinct! Ill call to other address, ring numbers more times...if still nobody from the couple who microchipped her come forward I will rehome her.

eoglyn

BlueIsland wrote: »

Brought her to the vets. She was microchipped to a different address in same estate! none of the phone numbers (3 in all including a house number) are in service for the people who microchipped her. She is also neutered. vet says I did right thing in terms of my gut instinct! Ill call to other address, ring numbers more times...if still nobody from the couple who microchipped her come forward I will rehome her.

You are going above and beyond, fair play

Tranceypoo

Have to say I'm surprised 'she' is chipped and neutered (presumably a 'he' then?), maybe she/he had a responsible owner at one time, although none of the numbers being in service seems a bit dodge. If only dogs could talk!

Good on you OP though, hope she/he gets a good home in the end!

Toulouse

Tranceypoo wrote: »

Have to say I'm surprised 'she' is chipped and neutered (presumably a 'he' then?), maybe she/he had a responsible owner at one time, although none of the numbers being in service seems a bit dodge. If only dogs could talk!

Good on you OP though, hope she/he gets a good home in the end!

You can enter whether they are neutered or not on the microchip details so presumably that's how the OP knows she is neutered.

Wonder what the craic with the original owners is. Could they have emigrated and left her with someone who passed her on I wonder? If she'd been rehomed by a rescue originally then their details should still have been on the chip too. The details for the vet that implanted it should be on the chip though, maybe you can get more info that way.

Somebody must have looked after her at some stage, poor girl. Well done OP for taking the time to look after this little lost soul.

Tranceypoo

Didn't know that Toulouse, thanks!

SillyMangoX

I'm just wondering is there any chance she might have been stolen from someone? Normally owners who are irrisponsible as what you describe wouldn't be mothered microchipping!

jimf

if in doubt go with with your gut instinct and great credit is due to you for this great act of compassion

BlueIsland

jimf wrote: »

if in doubt go with with your gut instinct and great credit is due to you for this great act of compassion

Update
Brought her to the house she was chipped. Basically i was informed they didnt want her anymore because of a young child. so they handed her to a man who would "take her".. and two weeks later I find her wrecked on a road 13 miles away! I told the owner I would rehome her with somebody and get her a home where she is loved.

jimf

well if it was me i would keep her sod whatever the law says

if you want her i cant think of anybody better qualified to take her shes obviously been neglected and has had more love in the last few days than shes had in her live to now

BlueIsland

jimf wrote: »

well if it was me i would keep her sod whatever the law says

if you want her i cant think of anybody better qualified to take her shes obviously been neglected and has had more love in the last few days than shes had in her live to now

somebody cared for her at one point because she isint aggressive and very affectionate. Just wish whoever did show her love at one point realised that a puppy/dog is not for a year or two. They are not like a car. once you decide to get one its until the day they die. Ill find her somewhere she can get all the attention she deserves. we have a 9 month old lab and arent ready for a second dog. think she be suited to a nice place where she gets all the attention and not a big loveable black lab licking her to death and wanting to play every minute of every day.

percy212

That dog has been essentially dumped. The original owner gave her away to someone who didn't know she was missing. The original owner also didn't seem very concerned that she was not well taken care of at her new home. Keep her and re-home her. Try local rescues for advice and assistance.

Edit: don't go back to that estate

Toulouse

BlueIsland wrote: »

Update
Brought her to the house she was chipped. Basically i was informed they didnt want her anymore because of a young child. so they handed her to a man who would "take her".. and two weeks later I find her wrecked on a road 13 miles away! I told the owner I would rehome her with somebody and get her a home where she is loved.

Sadly this is not uncommon, but it still doesn't make it right. Hopefully their child will not grow up thinking that animals are disposable. Irresponsible fools!

Don't forget to change the chip details OP. If you contact the chip company they should be able to advise.

BlueIsland

Toulouse wrote: »

Sadly this is not uncommon, but it still doesn't make it right. Hopefully their child will not grow up thinking that animals are disposable. Irresponsible fools!

Don't forget to change the chip details OP. If you contact the chip company they should be able to advise.

yeh im gonna go to all animal rescues and am in regular contact with my vet about her. Im gonna change chip to whoever decides they want to give her a nice home.

percy212

Fair play to you OP! Best of luck.