Rehomed from rescue - “owner” now claiming dog

EMPotatohands

Hi recently rehomed a dog from <mod edit> a well-known rescue group. Someone in my town now claiming him as theirs. He was found by someone in January & vet said he was riddled with parasites and really not well. He's microchipped in my name & I have dog licence in his & my name also. Where do I stand with this?

Mod note: post edited to remove name of rescue, as per forum charter.

SpoonyMcSpoon

Your dog by the sounds of it. Let that person try a legal action if they think they have a case but stand your ground. All proper procedures were followed and you have full evidence you are the legal owner of that dog now.

suvigirl

The dog is yours.

advisemerite

What type is the person that claim they own him, rough or normalish?

EMPotatohands

Thanks!! Not a hope am I giving him up he’s the best little fella ever & has fit right in with our family but not arsed with being harassed over it so needed to be sure he’s legally mine. He wasn’t microchipped when he was found so they didn’t care that much.

suvigirl

You have him microchipped, <edit> the rescue rehomed to you, you have a licence. He's your dog.

hamburgham

He’s yours but how did the dog behave towards the so called owner? Did he seem happy to see him or indicate any recognition?

tohaltuwi

if it did come to “the law” a judge would find in favour of the person who is a responsible dog owner versus a previous owner who caused dog to be neglected/lost/unchipped, and probably never saw a vet let alone had a dog license.

JP Liz V1

The dog is yours

DBB

Whether the dog is legally yours depends on whether he originally went through the county council pound system, or not.

Assuming the dog was a stray (as opposed to a surrender), if he went to the local county pound, and did the legally required 5 days there to give the owner an opportunity to reclaim him, then after the 5 days, he'd have then become the legal property of the State, giving the pound the right to rehome him, either directly or via a rescue group. In this case, the original owner has no comeback.

If the dog did not do the 5 days with the county pound after being picked up as a stray, then legally, the rightful owner has 366 days to claim the dog back from the date the dog was reported as found to the dog warden/guards.

If the latter applies, I'm afraid neither a license nor a microchip in your name means the dog is legally yours, and the alleged original owners could claim him back.

If the former applies, you're fine.

I'd suggest you contact the rescue from which you got him, and tell them what's happened. To the best of my knowledge, these days it's unusual for a county pound to hand dogs over to rescue groups until the 5 days is done, just to avoid awkward situations arising, such as you describe.

EMPotatohands

That’s grand and all but how does he prove it’s his if it didn’t go to the pound (I’m not sure if he did), he wasn’t microchipped and by law pups have to be microchipped by 12 weeks.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122212248#Comment_122212248

He doesn't prove it and he can't prove it. Otherwise you could walk around pointing at random dogs and say they are yours. You have a chip and a license, after that say sorry but he is mistaken.

magicbastarder

It's quite possible that the chap claiming it's his could produce photos purporting to show the same dog. Any particular markings or features on the dog which would help or hinder such an attempt?

DBB

He can potentially prove it, via photos, via corroborating the story of when the dog was found straying. The microchip element isn't that big a deal, the worst that could happen is he'd have been fined for not having a Microchip cert for his dog... it's a law that is not well enforced as it stands.

You need to call the rescue you got him from. If he was found as a stray and rehomed without going through any legal attempt to find the owner, then you could potentially have an issue. However, most rescues, particularly larger ones, won't take in strays and rehome them without going through the legalities first.

I could be wrong, but that particular rescue generally doesn't take strays in from members of the public. They do, however, take plenty of stray dogs from the pounds around the country once their 5 days are up. But you need to check, for your own peace of mind.

delboythedub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058354213/rehomed-from-rescue-owner-now-claiming-dog

Don't entertain any enquiries etc from so called previous owner. Not sure if you should have a conversation with the rescue center to get their version of the dogs history.

Seth Brundle

I'm curious as as to whether the other person saw you out walking the dog or how do they know you have it?

HazeDoll

Any chance this is somebody hoping to extract a few quid from you? It's a lot easier than stealing your dog and giving him back for a ransom.

Whatever the circumstances, I wouldn't give it much thought. If they can produce photos of your dog as a puppy, or if a local vet can confirm that they brought that puppy in for his shots I would consider the validity of their claim. Even if he WAS their dog and they didn't bother with chipping and shots I wouldn't feel a moment's guilt about not giving him back.

It shouldn't matter, but is the dog a nice specimen of a particular breed? That would make him more valuable, which might change things a bit.

delboythedub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122212248#Comment_122212248

If he had bothered to get the dog microchipped he would have been offered his dog back in January when he lost it.

Immaculata

Well done you for rescuing a dog.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122211834#Comment_122211834

Yes, exactly.

Personally, I would politely ignore this person who says he has a claim on your dog. Particularly since the dog was obviously ill-cared-for when you rescued him. I'd ignore him and continue politely ignoring him. (Actually I'd probably tell him a two-word sentence ending in 'off.') If he has an issue, he can take to a solicitor and pay the legal fees to try a case against you. I doubt he'll do that and I doubt he'd win the case anyway in the unlikely event he did. What is he going to do, show you a DNA test? What an unpleasant individual. He's probably just trying to wreck your head or extort money from you or something along those lines, and I hope he gets some spiritual guidance or something to stop being so unpleasant.

Terrier2023

he would have been in the pound then rescue for a while his photo would have been on a website after 5/7 days in pound if a rescue does not step in he is euthanised so that neglectful person would not have his dog either way . You have invested in the dog paid the rescue he is yours, a court case would be bad for owner who failed to obey the law and have up to date chip detail s on his dog so it could have been returned . Totally your dog now.