a young cocker spaniel walked up my driveway while i was playing with my dog. i took it in my house and showered it (because it was really dirty), cleaned his ears (because he has a bad ear infection), and put flea meds on it. We have tried to call the owners several times but no one ever picks up. honestly, i really don't want to give it back to a bad owner...he was filthy, had a real bad ear infection (kept on scratching it), etc. am i allowed to keep the dog if the owners don't turn up?
2007-05-20 09:15:42 · 21 answers · asked by Cozy L 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Yes. What you would typically do is turn it in to a shelter, they would try to contact the owner--he wouldnt call them back (just like he isn't calling you back) and they would put it up for adoption.
You are just cutting out the middle man. You are taking care of this dog and after a month, a judge would consider it abandoned property and you have every right to claim it. The former owner cannot expect you to take care of it and reclaim it at any time. So if you try to contact him for 30 days and he doesn't call you back, the dog is yours.
2007-05-20 09:20:04 · answer #1 · answered by phantom_of_valkyrie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so. Even if the owner is bad, you should still try to make contact. If you really want to look after the dog permanently, you could try having a conversation with the owner - not attaching any blame - but saying something like "if the dog is too much for you, then perhaps I could help you out." If you can't get through to the owner at all, you should report to your local pound that you have the dog and are willing to keep it until the owner turns up. This will keep you straight and also give you time to think about if you really want to take on the care of another dog.
2007-05-20 09:22:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ask your vet to scan it for a microchip. If you haven't already. Sometimes the chip contact is the breeder rather than the owner....any good breeder would want the dog back so they know where all their dogs end up.
I do know how you feel. I kept a found Collie for 2 weeks while I tried to locate the owner, I even put an ad in the paper.
He was loaded with foxtails, intact and flea infested. I got him neutered, had a tooth pulled and groomed him and then took him to a no kill shelter. He got adopted by a family within 2 days.
Remember, sometimes a dog is in bad shape because it was lost or stolen from the original owner and the thief or finder of the pet is the one who let it get in bad shape.
Also notify animal control that you found the dog, you don't have to take it to them, but if you report it and you've tried to call then you have done all you can. NOT notifying animal control of a found dog and not contacting the owner is considered dog theft.
I found a GSD puppy one time, I took him to Animal Control and said if no one came for him and no one adopted him to please let me know and I'd come get him. He was on stray hold for 3 days for an owner to claim him and then was adopted out on the 5th day.
I know you just want what's right for the dog. :) Once you've done all you can, then yes I'd say you can keep the dog. Animal Control can probably fill you in on the legalities.
Around here dogs with tags are on hold longer at the shelter...5 days I think, and they are separate from the strays with no tags, so they are less likely to get sick.
2007-05-20 10:16:13 · answer #3 · answered by Whippet keeper 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like the dog left an unhealthy home situation, on his own. It also sounds like you're a much better pet owner than whoever had him before.
I'd say do two things - one, report the dog's situation to your vet or the local animal shelter. There may be other dogs there that are in bad health and need rescuing. And two, if they never came to get him after repeated calls, then it sounds like they have abandoned him. (They may have had to move away and left him behind, just thought of that.) So have a neighbor of the previous owner try to go there in person to tell them what's going on.Give then one more chance to retrieve him.
Sounds to me like you've got a new dog. Congrats!
2007-05-20 09:20:48 · answer #4 · answered by Miles Batty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on where you live, laws vary so. I found a cat in a similar state and to own it legally I took it to my local shelter and put a hold on it so I adopted him when his stray time was up. If you want to just keep him maybe sending a letter with signature needed stating if the people do not call you by such and such a date you will consider the dog abandoned and yours. Also you might be able to take him to a Cocker Rescue and adopt him too. Good luck
2007-05-20 09:28:13 · answer #5 · answered by ginbark 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not sure how you would go about that if you ahd left the owners your phone number and address. But I myself would either keep the dog or contact the ASPCA. The ASPCA would either let you keep the dog or they would take it and put it up for adoption after the legally take control of it. They would also press charges against the owners if they determine that the dogs condition is due to abuse. Just make sure that if you contact a shelter that its a no kill shelter.
2007-05-20 09:25:44 · answer #6 · answered by tzzman_95660 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can get into some legal hotwater if they ever decide they want their dog back. You'd have to be able to prove you'd called them.
However, draw up a document that states you would love to keep this dog and provide for it, if they sign off and release him into your ownership. They need to relinquish all ownership in writing to make it safe.
Play up the health issues and how much vet care $$$ this dog needs and it sounds like they'd be happy to be rid of him.
Poor Cocker.
2007-05-20 10:49:47 · answer #7 · answered by renodogmom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they have an address on the tag go to the house and try to speak with them or leave them a note with your name and number (not address) stating you found their dog and are taking care of him. If they do not respond in 30 days I would say keep the dog. Since he was in the condition you may as well consider him yours because it doesn't sound like they cared very much anyways. They quite possibly could've just dumped him.
2007-05-20 09:20:57 · answer #8 · answered by sun_and_moon_1973 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep it. The owner is not worth keeping that dog anyway. If they ever want to get the dog back after you treated it report them to the ASPCA so they can be monitored. That's animal cruelty by the way, letting the dog be dirty and with fleas.
2007-05-20 09:19:24 · answer #9 · answered by Batman 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
sure. it seems like obviously they dont care much. the same thing happened to me, me and my friends heard a dog holing all night- and it was raining and the next day we wetnt down the hill behind her house to the stream, and found a dog, with a rope caught in between the rocks, and was growling, and was soaked cuz it was pouring and thundering and lightning, and he was dirty, and scared and we took him to her house, and fed him, and we never heard about a lost dog, so my one friend kept him for a little, untill they had the dog in the car one day- and they went past this house, and he was acting strange, and it turned oout that was his home, and they sed he got off the rope he was tied up too, and i could swear about a month ago the same dog was in my yard but i couldnt catch him =[ i hope hes okay now
2007-05-20 09:20:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋