Would You Give An Adopted Dog Back?

[Staffyluv]

Another issue with microchipping is there are a few registries, aren't there?

[Little Gifts]

Many years ago I ended up with my sister's wayward BC. It was not happy with us and used to run away quite a bit. We lived semi rural. After one escape I went to the pound, saw the naughty dog there and went to claim it only to be told it was wearing a council tag registered to another person. I was livid and was told to come back with evidence of ownership such as photos. So off I went. I came back with a fistful of photos to find the 'other owner' there bailing her dog out. I also discovered that the dog in the pound looked nothing like the dog I was looking for! How embarrassing but at least it forced the owner to retrieve their dog rather than let it languish in the pound for multiple days over summer.

I don't know if they would use photos as a form of evidence supporting ownership these days though. Seems unlikely.

[Staffyluv]

Many years ago I ended up with my sister's wayward BC. It was not happy with us and used to run away quite a bit. We lived semi rural. After one escape I went to the pound, saw the naughty dog there and went to claim it only to be told it was wearing a council tag registered to another person. I was livid and was told to come back with evidence of ownership such as photos. So off I went. I came back with a fistful of photos to find the 'other owner' there bailing her dog out. I also discovered that the dog in the pound looked nothing like the dog I was looking for! How embarrassing but at least it forced the owner to retrieve their dog rather than let it languish in the pound for multiple days over summer.

I don't know if they would use photos as a form of evidence supporting ownership these days though. Seems unlikely.

We had to provide photo evidence of one of our staffords years ago.

The police required it because he was a serial escape artist and had made his way into the hands of a guy who used his dogs for hunting.

We asked him for our dog back and he said prove it - so we had to get the police involved.

I guess under some circumstances photos would be used.

[Guest Maeby Fünke]

I'm going to make sure my Pug wears a collar now (with all his tags attached).

eta

Actually, I will start a new thread :)

Edited November 3, 2013 by Maeby Fünke

[lilypily]

I don't know if they would use photos as a form of evidence supporting ownership these days though. Seems unlikely.

I have no idea these days, but when I was a RSPCA volunteer back in 2003. We'd take people for a walk through of the isolation section to identify their dog. One day we took a lady through looking for her Maltese, it wasn't there. On her way out (she was left unsupervised) she took herself into the quarantine room and came out yelling 'my dogs in there, my dogs in there'. Staff were very suss (this was before pre compulsary microchipping) also the dog was not registered.

She returned with photos and luckily the dog did have a disernable feature. Also the way the dog reacted to her it was very clear it was her owner.

The RSPCA slapped her not only with the return fee, but the cost of the vet attendance, the vaccination and boarding for the 2-3 days it had spent in quarantine. The woman went skitz, nearly screamed the building down.

She got the last laugh though, she returned with a huge bag of 5 and 10 cent pieces. It took staff forever to count it all :laugh:

Anne, if you don't have a receipt of sale, but the dog is registered and chipped in your name, things like vet records would help?

Edited November 3, 2013 by lilypily

[~Anne~]

Yes, vet records definitely help.

The onus of ownership, depending on who is disputing it, relies on you.

As an example, several years ago I had a pug surrendered to me. Coincidently her name was Lilly. She was not in great shape and had been neglected. She was in this predicament due to a divorce or seperation.

She was chipped, but not registered. Her chip was in the breeders name still as the breeder had failed to transfer it. She was around 7 or 8 years of age. I contacted the breeder as a courtesy to let her know I had the dog in my care. To get the paperwork in order I had to contact the breeder again to explain the dog was still chipped in her name. She demanded the dog back stating it was 'hers' if it was chipped in her name.

To cut a long story short, the surrendering owner provided a receipt of sale, vaccination certificates and vet records showing that he had owned the dog since purchasing her as pup. This documentation satisfied the requirements of the Companion Animals Register and she was transferred into my name.

[Kajirin]

I'm going to make sure my Pug wears a collar now (with all his tags attached).

eta

Actually, I will start a new thread :)

I perhaps have overkill on mine. He is chipped and wears his local council tag and I used to have engraved tags with phone number and name...but Scout kept on losing every engraved tag after a week or so and they're not cheap. So went to the newsagent, got a plastic luggage tag in a colour that complimented him - printed out his name, home phone and mobile numbers, laminated it and inserted. He's had the same tag for 5 years now and has never lost it once and the tag only cost $1.50. He wears his collar 24/7.

The plastic tag is large and like this one only yellow

[Guest Maeby Fünke]

Oh, that's a good idea. Can you laminate those luggage ones so they stay permanently closed?

eta

Oh, I see. You laminated the little piece of paper inside.

Edited November 3, 2013 by Maeby Fünke

[WoofnHoof]

I would return the dog, many owners love their dogs but aren't as OCD about things like some of us are :laugh: and microchipping has been a fairly recent thing, my little chi wasn't chipped when I bought him as a pup, I got him done when he was older, poor little guy was not impressed Anyway I can understand why some people may not have had it done as a matter of routine so I would give the dog back, presuming it was a good loving home :)

[Kajirin]

Oh, that's a good idea. Can you laminate those luggage ones so they stay permanently closed?

eta

Oh, I see. You laminated the little piece of paper inside.

I printed out two of the same info so the tag can be read from either side - cut it down, laminated and put it in. The tag flap has never popped open since I closed it.

[Guest Maeby Fünke]

Hahahahaha, love the pic!

[Simply Grand]

Me too Noishe, that's hilarious and gorgeous :)

I'd return the dog in those circumstances. Although the new owners did everything right and have the legal right to keep the dog, I agree with others that lack of a microchip and a clear issue with the dog sitter aren't good enoureasoners for someone to lose their dog of 7 years.

[sandgrubber]

I'm going to make sure my Pug wears a collar now (with all his tags attached).

eta

Actually, I will start a new thread :)

I perhaps have overkill on mine. He is chipped and wears his local council tag and I used to have engraved tags with phone number and name...but Scout kept on losing every engraved tag after a week or so and they're not cheap. So went to the newsagent, got a plastic luggage tag in a colour that complimented him - printed out his name, home phone and mobile numbers, laminated it and inserted. He's had the same tag for 5 years now and has never lost it once and the tag only cost $1.50. He wears his collar 24/7.

The plastic tag is large and like this one only yellow

I prefer the flat tags with holes through the ends so they slide onto the collar itself and lie flat. These don't dangle and can't fall off. (Right hand side on this ad:

http://www.jefferspet.com/product.asp?pn=0029542&green=9F1C31FD-69B4-56B6-06D5-60319F3A31EB )

I don't know where you can get these in Australia.

I would think paying your council registration fees would do real well as proof of ownership.

[Simply Grand]

I was just thinking though that even if someone has receipts for purchase of the dog, rego and vet bills, if the dog isn't microchipped what proof is there that the dog in question is actually the dog the person paid those things for?

Obviously photos would help if the dog looks different enough from other dogs (or if you happened to have a DNA test).

Not saying this is relevant in this case, or that it comes up often, but just thinking that it could be an issue if you had more than one party arguing over ownership.

[Guest Maeby Fünke]

My Pug has been microchipped, is registered with the council (has a council tag), has a CAR certificate (and tag) and an engraved tag with my mobile number on it.

I have tons of vet bill receipts, but I'm not sure if I still have his receipt of purchase. I haven't renewed his Dogs Vic rego for many years and I never became a member of the Pug Club - would that help?

A DNA profile is a good idea. I might get that done.

I know his microchip number off by heart.

[kelpiecuddles]

I use clip collar so the slide on tags don't work but I'm seriously considering these:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Engraved-Stainless-Steel-Slide-On-Pet-Dog-ID-Collar-Tag-Ideal-for-agility-dogs-/121049875222?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Kitchen_Steamers_Cookers_PP&hash=item1c2f228316

[MrsD]

Yes I would give the dog back.

None of our dogs ever wear collars unless we take them out on leads. Do the old DOLers remember poor Kirsty who lost one of her dogs & the other one had horrible injuries to it's mouth after they got tangled up when they were playing? I have never left a collar on our dogs since that day . I still remember her posting about how she came home to find one dog choked to death & the other one lying next to it with it's jaw caught in it's collar .

I never trust anyone to look after Jarrah while we are away, the other dogs are very well behaved but he us downright naughty for anyone but me, so he always goes in the kennels. When Dagboy & I went to the US in July we left the other 3 dogs & the boys at home with my sister & BIL looking after them, but Jarrah still went in the kennels.

Edited November 3, 2013 by MrsD

[kelpiecuddles]

Is there such thing as a breakaway collar for dogs? Like you get for cats?

[Guest Maeby Fünke]

Is there such thing as a breakaway collar for dogs? Like you get for cats?

Yes, it's called a quick release collar.

[sandgrubber]

<br />I use clip collar so the slide on tags don't work but I'm seriously considering these:<br /><br /><a href='http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Engraved-Stainless-Steel-Slide-On-Pet-Dog-ID-Collar-Tag-Ideal-for-agility-dogs-/121049875222?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Kitchen_Steamers_Cookers_PP&hash=item1c2f228316' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.ebay.com....=item1c2f228316</a><br />

<br /><br /><br />

These are similar, but more options

http://www.luckypet.com/

You might also get your local engraver to do a little rectangle with two holes in the ends and rivet it to the collar.