Taking found pets to the pound.

[cannibalgoldfish]

I always thought it was law that if you found a lost cat or dog you need to take it to the nearest vet (to scan for a chip) or the nearest pound. Or at least contact the pound to let them know you found said animal and in some cases they might say to keep it at your place but they record your details should someone call up looking for a missing pet?  and if you don't at least contact them you are technically keeping lost property? Is this true or is it just certain states? There are so many Facebook posts saying " I found this dog/cat, if no one claims it I shall keep it." and if anyone mentions taking it to the pound (where most people would look for their lost pet) they say something like "cant take it to the pound, they will just put it down!" 

[RuralPug]

How long you can hold a found pet before you are required by law to notify the local ranger varies from state to state. In Victoria it is 24 hours. In some states vets are permitted to contact owner directly, in other states they MUST hand dog over to the ranger.

If you believe that the council is a kill pound and the pet will be put down if unclaimed, then you can always arrange an adoption on that pet if it is unclaimed - you don't have to adopt it yourself, but check with the pound how many days they will will hold it before allowing adoption and let people know they can put a hold on it.

If you don't notify the correct authorities in your state, and attempt to rehome the lost pet yourself it is actually theft.

[PossumCorner]

We used to pick up the odd lost/runaway dog around Sherbrooke Forest (Vic).  and would ring the Council/Vets to see whether owners searching.  Options offered were they could send Ranger to collect, or we could take to Pound.  OR we could hang onto it for a day or two, if an owner described lost dog at Council or Pound they would direct them to us.  Which would save the owner a fine and pound fees both.

 

When Rheneas went missing he was picked up and taken in by a local.  Council rang us to say where he was and gave contact details to phone and collect him.   So I guess different councils interpret the rules flexibly or not.  What is inflexible is the fine and pound fee if they pick up a straying dog.

 

Theft is theft - lost property is never the legal right of the finder, even after reasonable efforts to find the owner have been made.  Proper channels apply, responsibility is to notify and hand in.

[cannibalgoldfish]

I'm asking because a while back a friend found a cat, it had been hanging around their house for a few days. She called the Rspca/pound and was told, she didn't need to ring them just take cat to a vet and if it's not microchipped, then they can get it chipped themselves and it's then theirs!!!!  They also told her that if you drop an animal off to the RSPCA you don't get get any claim to adopt it if unclaimed. I can not believe anyone would say this!  I seriously can't believe this was true.  

[PossumCorner]

Oh yes, in Vic once a dog or cat is surrendered to the RSPCA they have lifetime ownership (even after adoption), that is not negotiable, and they are not obliged to adopt the dog back to the finder even if it passes all the temperament tests etc for adoption.  In that way it is different to the council pounds.  Sometimes a Council will contract/commission/pay the RSPCA to act as its pound if the council does not have facilities.  But dogs are sent there by the Council, I think it comes under different regulation, and a different kennel area at the RSPCA.  But probably their arrangement with Council is to integrate the dog into their system after the waiting period.  It's a money raiser after all.  Murky waters.

 

Re the cat, I'm sure regulations are different concerning stray cats and dogs, for example no fine for having cats at large out of curfew hours (if they apply).  Plus the RSPCA can be so overloaded with cats that they quite likely said that to your friend because they already had too many to re-home.

[stellnme]

In NSW, found animals have to be taken to the pound.  It's fine to take them to a vet to check for a microchip, but if none found, the animal has to be taken to the pound.  I see many facebook posts in my town where people presume everyone is on facebook and will see the lost animal on the particular site they post it on - certainly not so, with so many sites and most closed groups.  I also see many comments where people presume they can keep the cat or dog, or people reply that they will take it.  Not so - it's theft to keep someone else' pet.  It has to do 7 days in the pound if not microchipped, 14 if they are, and the finder can put their name on to adopt if no owner comes forward.

Why people don't microchip their pets (which is also the law) and give themselves a reasonable chance of being reunited with them should they go missing, is beyond me.

[Tempus Fugit]

Quite a few people do chip but then don't update their details when they move, change phone no Tec.

[stellnme]

1 hour ago, Tempus Fugit said:

Quite a few people do chip but then don't update their details when they move, change phone no Tec.

Yes, that's unfortunately right.

[_PL_]

On 24/12/2017 at 11:56 PM, cannibalgoldfish said:

I'm asking because a while back a friend found a cat, it had been hanging around their house for a few days. She called the Rspca/pound and was told, she didn't need to ring them just take cat to a vet and if it's not microchipped, then they can get it chipped themselves and it's then theirs!!!!  They also told her that if you drop an animal off to the RSPCA you don't get get any claim to adopt it if unclaimed. I can not believe anyone would say this!  I seriously can't believe this was true.  

The cat thing in NSW is strange. Yes absolutely they are a pet, and yes you should take them to the pound or have them scanned for a chip at the vet because someone might be missing them and because they still come under the Act as companion animals. 

However unless it is a health hazard like hanging around food preparation or crapping in kid's playgrounds, cats are (also per the Act) allowed to roam. So chipping (and desexing if you can afford it) of unchipped strays is considered ok somehow and probably your only alternative if your council isn't taking them.

Some areas have a curfew so I'm not sure what happens there either but that's per council by-laws.

So with a vacuum of ways to prevent increasing numbers there are numerous groups who concentrate on controlling breeding by trapping colony aka community cats, desexing and then releasing back to the colony, and rescuing the kittens.
And when I say prevent increasing numbers, I mean cat euth rates were sky high.  

True about the RSPCA. They do run some pounds but also just operate as their own entity.

Reading back, I'm not making a lot of sense because it used to be different. Hopefully someone who does TNR or Pound work can explain further.

Edited December 27, 2017 by Powerlegs