 Finders keepers is not legal right
Finders keepers is not legal doctrine. The law specifies that you must make a good effort to find the legal owner of valuable property. Not to say anythng about the moral issue. We are all humans, and our puppies are animals, they escape, who of us hasn't had something else on our minds and boom, something happens that might not have happened otherwise? Yorkies are very expensive animals, they are also highly desired. The chances that someone is looking for this pup and missing him is higher than not. If I lost one of my dogs and I found out that someone had him with every intention of keeping him and making no effort to find out that he was mine, I would take ever legal action I could against that person. Do the right thing, advertise, post posters, contact the local agencies, just because he looks like a stray does not make him one. I love my dogs, they are microchipped, have tatoos and name and id tags in addition to their dog license. I have taken every step to protect them, however, this does not mean that they will never escape or stray. You have no proof that the dog did not at some point have on a collar, did you have him checked for a microchip? What about animal control? Humane society, yorkie rescue groups? You have a moral obligation to try and find his legal owners. If he was mine and you did not do so, I would be extremely angry with you. |