[News] Animal Shelter Refuses to Return Yorkie to Owner Jan. 19 - KGO - Imagine losing your pet, having it show up at a shelter and then being told you can't have it because they've promised it to someone else. That's what happened to one Bay Area woman, so she contacted 7 On Your Side. This woman had owned her dog for five years. It was a part of her family, but no more. While Libby Duarte was on maternity leave, her sister watched her yorkshire terrier, and that's how things went wrong. Libby Duarte: "She told me the dog left, wasn't in the back yard anymore. So I went ahead and searched for her." The dog, named Baby, ended up at the Contra Costa County Animal Services Department. Libby got stuck in traffic on the way to the shelter, so she called to say she wouldn't be there. Libby Duarte: "That was Saturday. Sunday they were closed. Monday is a holiday. Come Tuesday I called them to say I'm on my way to pick her up and she's been adopted. I said, 'you told me to come in on Tuesday'? 'Well, yes, but she's been adopted. Sorry about that.'" And it gets worse. Libby went to the shelter and actually saw her Baby sitting there. Libby Duarte: "The dog is in the kennel, she is looking at me and she is happy and ready to get out of there." But she had already been adopted and the shelter would not budge. Michael Finney: "As a dog owner of five years that would not make me happy." ABC7's Michael Finney: "So even though the owner shows up you can't reverse the deal?" Lt. Nancy Anderson, Contra Costa County Animal Services Dept.: "It's a binding legal contract when you sell an animal." But there's a complication caused by the Animal Services Web site, confusion over how long a dog is held. Michael Finney: "Your Web site says five business days." Lt. Nancy Anderson: "Yes." Michael Finney: "She shows up on a Tuesday which puts it within five business days." Lt. Nancy Anderson: "Yes, the Web site was not correct." Michael Finney: "Oh, do you see the problem there?" Lt. Nancy Anderson: "Yes." Michael Finney: "You are saying on one hand you have a legal obligation to the new owner, but you have a legal obligation for what your Web site says as well Lt. Nancy Anderson: "The Web site has been clarified." Michael Finney: "So it was wrong?" Lt. Nancy Anderson: "Yes" The shelter called the new owner who refused to return the dog, which leaves Libby with no dog and no options. Libby Duarte: "I would be happy if I could speak with the new owner." Michael Finney: "So you could see..." Libby Duarte: "How they are keeping her." The shelter can't legally give me the new owner's name. So if you are the owner, give me a call and let me hook you up with Libby, so she can rest easier at night. The Web site has been changed to reflect a three-day holding for unlicensed dogs. The lesson here is license your dog because they are held 10 days at that shelter before being adopted out. http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sec...ide&id=3829093 |
Libby, is a very sweet, kind and understanding lady. I would have tore them a new one, and then they could have went on and on about a mistake...Maybe, I would have called an attorney, and the media.... :mad: |
OH my!!!! There has to be something that poor lady can do..... What a way to put a downer on having a new baby- to lose your fur baby. But if that was my dog I would broke down the door to get my baby back- they would have had to pry my hands off the kennel! What a shame! |
This breaks my heart for the dog :cry: Can you imagine seeing mom and can't get to her. I am not sure of this shelter but our's will hold if they have a micro-chip also. So the advise is to license and micro-chip. |
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Oh my gosh!! I would want to kill that person! Heck, its not even my dog and I want to kill them! The website made a mistake, so its THEIR fault. I feel so bad for that poor woman. And that "new owner" must be a real piece of work to refuse to give someone's dog back. :mad: |
that is so harsh. and that animal shelter is rediculous for not owning up to their own mistakes by providing misinformation on their own website. the new owner is probably so happy they got a yorkie for a small adoption fee that they don't care about the bond that already exists between Baby and her original mommy. if it were me, i would have raised such a stink and would have stayed at the shelter until the new owners came by to pick up MY furbaby. or rather... TRY to pick her up. :mad: |
That is just Wrong! If the shelter gets any pure bred dog it is obviously a mistake that they were running loose. They should have waited the five days and then put the dog up for adoption after finding that the dog didnt already belong to someone else. If the woman called then i take it she already claimed her dog and i feel that animal control kind of stole her dog. If my dog gets loose and a neihbor finds them they cant turn around and sell or keep the dog just cause they found it. It her dog and the new people that bought it should have been told that there was a mistake we are talking what a 25 dollar adoption fee and that poor woman im sure spent an arm and a leg for that yorkie beside the love and care,shots everyhting. I dont know what i would do but this just isnt right whether its a yorkie or just a family pet. You cant go back and change the rule as you go along. some one that works there probrably adopted that dog. Dont they put all new dogs that are impounded on a medical hold first? |
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This is just sad. |
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What an awful situation!!! If it were me, I would just die! I also would not let it go, I would find some way to get my baby back. The person who is most disgusting in all of this is the new owner of that pup. They should have handed the pup back to it's rightful owner. Karma is a bitch! |
What I don't understand is, she did call them. They knew the dog belonged to someone. Whey couldn't they tell her then that she only had the 3 bus. days? They even told her to come on TueIt's all so wrong. I smell a big law suit coming! Hell I would do what ever it took to get my baby back! |
This is just plain wrong. If there website was wrong they should take responsibility for that and do the right thing. I would probably be in jail if this was one of my babies. How awful. |
OH MY! You can bet your sweet Ass if It was my dog , and I'm at the shelter, and MY dog is there staring at me from a cage, YOU can bet, MY dog would be coming home with me,, THere would be NOONE stoping me! :mad: |
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this is unreal- how could this happen |
I do not agree with this at all! If the website was wrong, right there is a legal cause! I would get an attorney involved. Plus, if the lady called and they knew she was on the way, it wasn't her fault about the traffic, the next day the building be closed and the next day a holiday....so how did someone come in to adopt it when they knew the owner would be there the next business day? That there (again) would be another good cause for an attorney. Course, if it were me in this situation...I would beg and plead for them to stay open alittle longer for me to pick up my furbaby that day (no matter if I were stuck in traffic or what). I agree, they should be micro-chiped and such....but everything here points to the lady being in the right........... I would be damned if I went there and seen my baby in a cage and they wouldn't let me have him. She should have brought all of her papers on her furbaby and an attorney. This makes me sooo mad!!!! I think that she can take the animal shelter AND the new "owners" to court to get her baby back. I would be fighting tooth and nail to get my furbaby! - even though I am not a big "take to court", "sue the pants off someone" type of person! I would be doing everything in my power to get mine back!!! |
Oh that poor lady! If feel so bad for her. I think I would have lost it on the people at the shelter and probably would have gone to jail for it too. They had no business placing that little baby up for adoption if the owner called them and claimed the dog. How can anyone live with themselves knowing they caused so much heartache to someone. If I was that lady, I would get me an attorney quick and sue the pants of the shelter and the new owners. Then I would make sure that everyone in that worked at the shelter that allowed this to happen be fired. |
What makes me mad about this is the shelter KNEW she was the owner of this dog. They KNEW she was coming for the dog and still adopted the dog out anyway???? That's wrong...very wrong! |
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That is soooo wrong!!!! OMG, I'm so outraged, it makes me want to cry for this woman. She needs to get an attorney involved for sure, she can't just let his happen...That's HER baby...The shelter has a responsibility here, and they're not doing what is right. Everything about this situation is wrong. |
We got a sayin' here in the west.....Somebody git a rope! |
She has a lot of patience and a good heart. I would have had every word flying out of my mouth and have been quite the untamely citizen. |
This article has caused me look up my local animal control's policy on stray/found animals. I found this which is very very interesting: The California law popularly known as the Hayden Bill (California SB 1785) became effective on July 1, 1999, was suspended for the 2003-2004 fiscal year and was reinstated by Governor Schwarzenegger for 2004-2005. It includes the stipulation that all strays, i.e., lost or abandoned animals, brought into public shelters, whether by members of the public or animal control officers, must be held for four days, plus the day they are impounded, for a total of five days (longer for part-time shelters), to include at least one weekday evening until 7 p.m. or one weekend day. This holding period is to allow time for an animal's caretaker to claim the animal. Now, state law is suppose to be higher than municipal law or individual policy created by a public agency such as the shelter right? this would imply that the Contra Costa County policy of a 3 day hold on unlicensed pets is in violation of California State Law. I wish I can get hold of that woman and give her cause to fight to get her furbaby back!!!! |
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I think we all need to start emailing and try to help her. First im emailing the shelter a nasty letter then im going to the news stations and government. Thats just not right. That could be anyone of us and our dog. http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/dep...contactus.html http://www.governor.ca.gov/state/gov...v_homepage.jsp |
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I'm also sending a polite nasty gram to the animal shelter. o anyone else who wants to email them, the Contra Costa Animal Shelter's email is Tasdweb@asd.co.contra-costa.ca.us . The news station: KGO's website has an email submission form . The segment is called "7 on Your Side". |
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Here's what I wrote to the Animal Shelter: I'm writing regarding the Jan 19 story by KGO's Seven on Your Side about animal shelter refusal to give Libby Duarte back her dog because it's been adopted. First off, I'm appalled by the behavior of the Contra Costa Animal Control. For a department that's trying to be sympathetic to pet owners and promoting responsible pet ownership, you seemed very apathetic to reuniting a woman and her lost dog. Secondly, if your policy is to hold the dog for three days only before it's up for adoption, then Libby should have been informed of that when she called the shelter. I'm sure if she knew her dog would not be returned to her if she waited until Tuesday, she would have fought the traffic neccessary to get to the shelter and her dog asap. Lastly your 3 day hold policy a violation of the California law popularly known as the Hayden Bill (California SB 1785) which became effective on July 1, 1999, was suspended for the 2003-2004 fiscal year and was reinstated by Governor Schwarzenegger for 2004-2005. It includes the stipulation that all strays, i.e., lost or abandoned animals, brought into public shelters, whether by members of the public or animal control officers, must be held for four days, plus the day they are impounded, for a total of five days (longer for part-time shelters), to include at least one weekday evening until 7 p.m. or one weekend day. Contra Costa Animal Shelter's policy of 3 days for unlicensed strays clearly does not meet Hayden Bill, a state law, which I would think supercedes a municipal policy. I am very curious to understand what's your reasoning for believing your shelter's policy should violate State Law. The "binding legal contract" you have with those who adopted Libby's dog should be null and void because it was signed while violating state statute. Libby Duarte deserves to have her dog back. |
Ohh my god... if this was me... Id have my cell phone in one hand dialing an attorney with bolt cutters in the other hand busting my baby out. |
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