Originally Posted by DesertChildAZ (Post 1684261)

I often go on various websites and, by comparing "lost pet" ads with "found pet" ads, try to reunite owners with their pets.

Late Wednesday night (1/16), I found a "lost pet" listing on Craiglist for two springer spaniels that was posted on the prior Sunday night (1/14). The dogs had escaped from their back yard the prior day, 1/13.

On petfinder.com, I found an "found pet" ad for two springer spaniels that had been found in the general vicinity on 1/14 (one day after the "lost" spaniels in the other ad escaped). Unfortunately, the listing said that one of the dogs had been hit by a car and died. I forwarded the petfinder ad to the craigslister who was looking for their dogs. She responded immediately with thanks and contacted the poster who had found those dogs immediately to see if they were her dogs. Later that day I followed up with her by email to see if they turned out to be her dogs. It turns out that those were, in fact, her dogs and she was devastated by the loss of one of her dogs, which was compounded by the fact that the person who found her dogs had called a rescue organization and that rescue organization is now refusing to return the living dog to it's rightful owners despite the fact that they have provided proof of ownership (including family photos showing her distinct color patterns). In a nutshell, the dogs escaped on 1/13, were discovered after one was hit by a car on 1/14, the living one turned over to the rescue organization on 1/14, the living one was spayed on 1/16 by said rescue organization. The owners contacted the rescue organization on 1/17 and were told that they couldn't have their dogs and that the organization had a "family of interest" in mind (though not yet placed in that home). This all over the course of 4 days. The person who posted the "found" ad was the person who turned it over to the rescue. The ad was not posted by the rescue. The rescue does not appear to have tried to locate the owner. Just threw up a picture of the dog on their personal website (not petfinder). The person who found the dog never contacted the city, just the rescue, so the city was not involved in any way. She has since told the owners that the rescue organization was very mean to her when she turned the dog over and that she would assist in trying to get the dog back.

What recourse, if any, both morally and legally do the original owners of this dog have to get their dog back? (I have advised them to contact the police and immediately pick up the dog from the rescue before they place the dog in a home.)

Isn't it the moral obligation of the rescue organization to try to seek the dog's original owners (particularly since it didn't go through the county's typical 72 hour wait period, Maricopa/Arizona) before finding it a home?

What are the rules here?

Originally Posted by DesertChildAZ (Post 1684509)

With pleasure...

This is the second "rescue" organization that I've encountered that has left me in disgust. Two years ago, after my 13 year old cat died, I was looking to add another cat to my home and responded to a petfinder ad for a young cat in Arizona. That "Rescue" was called "Castaway Treasures" and I went to the "facility" which was a very old home in a VERY seedy area of town. The front porch was enclosed in chicken wire and I was not permitted inside. The shelterowner met me outside in the yard and instructed me to stay about 10 feet within its gates, which was 15 feet or so from the porch of the home. The windows were blocked out with aluminum and there were 4 dogs on the porch. When the lady met me outside, she went in to get the cat and I could hear her SCREAMING profanities at the dogs inside, telling them to "Get the F*!@ down" repeatedly. When she brought the kitten out in a carrying case, it had snot caked on it's nose, oozing eyes and ear mites. I could not take this cat because my other 16 year old cat had just had a tumor removed and was susceptible to infection. I couldn't bring a sick cat into my home. It KILLED me to send that kitten back into that home. I wanted so badly to just run with it but I didn't know anyone who could take it until I could get it to a vet. I cried all the way home. I believe, with what I know now, that that "rescue" organization was in fact a hoarder. It just seemed shady to me. But it broke my heart that those animals had to live with that raving screaming terrible woman. I eventually alerted petfinder.com and the city animal control. I didn't see many ads from her on petfinder after that so I'm not sure if she was banned.

Anyway, I don't have a very good taste in my mouth from the experience and this dogowner's recent experience just speaks volumes about what is wrong in animal rescue today.

(I do have another experience of a cat rescue in the Phoenix area that was superb and very impressive, so I don't think they are all bad.)

Originally Posted by bchgirl (Post 1684297)

No kidding. Does she know where the dog is physically located? With that information and her proof of ownership I believe the police would help her recover the pet. I hope....

I don't even know what rescues groups are governed by...in regards to attempting to find owners of "strays". In the shelters or city pounds here...it is customary to wait a specific amount of time before releasing a stray for adoption. Rescues who knows...

I wish the best for the outcome here.

Originally Posted by Mari-Lou (Post 1714689)

Sounds like a horrible situation. The owners may have to go to court to get results. They should do it soon, get a lawyer too. Hope things work out

Originally Posted by sweetie3 (Post 1714902)

I am so glad the people got their pet back.this is a happy ending, one was lost but this was not a total tragedy.




WOW! I always thought of rescues as a saving grace for lost pets,that if you lost a pet and at the very least someone who found them didn't want them you could always check the local shelters and get your beloved pet back.Well this is an eye opener and I believe it would be harder to get a purebred back than a mix/mutt I am SOOOO glad my Max is micro chipped as I won't worry about that happening to me.

Originally Posted by daisy mae06 (Post 1714917)

Not all rescues check for microchip... sad but true..

Originally Posted by momo2589 (Post 1744213)

Most rescues that have a dog surrendered to them from a humane society/shelter assume that the shelter has waited the amount of time to have the owners claim their pet. I am with a rescue and this has never been a problem. Also when a dog is surrendered to them by a person the rescue assumes the dog is their dog and most sign a surrender form giving the dog to the rescue. I have yet to meet a bad rescue person. I know our rescues adoptions take around 3 weeks to do reference checks and such. I am sure if this was the case with us the dog would have been given back to the owner. If there were any vetting fees we would ask that they be paid before giving the dog back to the owner.