Dog adopted by new family; original owners want it back

[dog owner]

when my dog got loose i called the very next day and every day after that looking for my dog, i put ad's in the paper and luckily a very nice gentleman had picked him up and taken care of him. he saw the add and called us. he was heartbroken that he couldn't keep the dog, because he had had him for a few days and really enjoyed the dog, but he did the right thing and called the ad. i thank this guy daily for giving me back my dog. i feel for the owners, but in a way feel for the new owners as well, as the owners didn't contact the shelter sooner!

[angel]

Zwagerman wrote:

It is my dog and the report is about me. This person is confused. We only moved in to our house a little over a year ago so the dog running the neighborhood and living outside for years can't be ours. If they bothered looking at the pics in report, there are pics of her on our bed and laying on a dog bed inside our house. The Humane Society also did not give the facts correctly. She did have a collar on which they identified when i called. We found her dog tag laying in the yard with name, address, and phone number which had fallen off. They never gave us a chance to give them proof nor did they ever ask for any. she is registered in my name and we obviously have plenty of pics. I have even offered to refund any adoption fees and expenses to the adopter to cover their losses. I am sorry we do not loose our dog every week and were unclear of the proper portocal. It seems like there is spmething else going on here because who wouldn't give a family their pet back? <quoted text>

Was your dog spayed? Could it be that the humane society didnt mess up the facts about the collar? could it be that wood tv messed that fact up, because if the shelter didnt find a collar on your dog, they would have legally only had to hold her for 4 days. I assume you must know that your dog is not an irish setter, but an english setter? Perhaps Wood TV has failed to represent the truth. Would you please explain to all of us out in tv land, why you took a full week to look for your dog at the ONLY shelter in your county? Did you ever go into the shelter to look at the animals to see if your dog was there? How about make a flyer and send it, or file a lost report? Did you send the staff an email, or leave a voice message asking them to contact you? Cant wait to hear the answer to these pertinent facts. Bottom line, you were not responsible, your dog was homeless, and sat in a shelter for 8 days. Be grateful she has a good home with a new family, who will not leave her outside without any supervision or security, and that she isnt in the freezer or worse. Instead of lashing out at the people who have taken care of your lost dog, and at the people who have extended their hearts and homes to your lost dog, direct your anger inward, and take the blame for what you allowed to happen. The shelter followed the law, I dont even know why anyone thinks they have a story, or a complaint. You are the one who failed your dog. No one else. Explain that to your heartbroken kids and hopefully they will learn a valuable lesson and when they are adults and have their own companion animals, they will keep them secure and with proper identifcation.

[It is not fair]

Grand Rapids Dog Owner wrote:

Harbor Humane Society followed the law.
Shame on the owner for not checking on where the dog was. Helloo!!! Your dog is missing for days and you didn't check with the Humane Society???
In my opinion the dog is in a much better place.
Shame on channel 8 for sensationalizing this story and making the good guys look like they did something wrong.
They were lucky the dog was not put to sleep.
Channel 8--- get the story and facts
straight...the new owner loves the dog and rightfully it is theirs.
I'm sure wzzm 13 would have been honest and not made the shelter look like the bad guys!!!
Oh I forgot... your in a rating period and will do anything for it.
By the way..don't you feature "pet of the week" on your air?? What's up with you?

Obviously you have never looked in a dogs eyes and fell in love with it. You are a cold hearted person!!

[High quailty H2O]

welcome to GR wrote:

My dog has a collar with his tags, rabies, vet tag, and his address tag. He was stolen from my fenced in back yard. The people were nice enough to leave his collar unhooked inside my back porch door.
Lot of good having the tags on my dog did me, the police couldn't/wouldn't help me when I did locate who had my dog. I had no proof. They said all labs look alike so having picutes of a black dog with my house in the background wasn't going to work........
I stole my dog back a few days later, neutered him and had him microchipped.
The same person who had him the first time attempted to steal him again. My husband walked outside as the guy was walking in our fenced in backyard with a leash.

You should have shot him.

[angel]

Walt_B5 wrote:

How ironic it is that the dog in question is a breed of considerable monetary value. The dog likely would have been returned to the owners if it were a mixed-breed of little or no monetary value.
Was a reference to the new "owners"

ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS? Considerable monetary value? Do your research. Backyard bred dogs who are likely used to hobby breed and perpetuate the over population problem are not worth considerable monetary value, to anyone except for perhaps the people who were not responsible and breeding this poor dog. I cant even think of how to respond to this ridiculous statement because it is so wrong and inappropriate. If the dog was so valuable, why didnt the "owners" move heaven and earth to find their investment? I am so disgusted with the level of ignorance.

[Walt_B5]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS? Considerable monetary value? Do your research. Backyard bred dogs who are likely used to hobby breed and perpetuate the over population problem are not worth considerable monetary value, to anyone except for perhaps the people who were not responsible and breeding this poor dog. I cant even think of how to respond to this ridiculous statement because it is so wrong and inappropriate. If the dog was so valuable, why didnt the "owners" move heaven and earth to find their investment? I am so disgusted with the level of ignorance.

Exactly, the same type of idiots that refuse to give the poor animal back.

Furthermore, I am certain that you with your arrogant indignation are a perfect pet owner!

[Animal Lover]

Shame on the people who adopted Mia! You are acting like preschoolers, only preschoolers would do the right thing and return Mia to her owners. Take some time to think of Mia's real owners and not just your very very selfish family!!!! WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? He would give Mia back her real family!!!!!!

[Cookie]

What would Jesus do?
Jesus would give Mia back to her family that she has known and loved for 9 years!
If you are Christians, you will do the right thing and give Mia back to her real family! Remember WWJD?

[amy]

This family had the dog for 9 years. They probably called and looked everywhere for the dog. Is it possible that they overlooked the humane society? Dogs collars fall off, or the kids take them off. Dogs get loose and run and can end up lost. It is not as if they can stop and ask for directions. Finally, a dog is part of the family. This family has a 9 year relationship with her. I think that it is very selfish for the new owners to keep her. How would they like it if they were taken away from their family? I wouldn't think twice about giving a dog back that I adopted from a shelter if the parents came forward. So just give the dog back.

[julir]

This is such a sad story. In my opion the new owners are just keeping the dog out of spite.

[Sarah C]

How much longer does the dog have anyhow if the family had her for 9 years? Why would this new family want to adopt an OLD dog?

Give her back to the original family...I think it is simple. The Humane Society should have just told the family there was a mix up instead of asking them.

[amy]

The e-mail to the shelter is [e-mail]

[PO-d]

Work for a Living wrote:

I know what this poor family is going through. We had a dog get loose and the Kent County Sheriff picked her up and adopted her out to someone right down the street the very same day. Not only did our dog have a tag, she had a microchip! Luckily, we were dealing with people who really wanted her to find her home and we got her back. My heart goes out to you!

What you say happened and the actual law are totally different. Just one day?!?!? You and I both know they can't do that....

[PO-d]

amy wrote:

This family had the dog for 9 years. They probably called and looked everywhere for the dog. Is it possible that they overlooked the humane society? Dogs collars fall off, or the kids take them off. Dogs get loose and run and can end up lost. It is not as if they can stop and ask for directions. Finally, a dog is part of the family. This family has a 9 year relationship with her. I think that it is very selfish for the new owners to keep her. How would they like it if they were taken away from their family? I wouldn't think twice about giving a dog back that I adopted from a shelter if the parents came forward. So just give the dog back.

No license was mentioned was it? Probably then they didn't have one! If your 9 year old kid was missing, would you wait a week before you contacted the police? I think not!

[PO-d]

Tori wrote:

Yes,the people should give the dog back to the owner. They must be real Idoits to not give the dog back or just without morals.

Maybe the new owners will properly license the dog and take care of it?

[PO-d]

Zwagerman wrote:

It is my dog and the report is about me. I am sorry we do not loose our dog every week and were unclear of the proper portocal.

Sure hope you don't have any kids because if one became lost you might not know the proper protocol to have them found alive!

[Better Yet]

iF THAT DOG IS AN IRISH SETTER THEN I'M HILLARY CLINTON........

[One man one vote]

PO-d wrote:

<quoted text>
Sure hope you don't have any kids because if one became lost you might not know the proper protocol to have them found alive!

Thanks you saved me alot of time!! You got it right,
Love, Care, & TAGS/MICROCHIP. That is what a dog needs.

[carter]

I'd hate to be the new owners when people see this very recognizable dog is theirs and they are the inconsiderate people who won't do the right thing. If you're reading this-I would give the dog back before you open a can of worms for your family you can't undo. A dog you've known for a day or two can't be worth that.

[robert a anderson]

I saw the story and I know if it was me who adopted the dog and found out who the original owner was I would give the dog back to the original owner no questions asked and feel good about it. It seems like some of these "humane society's" make up there own rules as they go along they should bend over backwards to help people get there pets back .Lots of animals from New Orleans were displaced after Hurricane Katrina and it was months before the owners got there pets back and many reunited with there original owners after being adopted. So give the dog back. Thank You