Is that actually a question? Just keep the dog. This woman didn't care good enough for the dog if she lost it. It looks to me that the dog will be better off in your hands anyway. Plus, 2 years is way too long to start looking for a dog. Also, the woman might just be looking for money.

Definitely contact.

I would contact the lady and have a serious discussion with her. She might be immovable on the question, and she might even be a jerk about it, but at least you can lay everything on the table. And since the dog is legally yours, there's nothing she can do about it if you keep the dog, although if she's really a jerk she might sue... This is pretty tough. Your kids have a stake in this as well, I guess, having bonded with the dog... what do they think?

keenmaster486 wrote:

I would contact the lady and have a serious discussion with her. She might be immovable on the question, and she might even be a jerk about it, but at least you can lay everything on the table. And since the dog is legally yours, there's nothing she can do about it if you keep the dog, although if she's really a jerk she might sue... This is pretty tough. Your kids have a stake in this as well, I guess, having bonded with the dog... what do they think?

We haven't discussed it with them yet. The 4 year old would be really upset. Our 10 year old is pretty level headed once you explain things to her, but she would still hate to lose Cinderella. What I need is for the wife to get on the same page as me and lose her fear. She has to think logically about it.

I totally agree with your assessment because I have a sneaky feeling that the woman is going to adamant the dog "belongs" with her, and stubornly refuse to listen to reason. She may even report us or whatever. But I still want to do the right thing and call / meet her to explain. I keep thinking if I were in her shoes, I'd appreciate someone doing that, rather than ignoring it entirely. I have seen and read the post (damn our friend, 🤣). If I don't speak to her, I'm a dick. Right?

If I were in your shoes I'd make zero contact and move on with my life. It's unfair on the dog but more importantly it's drama and heartache for the kids, and no-one messes with the kids 😠

It's been 2 years, facebook lady can get another dog. And the chance that random strangers will have studied the facebook post enough to identify your dog AND are ballsy enough to make a citizens arrest seems unlikely I think?

This is a tough one. Something tells me this woman is going to make you miserable.

I guess go with your conscience, but my gut tells me she will fight you tooth and nail. I'd be very tempted to say "finders keepers" and leave it at that.

I would keep the dog and not contact her.
Given the state of how the dog was found, it was either caused by A) Neglect or B) Been lost for a long time.

In the case of neglect you don't want the dog to return to the original owner.
In the case of being lost for a long time, what the heck had the owner done at the time? Could have been lost for weeks, months even.

Now that the dog is legally yours, you should keep it and instruct your friends to not answer, and explain the reasons. You should move on.

If. Only IF. the lady finds you (and not the opposite) let her do the work, and let her try going to the authorities. For a case this old, I posit that they are going to let you keep it and tell her to find another dog. The dog probably doesn't even remember her anyway.

Do not contact, there is no point to do that as others explained above. The dog is yours and a part of your family, period. 😀
Looking for something after 2 years... Man that smells bad from miles...

It would create a lot of stress for the dog if you now remove it from your family. When found, it was so young that I doubt it has any connection to the previous owner and considers you part of the pack. Most likely the dog would suffer should you separate it from the people who cares for it. I know, because we bought a dog that was 2 years old and it spent a few weeks with us before the seller wanted to see how the dog was doing. The dog started shaking as soon as he saw were we had arrived! The problem there was, that they had another dog and they didn't get along at all and this poor creature thought he was going back there.

Do not contact.
That woman lost any right to the dog 2 years ago when she made no effort to find it and further, IMHO, she could accused of neglect, irresponsibility and mistreatment.
The dog is better off with you, who will value and take proper care of it.
.

i dont think this is a coincidence - without someone caring for it, a dog will hardly survive 2 years in the streets, especially a young one; i would even consider doing this publicly, go via tor to a new facebook account, and ask this @$%#$ in public why she now cares after 2 years? how can she possibly take good care of the dog when she doesn't immediately react to the dog going awol? and i would also state it there clearly that the only right thing a new owner can do is taking care of the dog himself; also i would just make a statement and never return to the account, dont look for a discussion, just state it in public and leave;

I think that until someone notices your dog in real life and raises the issue you should plead ignorance. If you hadn't seen the Facebook page you wouldn't be asking this question. You have done everything by the book so far, but I don't think 'doing the right thing' extends to reacting to a Facebook appeal. If you can legitimately claim you haven't seen it (and who can check anyway?) then you should just continue with your lives.

If Cinderella is meant to be with you then there's a chance nothing will happen and you won't need to worry about it. If the dog is found... well I think it would be useful to speak to someone who has experience in these matters - someone at the dog pound or an animal charity may be able to offer some advice. I doubt this will end up in court (someone already mentioned this possibility) but that will be a test of the previous 'owner's' dedication.

Iris030380 wrote:

The Dog is legally ours

Is it really? I do not know what the law of your state or country is regarding lost property or lost dogs, but typically dogs are considered personal property. The original owner typically has three years to recover lost personal property. You only had the dog for two years.

Since you appear to have taken reasonable steps to advertise the finding of this dog so that it may be returned to its original owner, she has no real legal claim except to recover the dog. You can always counterclaim for the upkeep and maintenance for the dog for the two years she was with you. All the dog food, shots, trips to the vet, toys, collars, micro-chipping, add it all up. If she had not lost the dog, she would have to pay that herself. She cannot expect someone else to have kenneled her dog for free. She will likely back off at that point once presented with a two-year bill.

I don't know... the dog was reported to the warden, missing info could not be found, a week has passed before it went to the rescue center (or adoption which is what happened).
I'd say it's legally Iris030380's dog now since all things that the regulations dictate were followed to the letter (apparently).

I want to say that here this time is 3 weeks to re-claim lost goods (or whatever) , after that time passes it's finders-keepers. 3 years does seem a lot of time for that...

Get a lawyer ASAP.

I myself have adopted a dog a year ago, and if I encountered your situation, I would refuse any contact with the previous owner.

If she shows up and starts claiming, show her the bill for all the dog food, chipping procedure, shampoo, toys, whatever you purchased for her dog over 2 years. When people have to pay $$$ for their "loved ones", they tend to quickly change their mind.

i also suggest to observe the woman's post on any social media, did she have a SJW tendency? if yes avoid her for another year.

RacoonRider wrote:

I myself have adopted a dog a year ago, and if I encountered your situation, I would refuse any contact with the previous owner.

If she shows up and starts claiming, show her the bill for all the dog food, chipping procedure, shampoo, toys, whatever you purchased for her dog over 2 years. When people have to pay $$$ for their "loved ones", they tend to quickly change their mind.

No, no! Never do that in cases like that.
By starting showing bills you acknowledge that the dog in question was theirs but the thing is that they can't prove anything. No chip, no missing-entry, no claim 2 years ago - they can't make a solid legal claim that the dog is theirs - it's not a person we are talking about that has a face to recognize or do a DNA test. All they can do is try to claim the dog based in pictures and with the mistakes the current owner does. Don't give them any help at all in this - especially when you did everything the warden told you.

This story stinks to high heaven - assuming the alleged previous owner starts making claims.
Avoid all contact and mistakes at all costs. I have adopted several stray dogs and I would never return them unless the owners showed up 1~2 weeks after they lost it and I was convinced it was an honest mistake.

If there was no ID tag's of any kind. Then it is straight forward I would say.
Just keep a low profile on this.