Could anyone shed some light on this situation or even some legal advice?
Father in law was sent to jail for breaking bail by commiting the same crime (DV). He had just under 3 years left of his sentence. He did not make contact with anyone for at least 3 weeks. Now the issue.... he had a dog. His 60 year old brother was living with him.( He is on the pension. He would normally be homeless, spent years and years on the streets.) He was taking care of the dog in the meantime. However, rent was 5 weeks behind and they had been given notice to leave. He (the brother) hadn’t even organised a place for himself to go at this stage. He most likely would have ended up on the streets, but a cousin had sorted emergency housing for him at last minute which he couldnt take dog anyway. My SIL would occasionally drop dog food over to help out. Keeping in mind no one has heard from FIL, no arrangements had been made for the dog, and we all (family) assumed he would have to finish his sentence (LONG HISTORY OF DV) so SIL and I discussed the dogs welfare and agreed to re home him. (Have since found out, probably for best as there have been reports of mistreatment from neighbours) So I organised the rehoming. Someone I know, lovely family and he is being well looked after. There was no exchange of monies, just simply re homed him.
However, 10 weeks later, FIL got out of jail on a technicality 🙄.
Wants his dog back, which I said he can’t because the dog has settled and the family love him. The kids would be devastated.
He is now blowing up, threatening me, going way overboard. He has reported me to the police claiming I stole his dog. I’m yet to hear from them but am I going to be trouble? Where do I stand, and what should I do? I honestly thought I was doing him a favour and obviously was in the best interest for the dog.
Legal matters
Legal matters
Posted in:
Life Lessons
27 Replies
You should speak to the police yourself. You can also get some free legal advice through your local council (enough to tell you where you stand).
You are unlikely to be in trouble though. I can’t imagine the cops would waste time on this case.
Please explain how long the dog owner had been away and who/where the dog had been left?
It sounds like it wasn't your business, so Im thinkiing correct procedure to report mistreatment is to call rspca or local council. You can't take a dog thats not yours and rehome it. I do understand it may be the best thing for it but also giving a dog away for free is not a completely responsible move either.
The owner was in jail for 3 weeks with no communication or arrangements for the dog.
The owner was in jail for 3 weeks with no communication or arrangements for the dog.
FIL and his brother were living together. The dog resided with them. FIL (owner) went to jail. Brother was feeding dog while owner in jail. But was being evicted because rent was behind. Brother had no arrangement for himself in regards to housing. Like I said he would have just ended up on streets. Owner made no contact to anyone at all in 3 weeks. No family members were in the position to look after him until we knew what was happening with FIL. There was literally no arrangement made by owner in regards to the dogs future.
In my opinion, that’s abandonment. OP
It's not abandonment if its in the house it always lives in with someone home.
Its not abandoned until theyve actually moved out and left it there. The correct thing to do is to report it.
There are no kill rescues. Giving dogs away for free often does not end well for a dog and probably wont be the end of the story for this dog. I think in this case it wasn't yours to give away. It will just depend on how far he wants to take it.
Well I guess I wasn’t willing to wait for that to happen. I tried rescue groups and they were all at capacity. Didn’t want him going to the pound as the future for animals in the pound are not certain. I know the new family and trust they will do the right thing by the dog. I wouldn’t have just given him to anyone. The owner had a responsibility to provide care for this dog and if that meant he needed to arrange temporary care then he should’ve. He had 3 weeks to do so, knowing his brother had no where to go, and he didn’t. Hopefully authorities will see the compassion behind my decision. OP
So he was jailed and the dog was with his brother. He got out shortly afterwards and you've given his dog away? Sorry, I understand that you made the best decision at the time, but I think you did the wrong thing and he does own the dog.
If she had dropped the dog off with the ranger saying my FIL is in jail, I can’t keep him the other person living there can’t take it with him where he’s going. Do I surrender the dog or let it go on the street for you guys to chase? Does she
A) Do the responsible thing and find a new home for the dog where it will be loved and cared for.
B) ask the rangers for their advice before just letting it run off for them to catch and put into the pound to be held and then euthanised if not rehomed due to no contact with owner
C) take it to the rangers explain the story, hand over the dog for them to take care of. They can’t/don’t find a new home and euthanise the dog
D) take it to the rangers, the rangers hold it for 1 week, they manage to re home it legally, dude then can’t get his dog back any way
E) the rangers give the dog to a charity like safe, the dog is rehomed and the dude then can’t get it back because it was done legally
Do you really think she did the wrong thing. She could have handed it to the rangers, it’s hold time then expires because the owner doesn’t contact them, they don’t rehome it and the euthanise it’s would that have been a better outcome to this story.
This chick did the absolute right thing by the animal and by the looks of it the guys an animal anyway!! Can’t treat humans properly but will treat a dog right. Dude doesn’t deserve to have a dog.
Someone could have spoken to the father in law when his brother couldn't stay there? Absolutely this could have been handled better
He’s in and out of jail and other people should not have to pick up his responsibilities! Family or not this poster is not at fault. His own actions landed himself in there abandoning the dog! Massive part of DV is the perpetrator not taking accountability and responsibility so I would have done this AND told him to wake up to himself and sort his shit out!
Yeah cool. Leave that family open to attack then. Good plan.
Not picking up after him includes not organising to rehome his dog. Let him sink or swim on his own. If the dogs being neglected or abandoned, report it and force him to sort it out or deal with the consequences.
Disagree where pets are concerned. They don’t just get left to be neglected or taken to the RSPCA. Doesn’t deserve euthanasia for one, there was a family deserving and ready to take the dog on and why clog up RSPCA’s resources. But that’s just my opinion and that of a animal lover... 🤷‍♀️ Failing he recovered the dog it would have been re homed at very best so given he was IN JAIL would have lost the dog either way.
Yeah that’s what I’m worried about. Just because it may have morally right, doesn’t mean it will be legally right.
There was a 5 week window between brother being evicted and owner getting out. Not too sure what could’ve happened to the dog in that time? I mean you would think if the owner was going to make temporary arrangements, he would’ve by then? Anyways, hopefully authorities will see the facts for what they are and understand the compassion behind my decision. OP
I'm sure the family will cope. Give it back. It should never have been a permanent arrangement if he had an active appeal.
Look, your intentions were obviously good but you didn't handle this well.
You have effectively stolen this guys dog, he probably is within his rights to want it back!
You should have called the rspca with your concerns and they would have sorted this all within the confines of the law.
I think you need to go to the family and explain that it wasn't really your place to give the dog away and you made an error in judgment, now the dogs rightful owner wants him back.
Own your mistake here and put things right to save yourself the drama.
Couldn't have said it better myself! Complete agree with you.
I know you were only trying to help and have acted with compassion. Legally you are in the wrong though. The correct proceedure would have been to call the ranger and or surrendered the dog only when the tenants (the brothers) were evicted. You/or your friend would have then put your name down to adopt once his holding period was up and his owner didn't collect. Then legally he could have done nothing. But you technically did steal his dog and give it away. Which carries the same penality any theft would. I would seek legal advice as to how bad your situation could be or see if you can get his dog back. Its not worth being charged over.
OP has stated there was a 5 week period between brother being evicted and FIL getting out of jail...if the dog had gone to rspca/ranger at the time of eviction, the dog would’ve either been euthanised or put up adoption within that time frame so the end result would still be the same so no, OP didn’t do the wrong thing at all.
Bloody Hell. Feel so stupid now. Sucks when you try to do the right thing but ends up biting you in the ass. Thanks for everyone’s opinions/knowledge on the situation. Guess I’ll just have to cop it on the chin. OP
God just get his dog back to him asap! U have stolen his dog and can be charged. The cops will have to deal with it if he reports it
We can all see your heart was in the right place and no one is perfect, we all make mistakes. Now you have to own up to your mistakes and try your best to fix it. Lesson learned, don't beat yourself up about it x
I agree, your heart was absolutely in the right place and it was the most compassionate solution for the dog, I hope everything works out ❤️
So did u get the dog back to him?
No. Police are on my side and happy for the dog to reside with with new family at this point in time. If he wants to take it further, he can take it to courts. Haven’t heard anything else.
Document the explosion. Document the abuse.
You'll be fine