Val, can I have a word in your shell-like?

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

Sorry to have to grab your attention, I know you are very busy, but I just wanted your opinion.

I walk every morning on the local park with 8ish other walkers and their dogs, yesterday morning a small terrier darted out of a car parked mext to the park and came through the railings, a couple of us went to make after him, but the female driver of the car told us 'sod it, leave him, he can go and find a new home, I've had enough of him'

By this time he had been returned and she reluctantly put him in the car and said that 'an old lady had given him to her a few days ago, but he kept running away and she didn't want him, did any of us want him?'

We were all a bit shocked and said suggested she take him back to the original owner, she said 'no point' and drove off.

This morning before I arrived on the park, one of the people I walk with had seen the lady again and asked did she really not want the dog, the woman said 'no, have him' dropped him over the railings and walked off.

So now what? The woman in question is going to take him to the vets for a check over and to see if he is chipped (he has no tag). If he isn't should she still give him up to (who?) for a period of time, to see if he is reclaimed.

She would like to keep him I think, any advice?

[Vallhala]

I'd be inclined to get in touch with a sympathetic rescue with a scanner rather than a vet (obviously have him vet checked by all means but say nothing about the circumstances). See what turns up... if he is chipped then the sympathetic rescue can make enquiries, find out if the chip is to the old lady, if the dog has been stolen and is much missed, or if it links back to the bitch who dumped the poor little sod.

I say this as although I can quite believe it, the story may be viewed with an odd look or two and the vet may make a fuss about repatriating the dog to whoever he's chipped to regardless. Depends on the lady... if she's a stroppy moo like me she'll quote chapter and verse at the vet, a more polite person could be bullied into doing something they know isn't in the best interests of the dog.

Certainly if he's not chipped I wouldn't give him up to anyone if I were willing and able to keep him - there is no obligation to, the dog was given to the lady without any conditions.

If the dog is a stray you MUST inform the council that you've found a dog and give your contact details and info on the dog as to breed, sex, colour etc. You have two choices when you find a stray dog - hand him over to the dog warden/designated council pound or keep him having informed the council that you have him and of your details and got the council's permission, which they can only refuse if they have very good grounds to believe that the dog's welfare will be at risk if he is in your care.

This dog is not a stray but legally a possession which has been gifted, just as I might give a charity shop an old coat or you a bunch of flowers.

In case he IS a lost dog the lady can ask her local council if such a dog has been reported as such... she does NOT have to give the dog over to them (but would of course have to return him to his owners if he was indeed missing from home). Tell her not to let the council convince her otherwise, most don't know the law on this. If he's not reported as lost/stolen and there is no evidence to suggest he has been the lady does NOT require their permission to keep the dog either. If she gets any problems on that score tell them that she will be passing a complaint over to the RSPCA's solicitors who will take joy in telling the council how to correctly implement the law.

She may also like to check the pages of the DogLost website for a missing dog matching this one's description in her area. It is possible that he's been stolen and dumped. Terriers (and sighthounds) sadly are all too often picked up, particularly by the travelling community, but may as a result be dumped miles away. If you think that this is the case then DogLost is worth checking but to hand the dog over to rescue or inform the authorities is not legally necessary unless there are genuine grounds for believing that he is lost/stolen or unless a genuine owner is identified.

IMHO anyone claiming to have lost the dog who clearly hasn't or who is unsuitable or the evil woman claiming she wants the dog back should be met with a firm "Feck off!".

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

Thank you so much Val, I will check dogs lost now, he is quite distinctive (though a scruffy wee mite).

All the rest of the info I will print out and pass on to the lady who has him if that is ok with you?

Thank you again for all the advice.