To think only a monster would claim a reward for returning a missing pet

[OptimismvsRealism]

Surely any decent human would refuse unless absolutely desperate for food or something

If the reward was offered then why wouldn't they?

Locally a cat was clipped by a car and missing. The owners were distraught and offered £500 for finding their beloved pet.

a group of 4 early teens (13/14yo) decided to work all weekend on finding the cat for the reward. They were out in all weathers, scrambling through bushes, door knocking. Do you know what, they found the poor thing in the bushes, bedraggled and slightly injured and they raced it to the owners. The kids got their reward and the owners got their cat back. Now I'm sure that people would have kept an eye out, and I've helped neighbours look for missing pets, but that cat was found purely because those teens spent hours looking. They absolutely deserved that reward, and in this case the reward did exactly what it was intended to do. I don't begrudge those teens a penny of it, and from the lovely FB post the owners later put up, there didn't seem to be any resentment of them claiming it, instead praising them for all their efforts and hoping they enjoyed spending the money they had earned.

Ok I wouldn't try to lift a Komodo dragon but then I wouldn't do it for £500 either.

I would and I'm not a monster(I hope) because I see returning a pet just like returning any other item of property.

Ummm, Fred West was a "monster", not someone who claims an advertised reward for returning a pet.

Little bit OTT lol

I found someone’s lost cat and told them to donate the reward to a pet charity. I didn’t need the money, and they donated to a cat rescue charity

Well now you've completely moved the goalposts.

I'd try and reunite the pet with their owner whether there's a reward or not, but I'm not going to turn down a reward if offered.

I'm also likely to put more effort in is a reward is offered. So I'm more likely to take the pet to them if there's some financial incentive rather than expecting them to come pick it up.

Not exactly the same but I once found someone's phone lying in the snow, called "home" and managed to return it. The guy was so happy and offered a reward. I said no thanks but he posted it through my door anyway. I don't feel like a monster for spending it

Surely any decent human being would honour the fact that they offered a reward?

It depends on how the pet got lost,did it escape or did some one nab it from the yard.

I once found a phone as we were leaving a concert. Picked it up, phoned the last number that had phoned it. No answer.

Walking along a few minutes later and it rings. "Oh god, you've found my phone, thank you so much! Where are you, I'll come get it!"

"That'll be easy" says I, "I'm right behind you!"

Girl turns around, snatches her phone off me and launches into a ton of abuse about me being a freak, I must be stalking her etc. and then storms off.

Me and my girlfriend were most bemused!

No, because quite clearly an animal and a human being are not the same thing. 🙄

If they have gone to the effort of searching for the pet, motivated by the reward, and it’s taken up their time then fair enough. If they just stumbled upon the pet then no.

Right! My cats are better than most people 🤗

Oh I don't think it's at all random 🙄

If I found a pet I would absolutely refuse the reward. Reuniting them and the positive warm, human feeling that would bring would be reward enough for me.

I so agree Op. I understand people offering it but to actually take it and profit off of returning someone's pet they love so much they've offered money makes you a certain sort of cunt. I'd fully disown family for doing that.

I'm skint so I would absolutely be taking the reward

I wouldn't hold a lost pet hostage "Pay me £x or I won't return Fido" but I would probably take an offered reward, unless I felt the owner was in a much worse financial situation than me. I once found a dog and had the hassle of looking for its owner, taking it home, taking it to my vet to check for microchip, contacting the police and then taking it to the police station. When I lost my dog, I would have gladly given a reward to the finder who got him safely to a police station if they had left their details. There are a few dogs locally who regularly 'escape' and maybe if it cost their owners to get them back they would take better care.

I would say no too (in my current circumstances), but I don't think someone is a monster for accepting one.

Finding a missing pet, catching it, getting it to safety, calling person arranging to meet a huge time waste inconvenience.
We spotted a missing cat, walked back to poster to get number to call owner, had to explain where it was, spent long time trying to catch it, waited for person, on & on. If there had been a reward, we earned it!!!!!!