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

Well, it depends.
I wouldn't take money.

I'm really worried about the ferocity of your posts to others. Is the arsehole the pet owner offering a reward? The finder claiming it? Or some other random person?
Are you OK? (head tilt)
If someone has 1k to give as a reward, and someone else claims it... what exactly is your problem?

Once my dad found a lost cat. He and the owner got so badly bitten and scratched getting the frightened moggy into a pet carrier that she insisted they both went for rabies shots. She also brought round chocolates and wine a couple of days later. My dad felt he had earned them (even though when they got the cat into daylight the 'owner' realised it wasn't hers! Probably why it was so unfriendly.).

Then take your issue up with people offering the reward?

Why would she get a rabies vaccine for (what she thought) was her own cat?? 😂 must have cost her a fortune!

This logic is like saying doctors shouldn't get paid.

I agree! Even if it was offered, I would refuse a reward. I would just be happy to return the pet. I love animals and don't want to see them distressed so would be happy that they were home.

Pet insurance policies allow for an amount to post as a reward, I would be very happy to pay a reward if someone found my animals if they were lost.

It's not unethical, immoral, or unkind to graciously accept a token of gratitude.

Why not. I see fb posts from people who've found a dog. They first of all have managed to gain it's trust to go with them, they've put it in their car, taken it home, often later taken it to the vets to get scanned. Dead right they deserve a reward

The funeral industry profits from the death and grief of others!

pharmaceutical companies profit from the illness of others

Surely offering the reward encourages more people to search, so the owner has a better chance of getting a reward... There's a dog owner local to me offering a monetary reward for whoever finds his dog. It might tempt me into looking around locally! I might not be as arsed to go outside looking for a strangers dog if there wasn't. If that makes me a monster then ok! 🙈

Take it and donate it to an animal shelter

But if someone has offered a reward, @Pyreneansylvie, and another person finds their pet, shouldn’t they honour that promise they have (implicitly) made?

It’s to encourage people to look out for the animal more.

A person is not an arsehole if they aren’t looking carefully at every cat they pass to see if it’s a particular lost one, but some people might pay more attention due to the reward.

A reward shouldn’t be advertised if they don’t want to pay it.

It's nothing at all like it. Doctors are doing a job and are paid by the state or a customer privately for their expertise, skill, responsibility and because its their job. This is finding someone's pet and reuniting it with them. Most people don't have that money spare they'd just give anything to get their pet back. If you take it you're a horrible person even if it's offered.

You're not a freak, this is how people should be. Not grabby grabby just because something is offered. I wouldn't want that sort of money. Imagine that, oh you're beloved pet dog you bought your children when their dad died is back...okay cough up, I'm waiting for my 500 quid. Disgusting.

How are you a freak? Literally no one on this thread has said they wouldn't help if they found a lost pet, nor have they said they'd insist on a reward; you're not so special.

But some have pointed out that if someone CHOOSES to offer a reward, a pet finder is not being "a monster" by accepting it.

I wouldn’t offer a reward if I wasn’t prepared to pay it. Promising a reward and then reneging also seems disgusting to me, @DebateWithMoi.

But the reward is offered generally to be paid by the animal insurance - that’s why it’s so much more common now to see reward amounts mentioned.

this is worth is for insurance companies that have dogs routinely insured for £2k+ if lost/dies, so a £500 reward that saves them paying out on the doggy life insurance is worth it.

These days, it is rarely the owner who actually funds the reward.

Actually @OptimismvsRealism - would you be more comfortable if the reward was paid directly from the insurance company to you, not to the owner and then to you?

Hypothetical virtue is always the most amusing. Well done you OP. I'd take the reward every time. Not skint, don't need the money but if there is a reward or anything else I've earned I'm having it. Also hypothetical on my part as I've never found or looked for a missing pet. Sincerely, hypothetical monster