Dog ownership rights

[Doglover19]

3 months ago my now ex partner asked me to have our 18 month old dog coz he couldn't cope with him anymore. He kept mentioning rehoming him for months on a farm a long way from us but I would tell him no he wasn't going anywhere.

My ex had a brain injury from an accident and couldn't cope with the dogs , 1 was really hard work . My exdp was having fits etc and kept telling me about this person rehoming him but I wasn't happy about it. I tried my best having him but I couldn't keep him due to my flat tenancy. But I tried giving him a break and I would take him on holidays with me and I struggled too .

So I took him to come stay and my landlord finally let me keep him so ive had him 3 months and less than 2 weeks after I took him, my ex died . No one is sure at the moment for the reason so it's gone to inquest.

So last night the guy who my ex mentioned was rehoming him turned upto my flat to tell me my ex actually signed the paperwork 2 days before he died for him to legally rehome my dog. And he is now the registered owner of him and he wants to take him 😭😭

He was using things against me like the fact he's got separation anxiety and I can't even leave him by himself to go to the bin ! I have to take him to my mums everyday to be looked after so I can go to work !! The fact his microchip details are not upto date or his injections and coz I live in a flat and can't let him off his lead on walks like he would get on the farm with these new people he's found for him.

Il be honest right now I feel like my head is ready to explode. I've had to deal with losing my ex partner , work , the dog and keep life normal after what was a rollercoaster of emotions for 2 years before all this with his health . He was a big drinker , did a massive amount of coke and his anxiety and mental health was on the floor the last 2 years! He was always telling stories and I always felt this was another one of his stories.

The guy said he's been chasing him for a few months to find out the paperwork for the dog we got from the breeder and my ex kept saying he couldn't find it but I think he kept telling people he couldn't cope when he was pissed and on coke wanting to stay out and have a life all weekend and the dog was holding him back from this life so would have another conversation with this guy then once he was sober and feeling better he regretted it. The guy said he sat with my ex when he had had a fit and he was down in the dumps and just wanting to end his life.

So , now he's saying he's coming back for my dog and he's legally thr owner of him and he's taking him to this farm which the thought is breaking my heart.
He already has separation anxiety, he sits by the door waiting for me all day (he's a breed that has separation issues and are called velcro dogs) he has a proper attachment to me and the other day he saw a guy in a high vis jacket coming towards us and his tail was wagging he really thought it was my ex.

I know the farm would be perfect for him if he didn't have all these separation issues as it is. I feel like he's been taken from my ex and given to me and now he's gonna be moved again it's all too damaging . The guy doesn't seem to care he just wants to rehome him with these new people like he's a business transaction.

My ex had a brain injury from his accident , he was a different person the last year I didn't know who he was. He had a total personality change. Was having so many fits and he signed the paperwork 2 days before he died ...
Where do I stand ? If anywhere .

Doesn't help that he spoke to so many people about my dog going to this farm and he needed him to go coz he couldn't look after him but then if you ask anyone he was never apart from the dog and he would take him for walks all day long when he wasn't working towards the end. He lived on a caravan site and so he loved to talk to ppl and it was always about the dogs. He lived for them so I am struggling to get my head around any of this. I know he couldn't cope and I tried my best but it was always "MY DOGS" !!

Is it worth getting legal advice or am I going to just have to let him go ?

It doesn't sound quite right - is he a reputable rehoming charity. I'd be wondering if the farm is even real and whether the dog is being taken to be mistreated. I wouldn't let me dog go at all.

I don't know about the rights - did he show you any evidence? How did he have your address? I think someone more knowledgable will come along, I just wanted to bump this one up for you

Thank you. He's someone on the caravan site my ex had a caravan on . I know he rehomed dogs from abroad and my exs family have rehomed our other dog with him but he's kept him however he wants my dog to go to a farm .

He only showed me a screenshot of the paperwork so I would be wanting to see all proof before handing him over. I feel like leaving the area with him if I had the money bur he's microchipped . I'm gonna try and enquire about his microchip details coz I've had an email about the other dogs microchip being changed but I haven't received anything about this one.

I'm wondering how much legal advice would be ?? I told him I'm not giving the dog up without a fight coz I've had him since he was 8 weeks old.

I've got the dog insured it was just other things I hadn't got round to doing but in my eyes the fact he's with someone who loves him , I'm caring for him , not leaving him on his own to bark all day. He's being looked after with me so he's already been rehomed !!!

Something just doesn't feel right with this. What does he mean "Signed the paperwork"? What paperwork? I have had two privately rehomed dogs and I didn't sign paperwork in either case. Just loaded the dogs into the car and brought them home.

What sort of dog is he? Is he the sort that could be trained for dog fighting or even worst, a bait dog?

I would not let him take the dog, if he turns up again, don't open the door but ring the police.

Do you have the breeder paperwork or chip paperwork? You also referred to him as "Our" dog, who paid the breeder, is there a receipt? Even if none of it is in your name, your Ex gave you the dog three months ago, if he did promise the dog to this man, then he was not of sound mind when he did it, and he had already given the dog to you, so you are now the owner.

Instead of Dog, put washing machine in all you have said. If your Ex gave you a washing machine before he died, you would not be worrying about this man now being the owner of the washing machine as when your ex stated he could have it, it was no longer his to give away.

Okay your update makes me think something is very wrong here with this man. As per the previous poster I'd be worried about the dog being used for fighting or bait, and being mistreated.

Don't open the door if he comes again. Agree call the police. Don't let him take this oh. If he very dubious there is a kind farm home waiting for him at all

*I'd be very dubious

Has he paid your ex for the dog? Is that the issue? If he has a receipt you may have a problem (though if the dog was half yours and therefore not your ex's property to sell you'd be in a better position) but I don't know what this 'paper work' is? If it's not a receipt for payment then it's irrelevant to you surely? The dog is yours, don't hand him over.

He paid for the dog from money he got from his compensation payout so they were always his dogs in his and everyone else's eyes.

He said he has the paperwork that the breeder gave to my ex but any other paperwork I don't know what he means. He tried to show me a screenshot of something on his phone and he said he had a letter from my exs family who were next of kin after he died to take the other one. He says he never rehomes dogs without paperwork signed to state he owns them .

I think he thought he could would come last night and I would agree to it because he came on the pretence for my dog to see our other dog so he bought him with him .

He's a red F1 cockapoo that cost a lot of money and is absolutely stunning . I can't go anywhere without people stopping to admire him and they tell me what a beautiful dog he is. Coz his Dad was a show poodle. He's got such a lovely temperament he is loved by everyone he meets.

He kept mentioning my exs inquest and I think he wants to try and get him before it comes out what happened to him because when I mentioned him taking his own life he was adamant he didn't think so. I think he is worried I might have a case about his mental health.

I am absolutely obsessed with this dog he's like my 3rd child no one is taking him without a fight. I'm going to go to CAB tomorrow and if no luck il go to get proper legal advice .

Luckily I live in a block of flats where he can't just come to the door. He has to get into the building and I'm always with the dog.

He hasn't mentioned money in any way whether thats if hes paid my ex or if hes sold this dog. But I've paid for dog food , dog coats , accessories , whilst he wasn't living with me.
I feel like it's one last dig my ex has had at me .

Paperwork can only be a receipt, but if the dog is half yours, he wasn’t your ex’s to sell or give away. He isn’t a pedigree dog registered with the Kennel Club I assume so he won’t have papers of any breed registration. I would keep him. There is no evidence this dog belongs to this guy. Shame he knows where you live. Keep the dog safe.

"3 months ago my now ex partner asked me to have our 18 month old dog"

This line sticks out with me. In the eyes of the law, a dog is a possession. If he asked you to have the dog then it is a gift made before his death so inheritance does not come into it. Keep thinking of the dog as an object, and always speak like this. If your ex handed you a very expensive necklace and asked you to keep it, you wouldn't have even started a thread, ownership would not have come in to it.

Has he been neutered? If not, he would be very valuable for breeding. Tell this man that you had him neutered when he was given to you.

He told me he was going to the police last night to report him as stolen . He gave him my address apparently to come for him after he signed this "paperwork" ! :(
I've just been looking and it's a civil matter so I obviously wouldn't get legal aid and I can't afford to get any expensive legal support as I'm already struggling.
Honestly financially and in view of his problems he would be better off being rehomed but I'm putting his mental wellbeing before all this. He's still got feelings and cockapoos are sensitive little shits. I've just had a shower and he was fast asleep when I left the room and I got out to find him sitting on the landing waiting for me. I go to the loo in the middle of the night and he comes to find me imagine how he's going to feel after he's already lost 1 owner and now the other it's gonna break my heart to lose him.

Just hang onto him! The police aren’t interested.

Honestly just ignore him. If he turns up again tell him to leave without engaging and if he continues to bother you report him to the police for harassment.

IF the police turn up, state that you bought the dog together, your Ex couldn't look after him so asked you to keep him.

You do not know what this man is on about as the dog was now not your Exs to give away and you can only assume that this man is trying to take advantage of a tragic situation as he believes the dog is valuable. Try to keep a calm but puzzled attitude and you will come across as the injured party

This will at least get the police to go away and give you time to go to CAB for proper advice.

You tell him he's your dog, not your Ex's (because he is, was half yours anyway and ex gifted the other half to you, but you don't need to go into that with him) and your Ex had no authority to rehome him. Then you tell him to stop harassing you or you'll call the police.

If he's handed over money then he can talk to whoever is admistrating Ex's estate about a refund.

Have you got photos like a time line of dog's life? Vaccination book? Receipts from pet shop /bank statements? Texts of ex asking you to have your ddog full time? He is a chancer and I would happily go to court to fight for that ddog. Is he castrated op? Get him done ASAP if he isn't. Any surgery mine have had hasn't involved my dh attending or counter signing the paperwork.

In the UK a dog is property which can be gifted or sold without paperwork.

Tell the man and/or the police (if they show up) that your Ex gave you the dogs 2 weeks before he died. He could not sign over ownership 2 days before he died as you owned the dog by then.

Tell the man that he is not welcome at your home anymore and that he needs to leave you and your property including the dog alone.

Point out that due to taking drugs and drinking your Ex frequently lacked capacity to form a contract and that even if the man can prove your Ex had capacity he did not own the property in question at the time the contract was signed.

If it went to court the man would have multiple problems as he has to prove you did not own the dog.

Tell him if he will not leave or keeps turning up that you will have to call the police to have him removed as he is causing a breach of the peace and harrassing you

Don't engage with this person. He is trying to bully you into doing what he wants.

As pp said, legally a dog is a possession. Your ex gave you the dog, therefore you are its owner. You have evidence that he is your dog, such as the insurance documents and the permission from your landlord to keep the dog.

If the police do turn up, you tell them it is not stolen because it is your dog. You have evidence to prove that.