I have been given a dog with a microchip and a garbled history

[JustGettingStarted]

Someone I know who is not in great personal circumstances has given me her chihuahua. From what I understand, she has been passed around and I'm at least the 5th person to have her. A couple of the people in her back story don't sound very stable.

She needs veterinary care, but I have to establish ownership of the dog. Had her scanned and there is a chip. The chip company has been contacted and they'll try to contact the person on the chip. They are, presumably, the legal owner.

What happens if they can't be contacted? Can I claim her? Any advice I've found online is for strays and say that I must turn her in to the local authorities although I can offer to foster.

If they're contacted then it's their dog and they decide what to do. I can't put any conditions on her return.

From experience and from AI, the microchip company will contact the last recorded owners and let them know someone has applied to be the new registered owner. The previous owner then has a set time to reply by and if they don’t the company can change it over to your details without the previous owners consent

I've not applied to be the new owner, but have said that I am willing to. I don't know what info is passed on. I've told them that she was given to me by someone unwell, that she needs extensive veterinary care, and that I'm willing to assume responsibility.

I guess I'll wait until I hear what they (microchip company) say when they get back to me.

Probably useless but in France where I know the rules they will contact legal owner and if they don’t respond you will be able to apply as owner. I’m not sure if you can actually do that yourself, or if it needs to be done through a specific channel like a charity for example. Are you absolutely certain the dog was not stolen at a previous point?? How many years can you account for accurately with your friend / person before her. I would advise you to only go down this route if you absolutely will keep the dog for its entire lifetime and will commit to that. Abandon for them is a huge trauma. Good luck xx

ring your local vet practice and have a chat with them. They will have dealt with similar. I have a feeling that if an animal is in urgent need of vet care and owner can't be found or contacted, especially if you are willing to pay for said care, they will do it.

I adopted a dog with a microchip registered to somebody who wasn't in the equation. It perhaps helped that the middle party was a vet practice. The dog had been signed over to the vet practice, and I registered the microchip when I took him on from the vets. The microchip company did contact the previous owners, and I was worried because I didnt' have any proof of ownership, but it went through fine.

I have contacted a local dog rescue that specialises in elderly and abused dogs and they were lovely with advice.

I have opened a request to transfer the chip to me via microchip company. They've already emailed to say that they couldn't reach the owner by telephone (I assume number no longer in service) and they will send a letter. If no reply in 30 days, she's mine. The lady says they deal with this all the time and it's very rare the original person is contacted and wants the dog back. The lady at the rescue says that can be challenged legally.

The dog has not been reported stolen.

Thank you for looking after the little dog. Chihuahuas can get an especially rough ride in life due to their size.

Have you been able to commence an y vet treatment yet?

No, not yet.

Hope to get her registered to me soon.