Advice needed please!!

Hi All,
i am new to this site and after some advice regarding ownership of my dog!.

In january 2011 my friends said to me that they have a stray male staff keep coming into the garden after there female staff who at the time was in season, They had asked about but the dogs owners who never came forward to claim this dog so i took responsibilty for the dog, While the dog was in my i had to take him to the vets as he wouldnt stop itching his ear (common in staffys apparently).

While there they asked how long i had him an said i had him only a week and explained how he came into my care an wasnt 100% on if he was chipped or what he is like with vets, the vet asked what do i want to do with him i said i dont want to give him to the dogs home and will keep him with me untill his owners are found!!

They scanned him an he is chipped they gave me the chip number in which i found out was an american company based in uk!!. I contacted them and explained the situation and how i came across the dog they had the dogs owners details but wouldnt release them to me, so for about 3mths nearly every other day i was ringing the chip people they was ringing the owners but they never came forward i asked them can i take ownership of the dog and change the details into my name!!

They said that i need written permission from previous owners saying they have signed the dog over to me!!. How can i do that when they wont give me there name or address or they themselves cant get in contact with them.

I have had him for over a year now he has come on leaps an bounds his temprament is good he has gained weight after finding the right food that agreed with him and wouldnt be without him, Only thing is i have booked him into vets to have his crown jewels taken away but i am under a dif vet practice, only prob is he is chipped to someone else even though the chip company are aware an have my details on the screen as a temp contact!

How can i get his chipped changed into my name and will the vet take him off me for not being in my name??

wow what a dilemma. I have no idea but I am sure someone else will be along who can help you with some advice.
You sure have given him a wonderful home, sounds like you have done a wonderful job with him and are a responsible owner getting him desexed so I wish you and your boy all the best!
I wonder if you have a citizens advice centre you could maybe phone and ask them?

Hi,
Thanx for the reply its jus soooo frustrating as i feel i am banging my head up a brick wall, everyone says the same that i have to get the permission of the previous owners before he can become mine but they are uncontactable to me that is neglect in its self if they arent bothered to look for the dog as its bein over a year.

id be so lost without him now as i dont go no where without him all the family love him an always ask more bout him then me lol the more time we spend togeva the more he gets to no me an the more i get to no him, he takes up my bed an even has his own sofa (adult size) id jus be so heartbroken if he was returned bk to his previous owners after so long an then the risk of him ended up in someone elses hands

yes being in Australia I have no idea what the laws are over there..but surely common sense should prevail!!

after a year surely you would have to be considered his owner!!

The only thing I can suggest is to get him re- chipped with all the details being in your name.

vanessa wrote:

yes being in Australia I have no idea what the laws are over there..but surely common sense should prevail!!

after a year surely you would have to be considered his owner!!

i would have thought that to but i guess not as they always say the same thing

kathytake2 wrote:The only thing I can suggest is to get him re- chipped with all the details being in your name.

How would i get that done if he already has a chip in him?

Try your vet maybe they can help.

bobs wrote:Try your vet maybe they can help.

I am hoping they will speak to the micro chip company an they can get it sorted as if her was to ever get losemwhile i am out with him they would return him to the other owners and as they havent made any effort to look for him in the past year i feel its wrong if he is returned to them

I thought, once you had any dog for 7 days, they legally become yours if the owners have not come back???? Fingers cross you get this sorted. You are his mom now.

If you are really willing to, you can get a lawyer and they will put a case to the company and make them change the details as you have tried to get the owners to contact but have nothing to go on and he has legally been abandoned.

Another way you could go about it is to hand him into a shelter saying that YOU will DEFINITELY take him after 7 days if the owners don't come forward, then in the eyes of the law you are the rightful owner and the rescue will either get the company to change the details or rechip him but this is a very very last resort and should only be done if the new vets wont neuter him as your not the chiip owner

Staffy lover wrote:I thought, once you had any dog for 7 days, they legally become yours if the owners have not come back???? Fingers cross you get this sorted. You are his mom now.

I think this is only true for pounds..

I had this problem with scooby. I got him from a rescue who said they hadn't had chance to get him chipped and would I do it and give them the number. I said sure but when I took him the vets scanned him and found a chip, they gave me the number of the company (anibase) so I rang them and they said I had to put it in writing with a cheque for £6. This I did.

When I hadn't heard anything a few weeks later I rang them, they said they had written to the owner giving them 28 days to dispute the change of details as this was their policy. If after 28 days the previous owner had not come forward then they would do a change of ownership.
,
Luckily for me the previous owner who in my opinion lost all rights to the dog the day they abandoned him, never came forward. I rang on the 28th day!

I dread to think what would have happened if they had come forward as theres no way they'd be taking him from me..

Maybe your vet would put something in writing for you (mine did offer to do this if I needed it) x

I would think your vet or local rescue center woould be of some help or at least be able to point you in the right direction

P.s get a tag with your number on for his collar while your waiting for this to be sorted. He should have one anyway x

Hi all,

Thank u all for ur advice nice to no there are others out there to help

Well i have bein to the vets today for boss's pre-op and spoke to the vet about the issue with the chip ans hse said that after a yr he is mine as the other owner hasnt come forward i am to contact the chip people again an make them aware that i have had him for over a yr now and can they change the details to mine

So fingers crossed they will do this without any problems

So thank u guys for all ur replies and advice

Boss's mom x

As he is having an anaesthetic to be neutered can't the vet take out the chip and put in a new one. Problem solved.

8pawprints wrote:As he is having an anaesthetic to be neutered can't the vet take out the chip and put in a new one. Problem solved.

I don't think they are allowed to, or people could do the same with stolen dogs.

Yes that would deffo be illegal lol

I hope you have this sorted out now, but if not contacting your nearest rescue centre for advice might be the best way to go, as your in B'ham I would either try B'ham dogs home or your local RSPCA and ask them what you can do.
I would see it as being very unlikely that the previous owners are looking for him as it's been a yr so there has to be something you can do about the chip being re assigned to you.

Good luck and well done for taking him in, in the first place, one more staff with a loving home and not languishing in a rescue centre or worse

well that must be a relief for you!

kate32 wrote:I had this problem with scooby. I got him from a rescue who said they hadn't had chance to get him chipped and would I do it and give them the number. I said sure but when I took him the vets scanned him and found a chip, they gave me the number of the company (anibase) so I rang them and they said I had to put it in writing with a cheque for £6. This I did.

When I hadn't heard anything a few weeks later I rang them, they said they had written to the owner giving them 28 days to dispute the change of details as this was their policy. If after 28 days the previous owner had not come forward then they would do a change of ownership.
,
Luckily for me the previous owner who in my opinion lost all rights to the dog the day they abandoned him, never came forward. I rang on the 28th day!

I dread to think what would have happened if they had come forward as theres no way they'd be taking him from me..

Maybe your vet would put something in writing for you (mine did offer to do this if I needed it) x

This sounds like great advice from experience and you can't beat that , failing that can you not try calling the RSPCA for some advice , they are normally very keen to listen and always on the side of the good owner. I know it's not the same thing but years ago we took a cat from our local vet after the owner had left him and some rabbits locked inj a garage for a couple of weeks with no food whilst they went on holiday. We hhad no problems for 3 months then the owner (via contact with the Vet) decided they wanted him back. We called the RSPCA for help and they came out and interviewed us and we were told forget about it , if the owner got in touch again then we should refer them to the Inspector and they woul quite happily pursue it legally for us. So who knows it must be worth a chat. You could also try talking to your local rescues.
And by the way , well done on taking him in and giving a loving home

it is illegal for the chip to b removed an no vet wil do this unless for health reasons!
tomoorw he is in for his op an i think he knows as he has bein quiet today an not bothering with me hopeing he will be himself tomorrow after op well i no he will sulk coz of the lampshade but it is best for him to have this op.
i shall be asking the vet to put on records his chip number and contacting the microchip company and explaining to them the vets he is with and as i have had him for this longer could they give me his info and changing it permantly in my name
will come bk and let u all no how he gets on 2morrow
Thanx again for all ur replies