If you locate your stolen dog, how do you go about getting it back?

Ok background - a couple of weeks ago I found a stray dog. No tag, so I took him home, took pics, posted on doglost. Then I walked him back to where I found him, came across owners looking for him, and handed him over.

Yesterday I received a text from someone who had seen him on doglost, and is convinced he is one of two dogs stolen from them back in January. Now I have no idea who this person is, so I can't just hand over the address of where the dog is now living, but I have had enough information from them now that I believe they have reasonable grounds to think it's their dog.

I suggested that they contact the police, and ask them to contact me. So far the police have been (as ever) completely useless, despite the fact that the initial theft was reported, a crime number was generated, the owner now has new information, and the dog is chipped and reported to chip company as stolen. They said they must find the dog themselves. If the police continue to refuse to get involved, what should the owner do?

Here is the text of what I have suggested in an email, if anyone has any other suggestions, please help. Thanks

"The dog I found is living in a road called .......... in ........... I don't know the door number. I can find out but it's better if I don't do that now, because I will have to ask neighbours, and if the family who have the dog suspect that they might lose him, they could hide him and say that they have sold him. If the police contact me I will find out for them just before they go round. The dog needs to be scanned but the family probably won't agree unless someone in authority makes them do it, ie the police.

It might not even be him. The family might know the history of the dog, but no-one will know until he is scanned. I don't know if police dog handlers keep scanners, or if they call in a local vet or the dog warden?

Keep on at them. You have reported a crime. You now have new information which could lead to that crime being solved. It's their job to investigate. If they still can't be bothered, ask vet, RSPCA, dog warden, dogs trust etc for advice.

If you were to go to the house and demand your dog back, the police would end up being called anyway...

PS just a thought, when I registered my dog at my local vet, the first thing the vet did was scan for a chip. I don't know if it would show up as a stolen dog, but maybe the chip company could contact all local vets and ask them to check for his chip number?"

It's a horrible situation. If it is the same dog, he is a long way from where he was stolen, has been separated from his companion dog, and has probably been passed from pillar to post ever since. And now if he is returned to original owner, his current family (who probably bought him in good faith) will be just as heartbroken as the original owner is now  

If someones dog was stolen they deserve to get the chance to see it and decide if they want it back or not. Tbh you handed it back to strangers without proof anyway so no difference. The police don't count animals as property (although when lexi was stolen the police were really good about) so the original owner should contact a solicitor and then the solicitor can contact you and you can pass on the details of the current owner and then you have done your part and it will be up to the solicitor to sort it out.

Ill add that you should not give the original owner any deetails of address or anything at all cause you can then be caught up in it if they say went there and beat up the dogs current owner.

and re the vets, i know mine dont scan for a chip unless asked to do it or asked to chip.

Hayley wrote:If someones dog was stolen they deserve to get the chance to see it and decide if they want it back or not. Tbh you handed it back to strangers without proof anyway so no difference. The police don't count animals as property (although when lexi was stolen the police were really good about) so the original owner should contact a solicitor and then the solicitor can contact you and you can pass on the details of the current owner and then you have done your part and it will be up to the solicitor to sort it out.

Ill add that you should not give the original owner any deetails of address or anything at all cause you can then be caught up in it if they say went there and beat up the dogs current owner.

I handed it back because I was with a neighbour's lad who recognised the dog, and identified the current owners. I was satisfied that they were the ones who had lost the dog.

As for handing over the address, I agree, I didn't do this at first for exactly the reason you state, but the original owner was told by the police that they must locate the dog themselves. I checked this out at my local police station and was told the same thing! So I have told them the street name, and I'm hoping that this will be enough for the police to take it from there.

The solicitor is a good idea thanks.

What a situation to find yourself in, I hope it can be resolved.

I wonder if there is any update here?

When my dog was taken, the police were very helpful in facilitating us getting her back, cause the person who was keeping her had phoned the pound to say they have her and wont be giving her back. Caller ID is a wonderful thing haha