Hi there friends of mine have found a dog, very dirty smelly and unkempt they contacted the police, dog trust both who didn't want to know they have been all around the village to see if anybody knew him , also the vet's, so the have taken him home bathed him trimed his feet and and given him a lovley home, and now they adore him.. what is the law with a case like this will they be able to keep him

hi have you contacted the dog warden?

No that is the only person she has not contacted but as the dog warden is attached to a town about 18 miles away dont know if that is any use

To allow the dog to become legally theirs they will need to register it with the police as retained by finder the dog can then after a certain time period (not sure but think its a matter of weeks) if no owner has come forward the dog can become theirs. I know thats how it works in Scotland anyway.

Hope that helps

Gill

This is the advice from DogLost website:

. Details of found dogs can be logged here. Please add a photograph if you are able, and give as many details as possible

All dogs entered by the general public MUST be reported to the LOCAL COUNCIL and DOG WARDEN, especially if the finders intend to look after it until the owners are traced. THIS IS LAW - unless you follow the correct procedures, the dog can NEVER be legally yours.

Many dog wardens and stray kennels use our found dog reporting service. Owners of missing dogs are advised to check our found listings on a daily basis. Finders please note if you have registered a dog on-line via this page, it will be activated by an administrator as soon as possible.

Thanks for the replies will call her tonight and tell her to contact the dog warden,I think he may have been dumped because they had him off the lead most of the day on Sunday when they took him back to where he had been found and hid did not leave their side's and he has settled like he has been there's for ever, his back legs look like they need building up so he has not been walked a lot before I think maybe just been kept in a garden and that is all! but he seems quite well trained he is lovley

> I think he may have been dumped

He may well have been dumped BUT maybe not by the original owners. 

My parents once had a dog that was found/taken from their land on Dartmoor.  The people that took her tied her up outside a vets 30 miles away, they actually left a note to say they had found her.  It seems they had dumped her at their local vets but were seen doing so by someone who recognised them and who thankfully kept the dog overnight til the vet reopened in the morning.  After a bit of digging we think the couple that took her may have intended to keep her but on the journey realised that she was not a puppy but a much older dog - a fact that was not immediately apparent as she was a tiny JR.

My parents finally managed to get her home after a complicated series of events and a lot of luck.

Presumably he doesn't have a microchip?  Did the vet make some phone calls?  Do have a look at all the dog lost websites for a dog meeting his description and don't assume it's from the same area as your friends live.  He could also have been missing for while.   It sounds as if he's been loved before, if he is well trained, and his original owners are probably missing him.

Had a call tonight from my friend the dog has gone back to it's owner they live on the same estate, and the reason he had no collar on was he was just about to have a bath!!! so early on a sunday morning!! and nobody in the village had seen this dog before,strange that, so suppose he wont be lying on his duck filled duvet tonight or by the look of him not even inside bless him.But thanks for the promt replies knew I could rely on champdogs

yes, must be registered with the dog warden, environmental health department, your local council

not the police though, they dont deal with strays anymore

This also happened to a good Friend with the elderly chi she had taken on following a relatives death.  As they were near major road network the poor dog ended up in a rescue centre miles and miles north, but they had done a lot of leafleting/publicity and got her back.