My husband has been working with a man who had his Shiba Inu stolen a year ago . He has found out someone has it in the same town and went to the house with his daughter and took his dog back . The police then arrived at his home and took the dog off them and said it belonged to the other person who said he had bought it from someone but couldn't say who. The police are charging him with theft as he can't prove the dog is his as the microchip has been removed from the dog , and there is a scar where it was. The dog although taken a year ago still recognised and wanted to be with both him and his daughter . He has all it's documents but they are no use , does anyone have any experience of this happening to anyone else. This poor man and his family really want their dog back.

OMG this is really scary.  I can understand why people have both chips and tattoos - but I'd be scared of their ears being cut off if tattooed!
Does the original owner have photos of the dog?  Also, is there any evidence of vet visits, and especially proof of the dog being stolen such as police reports, insurance claims, lost dog posters/adverts?  Anything like this could help, the police could think that the original owner sold the dog and now wants it back so as much proof as possible of the theft is needed.
By the way, how did the police know where to go to get the dog baCK?  sOUNDS A BIT FISHY TO ME.

Forgot to say he went to the the police before he went and took the dog back , he had photo's with him but they wouldn't accept them , so he took it upon himself to get his dog back. I don't know if it's the police in this area but everything other than motoring related incidents seem to be a chore to them.
Thanks Heidi2006 for the other info ,  My husband will ask him tomorrow if he had advertised the dog as being lost (I'm sure he must have - I know I would !)

I would contact DogLost who have dealt with the same situation many, many times and they have a wealth of knowledge to impart with regard to lost and stolen dogs. They also have a working partnership with some police forces - Kent being one of them - and will be able to advise you on what your friend should be doing to help remedy the situation.

Good luck to your friend and I hope this sad situation can be sorted with the best outcome for the dog. It must be terrible to know that your stolen dog is living nearby but you cannot get him back :-(

Do a search for DogLost and contact them.

Thankyou Harley I will pass on this information .

I would be asking the police to be getting vet report regarding how the scar appeared where it is.  If it is totally evident that a microchip has been taken out through the area, surely the original owners have a lot to go on.  Surely photo's etc. stand him in good stead, as I would think that this breed have very different patterns on the dogs and you can tell the difference between each dog through this??

Also try justice for dogs - for free legal advice.
http://www.justicefordogs.org/index.htm

Surely photo's etc. stand him in good stead, as I would think that this breed have very different patterns on the dogs and you can tell the difference between each dog through this??

I would have thought the exact opposite, as Shibas don't have white markings they tend to look very similar to each other. I know I can't tell apart those owned by a friend.

Contacting Dog Lost and Justice For Dogs I fully agree with, a third suggestion would be Trevor Cooper the dog law solicitor. http://www.doglaw.co.uk

This is pure madness, my daughter was threatend by the Police if she went to collect her own dog back from a friend who'd been looking after him whilst she was on holiday!  She proved the dog was her's and they said tough, once you've handed him over its hers to do with as she pleases, seems this individual had always wanted the breed but couldn't afford it!

It took a wk to get him back yet the police never once threatend to charge the woman who stole the dog giving only my daughter for harrassing her when visiting to collect her own dog as arranged prior to the holiday.  I think the police do as they please on these sorts of issues ie whatever is their own personal views on the issue.

What about DNA testing?  Could they get in touch with the breeders to see if they hae siblings/parents of the dog?  Then, with the paperwork, transfers, etc they shoudl be able to prove ownership, but it may be an uphill legal struggle.  HAve to say, when my dogs were stolen the police were very helpful.  Didn't ever find the dogs, but they searched one house they got a tip about, and did an "informal visit" to another.  No sign of my pugs, but can't fault the police action.

It would be possible to take DNA samples of one or other or both the parents and get the dog DNA tested to prove it's identity.

Has he been in touch with the dogs breeder

Thanks for all of the advice I'm going to pass it all on to the man , via my husband who i'll speak to more tonight when he comes home from work. If he hasn't already I will encourage him to contact his breeder regarding DNA . Also , I think the other routes like Doglost etc shall help him. 

I would put it in the local papers, or on a radio program, the thieves (person!) would then have to answer, where they purchased it from and the documents. What operation had the dog had, for what, which vet? The owner would know the dame and sire of the pup where he brought it from, DNA. I would not give up on principle. People do not like the press getting hold of these stories.

Denese

I had a similar problem about 6 years ago, i had a Mini Pinscher who was continually stolen (they thought she was a baby Doberman!). Anyhow, i contacted the police as i found out who had my girl.  Unfortunately the lady insisted it she had bought the dog from a guy in the pub! and produced a receipt... I had photo's KC reg etc.  It was my responsibility to prove the dog was mine.... However i had advertised her as lost and put up a large reward for her return and after a couple of days (they obviously didn't realise how much hard work a Minipin can be) they brought her back and claimed th reward....ha ha how hard faced can you be. 

My point is, it was up to me to prove i was the owner of the pup...... The other thing is, if someone would go to the trouble of removing an ID Chip, then i would be very low key about this.... They obviously want to keep this dog and will resort to anything.... be careful as the dog could go missing again, they may have a large family.  You never know what some will do.  I re-homed my girl after the second time she was stolen (for the reward money), it was a better option that never knowing when she would be taken, or where too.  I do wish you luck

Not having time to read what everybody has said so this might have been mention, but who took the chip out did they not scan it before doing that and then the previous owner could have been contacted. As any new legal owner would have the papers to have it changed into their address. I would be very suspicious about it being taken out.

yes i believe the op said the theif removed the chip so dog couldnt be traced!

to chip
how on earth did you constantly get your dog stolen? mine are big- schnauzers- but never out of my sight or in a secure 6 foot fenced garden, not having a go just  curious

If the dog is pedigree and the people know the breeder, it might be that DNA from both sire and dam and the dog involved in the dispute might help to solve the case, especially if the dog was reported to the police as a stolen dog at the time it was taken and a crime number was given by the police. Could the "new" owner prove the dog is not the dog in question if they do not have DNA to back up their ownership claims.

Baldrick the chinese crested comes to mind on this one, he was returned after the courts ordered the rescue centre to do a DNA comparison and the dog was indeed found to be the breeders animal and duly returned upon order of the courts.

Must confess since that case all over the tv in my local area and then nationals I've DNA profiled all my dogs as well as microchipped them. 

Good luck to your friend hope they get the dog back.

> Must confess since that case all over the tv in my local area and then nationals I've DNA profiled all my dogs as well as microchipped them. 

Agree, thats why mine are all DNA profiled too.