Legal question about dog ownership

[Churchill]

As far as I understand, it is illegal to keep someone else's dog (though I commend your taking care of it).

*** Animals are considered property in Georgia and it is against the law to keep someone's property. The law is on the owner's side in the case of a found dog. ***

What every person who finds a dog needs to know

Most lost dogs don't need a new home. They just need help getting home!

www.lostdogsgeorgia.org

 

[Tactical Beaver]

I hope you get to keep her, Praying for you and the pup!

Thanks brother!

 

[Tactical Beaver]

As far as I understand, it is illegal to keep someone else's dog (though I commend your taking care of it).

*** Animals are considered property in Georgia and it is against the law to keep someone's property. The law is on the owner's side in the case of a found dog. ***

What every person who finds a dog needs to know

Most lost dogs don't need a new home. They just need help getting home!

www.lostdogsgeorgia.org

That's what the main question is here. We've made good faith efforts to locate the dogs owner with no success. At this point, my main question is what in GA determines legal ownership? How can I legally claim that she's mine now?

 

[Tactical Beaver]

As far as I understand, it is illegal to keep someone else's dog (though I commend your taking care of it).

*** Animals are considered property in Georgia and it is against the law to keep someone's property. The law is on the owner's side in the case of a found dog. ***

What every person who finds a dog needs to know

Most lost dogs don't need a new home. They just need help getting home!

www.lostdogsgeorgia.org

Also, we've done most of this in a very great effort to locate the owner. Nothing. Not a peep in the last week from anyone. If we cannot locate the proper owner, I intend to fully adopt her. My questions is, how can I do that legally? How can I prevent this "financer" from having any ownership over this dog?

This is from your link; thanks for sharing btw. Points in red we have done.

So what are some ways to conduct an aggressive search:

• If the dog has a collar with a tag, contact the number on the tag or the vet clinic listed on the rabies tag. Vet clinics keep records and can help you locate a dog's owner.
• Knock on doors in your neighborhood. The dog may live just a few houses over and this can help a dog get home very quickly. - our neighborhood sent out an email to all residents about this found dog and she was plastered all over FaceBook in an effort to locate the owner.
• Immediately notify your local animal control facility and any surrounding shelter and file a FOUND dog report with each shelter. Find out your county's legal requirements for FOUND dogs.
• Take the dog to any animal shelter or veterinary clinic to be scanned for a microchip. This is a free service and will often get a dog home very quickly. If it's after hours, an emergency, after hours clinic will also scan for free.
• List the pet in our FREE nationwide database for lost and found pets by going to: www.petfbi.org
• Flyer, Flyer, Flyer.... We can't stress enough the importance of flyers. They are one of the most effective ways of finding an owner. It's important to not only put flyers in the area the dog was found, but to also put them at major intersections, gas stations. neighboring subdivisions, local pet stores, liquor stores, fast food restaurants, dog walking parks, community events. Put flyers ANYWHERE and EVERYWHERE a large number of people will pass or gather.
• Notify local vets, groomers and other pet related businesses to see if they recognize the dog as a client's pet.
• GET THE WORD OUT ON FACEBOOK!!!! Social media is still one of the most effective ways to network a lost of found pet. For every county there are dozens of sites for you to post on. There are lost and found sites, pet groups, vet clinic pages, grooming pages, shelter pages and the list goes on and on. Post to as many groups and pages as you can find to help reach the one person who may know the owner of the pet you found. Listing with us will also get this pet's listing out to our vast network of shelters, veterinary clinics, rescues and other lost and found site.
• Post your flier to Craigslist - Many people who lose a pet will look on craigslist for their missing pet. While there, look to see if they've posted a matching "Lost" ad. Make sure to check under both “Pets” and “Lost & Found” in your area and in surrounding counties.
• Post on your local "NextDoor" site in the lost and found section.
• Take out an ad in the local newspaper. Most newspapers offer a FREE - 30 day listing for lost and found pets. This will help reach people who don't have access to the internet and are not on Facebook. You may also find a matching lost ad in your local paper.

 

[Boogar Presley]

I've rescued many stray and stolen dogs, never once had the owner come forward even on the chipped dogs and not one ever responded when trying to reach them about their "lost" pet. Even if said owners had come forward I wouldn't return it unless the dog was happy and excited to see them
Keep the dog, love it and give it a wonderful forever home

 

[Goosebuster]

Everyday there are people who pledge money to help pay for the health care of specific animals in shelters, they do not get any ownership rights from those pledges. Those donations are nothing more than gifts they are giving to help out an animal, I feel like what she is doing is basically the same thing and it gives her absolutely no right to ownership.

 

[Tactical Beaver]

I've rescued many stray and stolen dogs, never once had the owner come forward even on the chipped dogs and not one ever responded when trying to reach them about their "lost" pet. Even if said owners had come forward I wouldn't return it unless the dog was happy and excited to see them
Keep the dog, love it and give it a wonderful forever home

Everyday there are people who pledge money to help pay for the health care of specific animals in shelters, they do not get any ownership rights from those pledges. Those donations are nothing more than gifts they are giving to help out an animal, I feel like what she is doing is basically the same thing and it gives her absolutely no right to ownership.

I agree and that's what I want to do, but again, I'm trying to clarify my rights to the letter of the law in case this women wants to fight me over this.

 

[Boogar Presley]

I agree and that's what I want to do, but again, I'm trying to clarify my rights to the letter of the law in case this women wants to fight me over this.

If I'm not wrong I believe the real owner has a limited amount of time after being notified to collect their dog. Your neighbor relinguished it to you so there's no issue. Your neighbor has 0 say in the dogs future, she's not the owner. By all intents and purposes you are the dogs owner

 

[GAGunguy]

If this woman cares about the dog, and you are a good owner, I dont see what the problem is. Just tell her that you plan on keeping her. Maybe she's not sure, or doesnt understand you want to keep the dog.

 

[BIKER13]

Offer her a refund on the money she has paid and tell her the dog is yours