A moral Dilema

You gave the owners more consideration than I would've.  I don't know what ur state or local laws are but where I live, after 5 days, the dog  legally  belongs to the finder!  Our laws are based upon the amount of time the local animal shelter keeps an animal b4 euthanizing it.  I understand what crying children does to one, but if the dog is being neglected and mistreated then you will have to put its' best interest over crying kids.  Please either keep this dog, or find it a home.  Sending it  back is equivalent to a death sentence - that should ease your morale dilemia...

By the way, he is very cute and looks like a really nice little guy!  He deserves the opportunity to have a decent life.

You did the upright and honest thing in giving the dog back. ok. They've had their opportunity to do the right thing(s) for the dog. They failed .  On purpose, apparently. The dog deserves better, far better. Seems they won't care if the dog just disappears, as in finds a better home....I wish people like this had to purchase a license after taking a  pet parent test....they don't deserve pets at all. jmo.
 
I understand your moral qualms over it. I once wanted an exboyfriend to do the right thing by a stray dog he brought to me off the streets. He wouldn't take her home. She was only a tool that connected him to me. I had insisted he provide her med.  and vet needs, since it was his idea that "I" keep her. He had no yard, lived in a loft apt. in the city, would not walk her as needed, but rather when he felt like it and then mostly to get the attention of "what a pretty dog" reaction, and claimed he was not making a lot of money to buy the dog food (well he never lost any weight and seemed to gain it, so he was def getting groceries!)  This was after we broke up as b/f-g/f but I tried to remain "friends" with him (big mistake I would recommend NOT doing ever)
 One day he came to my home, in some kind of mental upset and rage, mumbling stuff and all I could hear "and get my dog" . Scared the dog. she came into the kitchen and hid behind me and gave me a look I will never forget. (you see  he had once hit her in the head and dragged her across the yard angry that she had chewed a leash-yeah one of the reasons I booted him- she forgave him but I could not -that and other idiotic things he did) In that moment I knew he would have to get that dog over my dead body.  And I told him he could not take her. She would never had her needs supplied in any form should she stay with him.  how could I let her go knowing that she would be abused?
 
She is still with me today, an angel  in Husky fur. Lights up my life.
 
Am I suggesting you keep the dog? Not necessarily. Just want you to know that you are not alone in your moral dilemna. In this case,  I would choose what is right for the dog.

I live in NY,i believe here they have to keep them for 7 days.I was altleast wanting to talk to the guy and if he did nt want him could he atleast tell me his name?Some vet records (if there are any) would have been helpful too.
He seems happy here.He doesnt seem to have been physically abused and he has been fed.He is just lonely and wanted badly someone to play with.I think he was alone alot.It took a couple of days before he would even come to me but he has warmed up quickly.We hadnt planned on taking in any more fosters right now as we have 9 dogs here right now but i guess it was just meant to be.Atleast he has playmates!

I agree with others, the dog is clearly abandoned. If you are wishing to keep the dog, then do so. To that end, you might get him chipped. If some time down the road the original "owners" want to say it's their dog, you have proof otherwise. Although, it doesn't sound like that will be a problem. I think they took the collar off so that no one would know where home was for the dog. It's also against the law in some places to abandon a pet or allow it to run loose and you might be able to call the police on them. But then, you would wind up in court and the long-term end would be the same, a stray dog on your hands.
 
So, it's up to you. If you can't keep the dog, maybe you can foster it until you find a home or a rescue group that can handle him.
 

Well while i was gone too the store today his owners (i use this term lightly) showed up looking for the dog.Since it hasnt been over the 7 day NY waiting period he was sent home.Unfourtunately i wasnt home to give them a piece of my mind but my teenage daughter was atleast able to get his name,smokey.Since he found us twice within a week i imagine this wont be the last we see of him.She said they seemed very happy to have him back but guess where he is now?? Tied to the tree in the back yard.Should i try to hide him next time???LOL

What do you know,HES BAAAACK!Found in the middle of the highway holding up the lunch rush!Even though they knew where to find him last time strangely nobody has come looking.

It's pretty obvious that "Smokey" knows where he is loved.  I can't believe that they came to get him from you and then promptly tied him up.  The nerve of some people!

It looks like it's going to be tough for you to hide him, since your neighbors only live 5 houses down and have already come by once to pick him up. If you knew any friends or relatives that wanted him I'd give him to them. Probably not the legal thing to do, but more importanly, the moral one imho.
 
 

OK this is what I would do.  If one my dog friends didn't have room at their house..... I would  have the local humane society pick him as a loose dog. ( At my "old home" I was well established there)  The girls could them "hold him" for the required period.  If the owners didn't show I would then "legally" adopt him.  It is likely that these folks won't spend the $$$ to bail him out of jail.  Also if they are repeatedly allowing their dog loose animal control can get involved.   

he has been picked up and found again by us 3 times more!!! The last time they picked him up he was back with in 3 minutes! They picked him up again and he was found in the road again the next day
We took him in again and they havent picked him up.I and calling animal control tomorrow.It is cheaper that way anyway because they give them their shots and you get a low cost(30$) neuter cert with them when you adopt.I feel bad sending him to the pound for a week but then atleast it would all be legal and there wouldnt be any dispute as to who owns him afterwards.He likes us better anyway!
 

Gross. I hate it when people get dogs and then lose interest in them. A long time ago I found a little dog wandering in the street and took it home and put up found posters and the owner and his kids came to collect the dog. I had qualms about returning the him, but I did and after that I drove by their house a couple times and they got rid of him about a week or so later. I should have just kept the dog even if it wouldn't have technically been the right thing to do.
Good for you in helping this poor little guy out!

Please let us know how this turns out. I am SO rooting for them not to bail out the dog so you can adopt him and keep him for good.

But even if you do, be prepared for them to show up and demand the dog back. You might want to decide how to handle this before they show up on your doorstep. Ask the animal shelter if there's any legal way they can demand the dog back from you so you don't end up with any unpleasant surprises.

I'm so glad you're working so hard to give this dog a chance. Btw, they let you have NINE dogs where you live? Lucky you!!

Jan

Yes there is no law in this area regarding how many animals you can own as long as they are not for comercial use.and are properly licensed and have rabies vacc.Right now we have 11.There is a law regarding odor so you have to be diligent as far as scooping! We also have to watch the noise problem.If they all start barking someone could complain.Noone has yet but i try to keep the noise down.Unless the dogs are being mistreated or are kept in severely unsanitary conditions ect.Its OK.
Before i could get ahold of animal control to take him in the owners showed up and told us they dont want him back!We asked if we could have his records and they said he doesnt have any!!! So he got his first shots yesterday.We de-wormed him several times.Its like starting from scratch with a puppy.We cant get him neutered until he is UTD on his shots but atleast he has stopped trying to mount everyone! He has found his place in my "pack"and seems very well behaved and pretty healthy despite his circumstances.Now we just wait to see how long it takes for a new dog to appear in thier back yard.Feel free to send me any flyers on proper dog care that i can leave on their door!