‘What’s done is done. Keep the pooch’: Doggo finds furever home after being given up for adoption, but a week later the previous owners selfishly ask his loving pawrents to return him

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Jan 24, 2025 10:00 AM EST

Howdy, friends and all you adorable animals out there. We have one very impawtant thing to say: adopting a dog is a big deal. It's accepting a commitment that will hopefully last you many, many years. It's learning to communicate with a new animal, understand its likes, dislikes, what it's afraid of, what it loves, etc. It takes time, but it is one of the most rewarding experiences you can ever have. An even bigger deal, though, is rehoming a dog. This is a painful decision that should not be easily made.

Of course, it happens. Life happens. Sometimes, things happen out of your control and force you to make a decision, and if you are the dog owner, you have to think about what is best for your pupper. Sometimes, that means rehoming them as a last resort. After deciding to give their doggo up for adoption, the lucky canine found a furever home in just a few days. A week later, the previous owners came crying to selfishly ask for him back. What would you do? 

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  • 01

    Asked to return newly adopted dog

    ADOP 'He isn't a library book the owner can check in and out.'
    via Jess Lessard Photography

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    We adopted a dog (mixed breed adult shelter dog) a week ago and we were just contacted asking to give him back. Turns out his previous owner who relinquished him really misses him and has changed their mind.
    via u/strange-quark-nebula
  • 03
    We plan to give him back but I feel really sad and frustrated. We just got to a good place integrating him with our family and other pets/dogs. He's a really sweet dog so I can see why his previous owner wants him back, but they decided to relinquish him and we went and got attached. And we spent weeks planning and preparing.
    via u/strange-quark-nebula

  • We do not think we would give the dog back. Not to reduce it to a children's sentence, but “finders keepers”. The dog is enjoying living at our house, with our family. They are getting love. They are thriving. It's not our fault you didn't realize how beautiful this pupper was before realizing it after you put them through such a terrible situation.

  • 04
    Just looking for support and maybe any other similar experiences. This is so far from what we expected!
    via u/strange-quark-nebula
  • 05
    Edit: Thanks everyone for the replies. They really made me feel a lot better. I was up all night thinking about it and reading them (with the dog's head on my lap.) To answer some questions: we did go through a shelter so there is paperwork in place, but we are also still in the two week "trial" period that this shelter does before finalizing the adoption. So legally I think the shelter could take the dog back, but it doesn't sound like they would if we firmly said no. We are going to find out m
    via u/strange-quark-nebula
  • 06
    nOpal3s Why did they relinquish him in the first place?
    via u/nOpal3s
  • 07
    betruetoyou21 As someone who has a dog that was surrendered twice- trust your gut that you are the right family for him. I also wfh and know that my dog would not have been in a better position with someone with different with hours. Also, respectfully, you owe this person nothing and the dog will be way more stressed going back after readjusting.
    via u/betruetoyou21
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10458116864
    via skynesher

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    Downtown-Interest-97 If they relinquished him once, they might do it again. Honestly, I'd say that's your dog. I would like to know why they gave their dog away in the first place though.
    via u/Downtown-Interest-97

  • This is also very true - they may give him up for adoption again. Once you've made that decision to give up a pet for adoption, there is no going back. You will be willing to do it again.

  • 10
    GrouchyEric You paid for him, adopted him, and gave him a loving home. He's your dog now. Previous owner can get f ed.
    via u/GrouchyEric
  • 11
    aquacrimefighter I worked at a shelter for a bit and there is no way I would have called the new adoptive owners and ask them to return the dog based on the circumstance you described op. I'm really surprised you were even contacted. I would have told the prior owners that I am so sorry, but their dog found a suitable home and what's done is done. Keep the pooch.
    via u/aquacrimefighter
  • 12
    geekykitten OP, it is VERY bizarre for a reputable shelter to contact you with this kind of request. I'm not sure what country you are in, but in many states in the US, surrendering an animal to a shelter is legally a kind of abandonment (much much better than actually abandoning an animal of course). Once it's been
    via u/geekykitten
  • 13
    animal of course). Once it's been turned over, not only does the original owner lose all claims, but they are often precluded from adopting another animal later on for a number of years (depending on state).
    via u/geekykitten
  • 14
    I've frankly never heard of any reputable shelter that would EVER return an animal to it's surrendering owner even if the dog was sitting in the kennel, nor adopt the animal back to them, except in extreme cases. I certainly have never heard of a shelter ASKING FOR AN ALREADY ADOPTED ANIMAL TO BE RETURNED TO A KNOWN SURRENDERING HOME! That is.... really really really strange.
    via u/geekykitten
  • 15
    Honestly, this sounds almost like an adoption scam. I would be VERY concerned that you may be contacted later asking for money to have the animal returned back to you along with a sob story :(
    via u/geekykitten
  • 16
    Please be careful OP, this is a very odd circumstance and not at ALL normal request. You may want to contact the shelter directly, and speak to supervisor to make sure it's legit. Sadly, if it's an adoption scam, it's possible someone at the shelter is involved.
    via u/geekykitten
  • 17
    Cheezburger Image 10458117120
    via Zbynek Pospisil

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 18
    Myster_Hydra Nope! I would say no. They tossed their dog in a shelter and someone else wanted him. Honestly, the nerve of these people. And the shelter shouldn't have asked you. is this?
    via u/Myster_Hydra
  • 19
    Freuds-Mother Top 1% Commenter Ask for the reason why they gave the dog up. If it's behavioral issues, I'd ask for proof of a retainer paid to a really good trainer.
    via u/Freuds-Mother
  • 20
    If there's no real reason other than them not having time for dog, I wouldn't return it. If it's a money issue, Im not sure but there's ways I can think of that would give me confidence.
    via u/Freuds-Mother
  • 21
    le you want to figure out why, and get proof that the reason will be addressed (with actual proof not "yea we'll do it").
    via u/Freuds-Mother

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dogs adoption pooch animal rescue cute animals cute selfish doggo pawrents dog owners animals rescue
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