‘You didn’t “steal” the puppy. You rescued them’: Family saves puppy from busy road, they learn that the dog escaped from neglectful owner and decide to keep it despite potential pupper legal challenges

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Mar 30, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

We wish you a very pleasant Sunday, animal fam. We're not sure where your stance on vigilante justice is (we know, this convo took a hard turn), but we have to say that when it comes to helping animals, we're more of a pro-Batman stance. That means, if it's for the greater good, we support breaking a few rules. Let's just put it this way - not everyone is cut out to be a dog owner. And yet, people are irresponsible with their pets all the time.

When one wholesome family rescued a "stray" puppy from a busy road near their house, they did as all responsible people should, which was looking for the doggo's owner. However, what they found was not what they wanted. Turns out that the pup's "pawrent" (if they even deserve this title at all) kept them tied up outside for lengthy periods of time and was neglectful towards this precious puppy. So, they faced a doggo dilemma - do they give the dog back to their "rightful" owner, or keep the puppy and give them a better life? Scroll down to get the full canine conclusion below!

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  • 01

    Found a puppy, don’t want to give her back

    Cheezburger Image 10486725888
    via u/Some_Department3219
  • 02
    We rescued a very small shepard (?) puppy from the main road near our house. We posted on a different subreddit and got a response pretty quickly from the owners neighbor.
    via u/Some_Department3219
  • 03
    We confirmed through pictures that this was the dog and celebrated until the neighbor let us know this puppy has been rescued from that busy road and returned a few times now and is tied up outside a lot of the time. She's maybe 3 months old? No tags, just a collar. They've considered calling animal control.
    via u/Some_Department3219
  • 04
    Cheezburger Image 10486725632
    via u/Some_Department3219

  • Well, we wouldn't want to give this puppy back either. We mean, just look at her, she's adorable! Those puppy dog eyes, those floppy, ginormous ears…we're sold. Hook, line, and sinker. She knows she's cute too, of that we're perfectly pawsitive.

  • 05
    So we know the house this neighbor is mentioning and it's a mess. A total hoarder horror show.
    via u/Some_Department3219
  • 06
    What is the legality of all of this? Have you been in a situation like this? We would keep her and give her a safe and happy home but is that stealing?
    via u/Some_Department3219
  • 07
    We had to stop traffic and capture her, she was absolutely going to get hit by a car. If not this time, then the next :(
    via u/Some_Department3219
  • 08
    EDIT UPDATE 3/19: She's staying! Thank you! We found one "lost" post with a picture of a large man holding her by the front of her throat. After some more digging, we are pretty sure this guy was 'grooming' her to be an aggressive 'junk yard dog.' We called animal control immediately and explained the situation. They were horrified
    via u/Some_Department3219
  • 09
    and going to make sure this guy can't get her back, and are opening an investigation on if he can have any animals in the future at all. We have a new puppy appointment set to make sure she's all set and chipped with our info. She's eating well and getting along fine! Thanks again Reddit!
    via u/Some_Department3219

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  • 10
    YeplamAmiM Do they know you found their dog? If not, take down the 'found' ad and give her a name and a micro chip. Er, I mean that's what I would do, I would never advise someone else to do it. Because that would be wrong, just wrong. Poor little thing.
    via u/YeplamAmiM
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10486759168
    via arda öncül

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

  • 12
    KoKo_Shanell Keep her. Take down your posting. Block phone numbers. Get her to the vet a couple of neighborhoods or towns over. Get a microchip, as mentioned above. The puppy isn't being properly cared for. If you keep her, you're doing the Lord's work.
    via u/KoKo_Shanell
  • 13
    PrincessPindy If the owner's neighbor tells and they contact you, say it ran away again.
    via u/PrincessPindy
  • 14
    DoXXXXXXXXXXX Keep! Normally I would never but its clearly for the better.
    via u/Doxxxxxxxxxxx
  • 15
    Conscious-Caramel-23 I'd keep her. I doubt it's microchipped so he has no proof of anything. Doubt he will even be looking for her honestly.
    via u/Conscious-Caramel-23
  • 16
    Available_Spare8746 Take them to the vet to scan for a chip, some pet stores can scan too. If they are chipped, your options are a little more limited. If they aren't chipped, provide veterinary care and keep the proof. If the hoarder finds you, you are on better legal footing for ownership if you can prove veterinary care and they can't.
    via u/Available_Spare8746

  • We're no lawyer, but it seems like if they were to get the puppy microchipped and pay for some vet bills, that sounds like proof of ownership to us! That's clearly more than the previous owner was doing. Like we said before, not everyone is cut out to be a dog owner. Heck, some people aren't even cut out to own plants!

  • 17
    perilsoflife tbh, keep the puppy. normally i'm all for giving it back but i've got neighbors exactly like the ones this puppy belongs to. i've seen the awful things that can happen and if you guys have the space, time and love for this dog, go for it. the "owners" of that puppy obviously have not taken any precautions to keep it safe, they clearly don't care.
    via u/perilsoflife
  • 18
    Cheezburger Image 10486759424
    via Darren Baker

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

  • 19
    Do_The_Floof You didn't "steal" her. You rescued her. 9 times outta 10 cops wouldn't bother. Just don't answer any of their questions if they come out. Like don't talk to them at all. They won't water the time or money taking you to civil court.
    via u/Do_The_Floof
  • 20
    Chemical-Tap-4232 Finder keepers. You rescued a stray. It's yours.
    via u/Chemical-Tap-4232
  • 21
    Alycion Legally, you can be charged with theft.
    via u/Alycion
  • 22
    You could get the neighbor to write up a report for animal control saying what they said to you. Be prepared to go to animal control. You can offer to buy the dog from them. If they say no, make the report with the letter attached, and ask to be notified when it's up for adoption.
    via u/Alycion
  • 23
    OR if your area is like mine, you can foster to adopt. Pretend like you don't know who's it is. They take pics and have them ready for someone looking for their dog. If the person doesn't come forward, it becomes yours. Most areas, it's 2 weeks.
    via u/Alycion
  • 24
    While instinct is to keep it to keep it safe, you have no idea how rust will react if they find out you kept it. So it's safer to go the legal route. Look into the laws in your area about strays. All of the places I lived it was take it to the pound, but you could foster to adopt. Average time before it was considered abandoned was 2 weeks.
    via u/Alycion

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aww dogs adorable adoption stealing puppy legal animal rescue cute animals cute challenges doggo neglect family animals rescue
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