'I do not want to give up Basil': 26-year-old dog owner receives messages from man claiming to be her previous owner asking to have his pup back a year after surrendering her for being too expensive, she refuses

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Apr 25, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

Some people are awful to animals. We don't want to think about it, but we do know that it happens. Dogs are angels, and for some reason, some people still choose to treat them badly. And one of the worst things that you could do is to abandon your dog. Everything that they give all - all the love and loyalty… abandoning your dog is taking away its whole world. And make no mistake - this is what happened to the dog in this story. 

Whether this person surrendered this dog because they didn't have the money to take care of it or for any other reason, they did abandon it. And although sometimes, it is the right thing - the only thing - to do when you legitimately can't take care of them, no matter how much it hurt to do it at the time, you cannot just show up a year later, demanding to get the dog back from its new owners. You got rid of her because you couldn't take care of her, so someone else stepped up, and she's happy now. You don't get to tear her away from her family again. People who are willing to do all of that should not get their dogs back at all. 

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  • 01

    "[Would I be wrong] for not returning my dog to her previous owner?"

    Cheezburger Image 10495909120
    via Unsplash / Anna Dudkova
  • 02
    ok i know that sounds bad but hear me out i've (26F) had my dog basil (3F) for about a year now. i got her from a shelter and i knew she had been surrendered by her previous owner (she had a limp there which turned out to be an improperly healed fracture).
    via sharkomycin
  • 03
    i had kinda gotten the idea that her previous owner either didn't want her anymore because of the injury or because they couldn't. afford to take her to the vet. i've helped her recover from it and she's been able to walk around just fine now for a few months (although she does still have her limp sometimes when she runs).
    via sharkomycin
  • 04
    this is the part im conflicted about. someone claiming to be basil's previous owner (??M) messaged me on insta yesterday. i dont think the shelter would have given him my personal information so he mustve just seen one of my pictures of basil somehow. but he wants her back.
    via sharkomycin
  • 05
    he showed me some of his pictures of her and it really does look like her. he said he's more financially stable now and the only reason he surrendered her in the first place was because he couldnt afford the vet bill.
    via sharkomycin
  • 06
    i really don't know what to do here. i do not want to give up basil. i love her so much and she is such a sweet dog. but i keep thinking about what i would do if i was in that guy's situation. i'd feel horrible too :(
    via sharkomycin

  • Look… we understand why you're debating here. We would probably feel the same way if this happened to us. For a moment. Then, we would remember that this person didn't lose their dog, they surrendered it - when it was hurt and sick and more in need of help than ever. And we would feel fine again. 

  • 07
    but i have really bonded with basil especially in helping her recover from her injury. i havent responded yet but im leaning towards saying no. im worried that he'll guilt trip me though. WIBTA if i didn't give her back?
    via sharkomycin
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10495909376
    via Unsplash / Anna Dudkova

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  • 09
    Caspian4136 NTA Block him and forget he ever messaged you. If it's him, it's his loss as he gave her up. It could be a scammer looking for a bait dog though. Either way, she's YOUR dog now.
    via Caspian4136
  • 10
    sharkomycin OP oh i hadnt even considered it could be a scammer honestly. the pics of her looked like they could be the same dog but it was from when she was a puppy so i couldnt be completely sure. i'll block him though
    via sharkomycin
  • 11
    YEGredditOilers NTA Buddy surrendered the dog. It isn't his place to ask for the dog back.
    via YEGredditOilers
  • 12
    sharkomycin OP ok, i'll try not to feel bad about it then. thanks
    via sharkomycin

  • Even if this man really is this dog's previous owner, we would not feel comfortable with him having any contact with her at this point. You don't know him, you don't know if what he's saying is true, all you know is that he abandoned his dog in a time of need, and that is all you need to know. Block. 

  • 13
    vladadog Make sure Basil is microchipped and the chip is registered. NTA. You legally adopted a dog freely surrendered to a shelter. You've had her a year and invested love, time, and $$$. She is your dog.
    via vladadog
  • 14
    I've been doing rescue for over 25 years. I am very sympathetic to Basil's previous owner. I don't blame him for doing what was best for her at the time or for reaching out now hping perhaps you weren't so attached to her. He didn't abandon her chained to a fence or dumped out by "farm". He did the responsible thing to give her the best chance he could.
    via vladadog
  • 15
    If I were you I'd (of course) not give her up but be kind and reassure him she's doing really well now even with the residual limp. He made a hard choice. Basil got very lucky. And there's no going back now.
    via vladadog
  • 16
    AND ==> make sure Basil is microchipped and the chip is registered!
    via vladadog
  • 17
    A_platipi-duo NTA you were willing and able to take care of basil... the previous owner cared more about his wallet than basil and I wouldn't put it past him to do it again if there's ever another bill
    via A_platipi-duo
  • 18
    would never give them up to avoid a bill and then demand them back from someone who took them into their family... pure and simple he gave up basil (his family) because of money
    via A_platipi-duo
  • 19
    Cheezburger Image 10495909632
    via Unsplash / Anna Dudkova
  • 20
    EDIT: thank you to everyone who has replied. i won't be returning basil. i've blocked him and changed my insta to private. she's microchipped already and i'll be more careful about what i share of her online just in case.
    via sharkomycin

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