'That is not normal behavior': Couple adopts rescue doggo from animal shelter, only to be hounded by ex-foster mom who demands they add her on Facebook or she will forcibly remove the dog from their home

We want to start off by saying that the intentions of the crazy ex-foster mom in this post are good; she just forgot to get off the coo-coo train a few stops too late. We're all for foster pawrents making sure that once their foster doggos are adopted and making sure they are being taken care of. We would do the same. However, there are limits, and this woman certainly passed them. 

The couple in this thread adopted a cute rescue doggo from an animal shelter, who had previously been fostered by one of the co-owners of the animal rescue organization. She is, needless to say, quite overbearing, as she demanded the couple add her on Facebook to receive updates about the dog's progress in their new home. The couple politely declined and offered to send periodic updates through some other medium, but appawrently, that wasn't good enough. The ex-foster mom then proceeded to threaten legal action if they didn't accept her friend request. There's so much more, so read through the whole thing below!

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  • 01
    'If I refuse to accept her friend request, she may have to take "legal action" and have our dog forcibly removed'
    via Slatan

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

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  • 02
    Pretty much the title. My fiance and I adopted a dog from a rescue a couple weeks ago. Then I received a Facebook friend request the evening after doggo came home from the lady who had been fostering him.
    via Reddit
  • 03
    She also happens to be one of the co-founders of the rescue. I have very few friends on Facebook (literally just 28 people) because I only want to share my life with good friends and family, basically just people
    via Reddit
  • 04
    I trust, so I didn't accept the request. I didn't actually take any action at all, I just ignored it. A few days later, I received an email from her "reminding" me to accept her request and that I need to post a photo of my dog weekly so that she knows the
    via Reddit
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  • 05
    dog is doing well and is still with me. I told her I wasn't comfortable with adding her on Facebook since I didn't really know her, but would be happy to send her periodic updates.
    via Reddit

  • We'll add basically anyone to Facebook because, if you were born after 1990, you probably don't use Facebook very much anymore. Kids these days have Snapchat and TikTok, but us? We'll stick to good old Instagram like any classic millennial would.

  • 06
    Apparently, this wasn't good enough, and she responded with an incredibly snooty email saying that she requires social media contact in order to be able to assess how the dogs are doing and make sure they are in
    via Reddit
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10521043712
    via PeopleImages

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

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  • 08
    a good home and that adopters are adhering to the contract. She also said that if I refuse to accept her friend request, she may have to take "legal action" and have our dog forcibly removed from our home.
    via Reddit
  • 09
    NOWHERE in the contract does it state that I must be Facebook friends with her, and when I asked my friend who recommended this rescue if she had to do this, she said she didn't, but that this person is
    via Reddit
  • 10
    kind of known to be very involved and protective of the dogs she adopts out. Do I have to actually do this, and can the rescue actually take my dog back if I don't? I'm even more uncomfortable with the idea now knowing how overbearing she is. It's just a boundary thing to me.
    via Reddit
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  • 11
    tmommy1118 Nowhere in the contract did it say you have to have social media contact. You are covered. Just block her, if she continues to threaten you, reach out to the other owner.
    via u/tmommy1118
  • 12
    frauleinfairy Can you imagine any judge actually enforcing such a requirement? Can you imagine a judge ordering that your dog be removed from your home
    via u/frauleinfairy

  • We can just imagine the judge's face when he hears the plea from the ex-foster mom. We're sure small claims court judges have to deal with a lot of nonsense, but this might be one of the most ridiculous they will ever hear.

  • 13
    because you won't add a lady on Facebook? I can't. I'm 100% sure you'll be fine. Just block her. She has no power here. Some rescues groups go way too far.
    via u/frauleinfairy
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  • 14
    Cheezburger Image 10521043456
    via Kzenon

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

  • 15
    motherofmalinois If the dog isn't chipped yet, get it chipped and be sure the info is updated to reflect your ownership. This woman may escalate and make good on her threat.
    via u/motherofmalinois
  • 16
    Gryffi... I work in animal rescue. This request is highly abnormal, and you are correct to ignore it. Updates are always really appreciated, but unless you signed something that requires you to be Facebook friends
    via u/Gryffinwh**e83
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  • 17
    and post regularly, she can pound sand. Get the dog. microchipped ASAP and reach out to the other owner of the rescue. That is not normal behavior. She needs to learn when to let go.
    via u/Gryffinwh**e83
  • 18
    EDIT: If the mod is right and you are looking to breed/not fix your animal, the rescue is absolutely in the right and I would do the same thing. It is almost certainly a provision of your contract. My rescue has
    via u/Gryffinwh**e83
  • 19
    and will pursue legal action to get animals back. We now don't adopt out unfixed animals because we got sick of people not fixing their animals.
    via u/Gryffinwh**e83
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  • 20
    Emagehtmal "Dear Rescue, It is not in my contract that I am required to add you on social media. Therefore, I will consider further threats to remove the dog from my home as harassment and police will be notified. Regards, OP."
    via u/Emagehtmal
  • 21
    MsDean1911 Pets are considered property by almost every court of law in the US. You are now the owner of said property. I don't have to send updates on the car I bought to it's original owner, or to the guy from Facebook who
    via u/MsDean1911
  • 22
    gave me a free desk. It doesn't work like that. Sure, she could try and take the dog back, but what lawyer would take her case (assuming she tells the truth) and no judge will order you give back your property for not adhering to arbitrary, made up rules by a crazy woman.
    via u/MsDean1911
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  • 23
    Document and back up everything. Now that she has threatened you legally DO NOT TALK to her. Unless you get a court summons, or are served with a notice you are being sued, ignore her. Ignore any demands you get from a "lawyer". Only respond if you get a legit court summons.
    via u/MsDean1911
  • 24
    lazespud2 Former shelter director here with 20 years shelter experience. Ignore the woman. She can pound sand. Many of these smaller rescues are small for a reason; they get consumed with the idea that they and they alone are the arbiter of all that is good and holy with the animals they adopt.
    via u/lazespud2
  • 25
    The fact is that if it isn't outlined in your contract than you have zero to worry about. And the dirty secret of the shelter industry is that contracts don't mean a whole heckuva lot anyway other than to remind adopters of expectations for proper adopter behavior.
    via u/lazespud2
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