‘The dog is in my name. I have all my paperwork in order, she is chipped, she's not going anywhere’: Former owner fails to reclaim dog after new owner fully trains the pupper, forcing him to assert his legal right to the pet he rescued and rehabilitated

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Oct 7, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

Seriously, hoomans are the worst. Like you do not see a doggo running away from home, choosing a new family that feeds them, takes care of them and generally improves their life to no end, only for the pupper to run back to his original pawrents as though nothing happened. No, that pupper stays where life is good, not where life blows. Which is what makes this original owner's decision all the more infuriating, as only after its ex-doggo was pampered, invested in both financially and emotionally, did the 'original owner' want anything to do with the doggo.

Luckily, the law was on the side of the new owner who gave the doggo the care it deserved, but what a harrowing and heartbreaking ordeal for all involved. No pupper deserves to go through madness like this, especially when all they could ever want for is a home that loves them, a roof to sleep under and maybe a treat from time to time.
 

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  • 01
    I (23m) was given a German Shepherd (4f) by a friend (21f) about half a year ago. She got the dog as a rescue, and told me she was having trouble with training her. She
    via AjOmni
  • 02
    wasn't adapting to the new house, new owners, or other dogs. Along with this, it was just bad timing. Not having the money to take another dog in. I
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  • 03
    asked her if she'd consider getting rid of the dog, and she said yes. So, I brought her home. Mari, the dog, has now been living in my house for the whole half year.
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  • 04
    She's been trained since. She's house trained, listens to commands, is great with kids, and strangers, and can be walked without a leash (I still use one of course). All things
    via AjOmni

  • Wow, what a wonderfully kind and selfless undertaking by this hooman. They had no obligation to take on such a project, no less when the doggo was sort of chosen for them instead of them getting to see who they bonded with. They simply saw a pupper in need of help and didn’t hesitate to step in and help. 

  • 05
    I could not have said about her months ago. I had a few friends over today, and the former owner was one of them. After seeing how well trained she was, she told me she was gonna take Mari home next week.
    via AjOmni
  • 06
    Now, I never bought Mari. But, I took her in under the assumption she was my dog. After all, I was told she was my dog. That my friend didn't want her. To suddenly change your mind after I've
    via AjOmni
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10561110528
    via Tanya via Adobe Stock

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

  • 08
    spent all this time training her, treating her like family, buying her toys and such, genuinely hurt me. I denied, and told my friend she should've put the work in herself If she wanted a trained dog.
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  • 09
    My friends are on her side. She was the original owner, and she wants her dog back. According to some of my friends, they were told I was offered 200 dollars for Mari, but never was. I love this dog.
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  • 10
    And considering I'm recently out of a relationship, I'd really rather not lose the closest thing I have to an emotional support animal. She's there when I get home from work, she sleeps at the foot of
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  • What a wonderfully sweet development to such a harrowing story. One can only wonder what strength it took to bring this dog back from being untrained and then to face the badgering and pestering of a pawrent who simply did not deserve to come along and pluck the fruit of all the labor that this woman put in.

  • 11
    my bed, She's my best friend. And I refuse to part with her....... Edit: I didn't expect this to blow up like it did. So, I have a small update. 1) The
    via AjOmni
  • 12
    dog is in my name. I have all my paperwork in order, she is chipped, she's not going anywhere.
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  • 13
    2) I've spoken to police already. She didn't contact them, but I informed them of the situation mostly just to make sure I was in the
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  • 14
    clear. 3) Thank you all so much. The kind words, the advice, the kind dm's I'd received from other dog owners. They've all
    via AjOmni
  • 15
    meant the world to me. It's been a rough time lately, even before all this, so all the positivity really brightened a dark moment. Thank you all
    via AjOmni
  • 16
    Cheezburger Image 10561110784
    via Happy Monkey via Afobe Stock

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

  • 17
    Alibu... Partassipant... Make sure you have vet bills, and get her chipped and registered in your name ASAP. And then find new friends.
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  • 18
    Liayso Keep the dog. Lose the friend(s). I hope you have Mari microchipped and have vet
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  • 19
    bills in your name in case your friend tries to take you to court for the dog. So you can prove ownership. I'm assuming you have now had
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  • 20
    the dog longer than she had it, correct? Mari is your dog. You took her in, trained her, fed her, etc. It's ridiculous that
    via AjOmni
  • 21
    your friend thinks she can just take the dog back after all this time.
    via AjOmni

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dogs right microchip legal dog owner reddit story trained pet paperwork dog story rescued rehabilitation name
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