'I stole my neighbor's dog': Kindhearted man braves thunderstorm at 2 A.M. to rescue golden retriever from neglectful neighbor, then rehomes him 3 states away

Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager

Oct 10, 2026 8:15 AM EDT

We never condone stealing, but we do condone doing what's best for the dog.

I can't believe we're living in 2026 and there are still no fines or penalties for pet mistreatment. If you agree to adopt or buy a dog, you should have to agree to treat them properly. This would help people realize that there are consequences for abandoning your pets, or in this case, chaining them up in the backyard. The root of the problem comes from the fact that, in the US, pets are still considered as property, the same as your couch. You can destroy your couch if you want to, leave it on the highway for all you care, and legally nothing bad will happen to you. The same goes for your dog, unfortunately.

Even in situations where animal control is called, like in our story below, they are more often than not little to no help. A kindhearted man saw that his neighbor was keeping his golden retriever locked up outside, no matter what the weather, with barely any food and sometimes no water. Despite calling animal control, nothing was done about it, so he took matters into his own hands. He snuck out in the middle of the night, during a thunderstorm, and rescued the poor pupper. He then proceeded to drive hours away to rehome him in another state, so his owner would never be able to treat him that way ever again.

The main thing I don't understand from this neighbor's POV is: why would you pay thousands of dollars for a purebred golden retriever puppy just to keep them locked up outside? I grew up with several golden retrievers in my family, and they were incredible additions to the family. Patient, kind, playful, loving, and an essential part of my childhood. I grew up learning how to respect animals through them, and they helped make me the dog-lover I am today.

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via chris panas

Neglected golden retriever waiting behind a fence for owner to come home
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'I stole my neighbor's neglected dog during a heavy storm and rehomed him three states away. I have zero regrets.'
Story / RaptureTide_3
My neighbor kept a young golden retriever mix chained to a rusted metal pole in his backyard. No insulated doghouse, zero affection, and water bowls that were constantly bone dry or covered in green scum. The dog cried for hours every single night.
I called local animal control multiple times. Every time an officer arrived, the owner dumped some tap water in a bowl, made an excuse, and they closed the inspection citing "adequate baseline conditions."
Listen, stealing will never be something that I think is okay. Ethically and legally. Not to sound like Batman, but some things just don't get handled properly by the law. If I saw a dog being mistreated, I would definitely step in. If words can't solve the problem, then action will have to.
Remember, it's only stealing if you get caught. You can thank Aladdin for that morsel of wisdom.
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via Getty Images

Neglected dog waiting for rescue
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Then a severe freezing rainstorm hit our area with dangerously low temperaturs. I looked out my window at midnight and saw the poor dog shivering violently, curled up in frozen mud against the chainlink fence.
so i waited until 2:00 AM when the wind and thunder were at their peak. I grabbed heavy bolt cutters, cut the chain, wrapped him in a warm blanket, and loaded him into my back seat.
I drove three hours through the night to a no-k**l foster sanctuary run by an old friend. He was quickly placed with a loving family with two kids and a heated farmhouse.
My neighbor assumed the heavy winds knocked a fence board loose and the dog ran away. I even spent twenty minutes "helping" him look around the neighborhood with a completely straight face.
He didnt deserve that dog. I would do it again tomorrow.
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via Clayton Prouty

Thunderstorm in residential neighborhood in the early morning
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via Ahmed

Man playing with a happy puppy at an adoption event for pets
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There are so many dogs that need homes, partly because there is so much demand for them. I have a feeling that there would be less demand if there were actual consequences for not treating your pets properly, which would lead to far fewer stories like this one. Pets are something that should be loved and cherished, not just because you paid for them, but because you love them and want them to have the best life pawssible. It's not that hard of a concept, yet for some, it's nearly impawssible to understand.
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