My neighbor Luis (45M) developed a drug problem recently and abandoned his house as well as a dog (2F)
My (19F) family took the dog in at night because of heavy rains happening. She slept in the garage in an old dog bed we had but we left her outside at day since she was a very active dog and got bored inside. Slowly we started letting her in to the entire house, she stopped going out as much, and we took her to the vet. We’ve spent a lot of money on her, we’re treating her for dermatitis and she’s on a good diet since she’s a large dog. She only goes out with us now.
A week ago, the neighbors brother (40M) came back to the abandoned house with the purpose of fixing it up and selling it later. The dog was crying so bad we let her outside and she greeted him.
That day, he left for home and she chased him for a mile. Someone stopped him and tried to call the cops because they thought he was abandoning her. He explained that the dog wasn’t his, but ours. (this according to my grandmother, my mom says that he never said that the dog was ours)
The next day she accidentally got into his house when we took her to the bathroom and she instead ran to the place to say hi to him. He thought this meant that she wanted to stay so he kept her inside. In fear of her chasing him again, he kept her inside and left. He fed her some ham, that’s everything she ate that day, and she spent the night with no shelter in the rain.
He opened the door the next evening and she bolted out to me while crying, her dermatitis was way worse than before and she was very hungry and visibly nervous.
She went out to pee again this morning and the same thing happened, he thought she wanted to be inside, he left her there and left, and she has been there all day with no food.
The dog is really sweet and she always comes when called by someone including the guy. She’s extremely forgiving, one time I accidentally hurt her leg and she went right back to licking me even though she had whimpered loudly and it scared me so bad thinking I hurt her. She loves him very much and I feel bad for depriving her of her owner even if he mistreats her.
The brothers son (25M) is welding a truck in the lot where the dog is, she accidentally got too close and got sparks on her, she cried very badly and it scared me, she then started growling at the guy who then threw what looked like a rock or tool at her and she ran away.
When she gets out of there tomorrow I’m not going to walk her without a leash anymore, I don’t want her staying locked in there without food.
My mom is angry at me because she insists that he’s the rightful owner of the dog and I have no right to keep her since the other guy took care of her before I even knew the dog. My grandmother says that this guy always referred to the dog as ours when talking to her, my mom says she’s lying because she’s bipolar.
Should I listen to my mom and let the dog stay with her real owners? I know a lot of people out there don’t treat dogs kindly but they don’t beat them or starve them. She probably gets some food and maybe he just threw the object because she barks very loud and it gets annoying, this is what my mom told me when I told her that I don’t want the dog to ever get stuck there again. Is she right? AITA for taking my neighbors dog if she has lived with me for 3 months?
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My neighbor Luis (45M) developed a drug problem recently and abandoned his house as well as a dog (2F)
My (19F) family took the dog in at night because of heavy rains happening. She slept in the garage in an old dog bed we had but we left her outside at day since she was a very active dog and got bored inside. Slowly we started letting her in to the entire house, she stopped going out as much, and we took her to the vet. We’ve spent a lot of money on her, we’re treating her for dermatitis and she’s on a good diet since she’s a large dog. She only goes out with us now.
A week ago, the neighbors brother (40M) came back to the abandoned house with the purpose of fixing it up and selling it later. The dog was crying so bad we let her outside and she greeted him.
That day, he left for home and she chased him for a mile. Someone stopped him and tried to call the cops because they thought he was abandoning her. He explained that the dog wasn’t his, but ours. (this according to my grandmother, my mom says that he never said that the dog was ours)
The next day she accidentally got into his house when we took her to the bathroom and she instead ran to the place to say hi to him. He thought this meant that she wanted to stay so he kept her inside. In fear of her chasing him again, he kept her inside and left. He fed her some ham, that’s everything she ate that day, and she spent the night with no shelter in the rain.
He opened the doo the next evening and she bolted out to me while crying, her dermatitis was way worse than before and she was very hungry and visibly nervous.
She went out to pee again this morning and the same thing happened, he thought she wanted to be inside, he left her there after she left, and she has been there all day with no food. The brothers son (25M) is welding a truck in the lot where the dog is, she accidentally got too close and got sparks on her, she cried very badly and it scared me, she then started growling at the guy who threw what looked like a rock or tool at her and she ran away.
When she gets out of there tomorrow I’m not going to walk her without a leash anymore, I don’t want her staying locked in there without food.
My mom is angry at me because she insists that he’s the rightful owner of the dog and I have no right to keep her since the other guy took care of her before I even knew the dog. My grandmother says that this guy always referred to the dog as ours when talking to her, my mom says she’s lying because she’s bipolar.
Should I listen to my mom and let the dog stay with her real owners? I know a lot of people out there don’t treat dogs kindly but they don’t beat them or starve them. She probably gets some food and maybe he just threw the object because she barks very loud and it gets annoying, this is what my mom told me when I told her that I don’t want the dog to ever get stuck there again. Is she right? AITA for taking my neighbors dog if she has lived with me for 3 months?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I took in a dog that was abandoned by a neighbor, her old owners returned a few days ago and want her back. They underfeed her and don’t give her a good home but they still are her original owners, the dog loves them even when the hit her and leave her in the rain and I don’t know if I have the right to take her and not allow them to have her under their care anymore. The dog would be sad if she wasn’t able to see the anymore, maybe they’ll miss her, and it feels selfish to make this decision
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
I understand your mums point, but they clearly do not care about the dog. Maybe chat with the man yourself about the dog and see what they say (Only if you feel safe to do so! Don’t put yourself in danger)
To be perfectly honest, if someone tried to reclaim the dog, if you tell them to repay all the vets bills etc before you hand the dog over, they will likely back off very quickly. Even if they did try to take a legal route, I think you would be safe as you clearly have the dogs welfare and best interests at heart.
If it was me, I would take the dog.
Nta
NTA you stepped in where someone else failed. The owner left, the brother barely feeds or shelters her, and she’s been hurt and scared while in his care. You’ve been looking after her for months, she’s attached to you, and she’s clearly better off in your home.
Your mum’s concern about legality makes sense, so you should try to cover yourself; keep her leashed, get the vet to check her for a microchip, and talk to animal control about transferring ownership officially. But overall? You’re doing the right thing.
I’d suggest you check out the legal implications where you are before taking any action. Where I am, what you are planning would be theft.
I’ll go NTA here as you seem to have good intentions and your mother is clearly worried about the legal aspect. I think you should have a discussion with your family about this too so that you can be sure that everyone is on board with adopting the dog.
Any plans to take the dog to a vet?
Surrender her to a no kill shelter (since your mom doesn’t seem to want the dog)?
Why is the dog able to run to that house in the first place? Leash your dog or fence her in. This situation keeps happening because you’re allowing it to happen. Dogs are forgivable creatures and wanna be friends with everybody they know or recognize regardless of how well they are treated (with exceptions of course).
Nobody claimed her and you paid vet bills. Nobody is going to contest you on who’s dog it is. Just keep her.
For the whole situation N T A, but YTA for not protecting your dog properly.
No freaking way, you need to keep the dog. Period. NTA!