Animal re homing.

[Svenski59]

Good afternoon all.

 

I recently discovered a pup, she was on deaths door and there is no exaggeration when I say that. To cut a long story short, we took her into a Petmedic branch near Manchester. We were told that she would be kept for 1 week in order to give the chance for the owners to claim her and were advised that after this period, we would have first refusal.

 

Our intention to home the pup was clear. We enquired daily as to the condition and response to treatment. When the week was finally up (today) and we were excitedly anticipating collecting the pup, we learnt that they had re homed her on Thursday.

 

Is this acceptable behaviour?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Steve W

[citizenB]

I have redirected your thread to the Pets n Vets forum. I think you will receive more notice here

 

This sounds very unfair indeed, although I am not sure whether you have any "legal" rights. I will send an S.O.S to someone who might know.

[Janie1962]

Hi, Steve - a huge WELL DONE for saving the little dog's life. Is Petmedic a vet practice? It could be that she was actually reunited with her owners - any found dog must be reported to the local Dog Warden - this is the law - so her owner could have been traced that way, or perhaps she was chipped..........either way, it must have been horribly disappointing for you. I honestly don't think you have any comeback, though, unless money changed hands. Sorry.

[jackieandwayne]

I'm really sorry to hear about this, it must be very hurtful and disappointing for you, especially after you saved her life. I had a look on the Petmedic website and they seem to be a standard vet's practice, with emergency services. I reckon the pup may have been chipped, or the owner came forward, but either way, although they can't tell you the details, they should at least let you know the outcome.

 

I think the only thing you can be glad about in this situation is that you DID save her life, and if she has been reunited with a loving owner then that's the best outcome. Even I suppose, if she was rehomed with yourselves being bypassed, the outcome is that the dog has a loving home. But horribly disappointing for you, and I really understand that. I break my heart over every animal I have to take into a vets, the last one being a baby kestrel that I knew would have to be PTS. If its a dog or cat I wish that I could keep them, but I know, deep down, that its not possible. And we can only ever do our best, and you have.

 

I would get back on to the practice, ask to speak to the manager, and tell them how upset you are and please could they at least put your mind at rest. You could, I suppose, have a go at them about their policy of 7 days etc., however, it is that policy that makes me suspect she may have been reunited with an owner. And anyway, I expect you really know that if you have a go at them its only because you are hurt. Your call.

 

Now you are of the mindset to adopt a pup (one of the best moods to be in I assure you!) why not pop along to the local dogs home and see about rehoming one of these? There are many poor souls in there worthy of a good home - if you were kind hearted enough to help one pup, how about helping another?

 

I think this is very unfair on you indeed, but I think you have to let it go now and move on, its always very emotive where animals are concerned ( as you'll find out when you get your new pup I hope).

 

Chin up and thinking of you. X

[Svenski59]

I have redirected your thread to the Pets n Vets forum. I think you will receive more notice here

 

This sounds very unfair indeed, although I am not sure whether you have any "legal" rights. I will send an S.O.S to someone who might know.

 

Thank you for your attention.

[Svenski59]

Hi, Steve - a huge WELL DONE for saving the little dog's life. Is Petmedic a vet practice? It could be that she was actually reunited with her owners - any found dog must be reported to the local Dog Warden - this is the law - so her owner could have been traced that way, or perhaps she was chipped..........either way, it must have been horribly disappointing for you. I honestly don't think you have any comeback, though, unless money changed hands. Sorry.

 

Thanks for replying.

 

We did contact the Leigh dogs home to enquire, as this is where we were told the pup would be going on completion of its treatment. They had not been contacted by the Pet Medics vet. An employee of the Pet medic showed interest on delivery to the vet and we suspect this is where the pup ended up. I can assure you that, considering the state of the animal when we found her, the **** bags that abandoned her would not have the minerals to turn up to collect her, I would like to hear their explanation of how such a young dog could end up in such a state.

 

Anyway, we are continuing to search for this pup.

 

Regards.

[Svenski59]

I'm really sorry to hear about this, it must be very hurtful and disappointing for you, especially after you saved her life. I had a look on the Petmedic website and they seem to be a standard vet's practice, with emergency services. I reckon the pup may have been chipped, or the owner came forward, but either way, although they can't tell you the details, they should at least let you know the outcome.

 

I think the only thing you can be glad about in this situation is that you DID save her life, and if she has been reunited with a loving owner then that's the best outcome. Even I suppose, if she was rehomed with yourselves being bypassed, the outcome is that the dog has a loving home. But horribly disappointing for you, and I really understand that. I break my heart over every animal I have to take into a vets, the last one being a baby kestrel that I knew would have to be PTS. If its a dog or cat I wish that I could keep them, but I know, deep down, that its not possible. And we can only ever do our best, and you have.

 

I would get back on to the practice, ask to speak to the manager, and tell them how upset you are and please could they at least put your mind at rest. You could, I suppose, have a go at them about their policy of 7 days etc., however, it is that policy that makes me suspect she may have been reunited with an owner. And anyway, I expect you really know that if you have a go at them its only because you are hurt. Your call.

 

Now you are of the mindset to adopt a pup (one of the best moods to be in I assure you!) why not pop along to the local dogs home and see about rehoming one of these? There are many poor souls in there worthy of a good home - if you were kind hearted enough to help one pup, how about helping another?

 

I think this is very unfair on you indeed, but I think you have to let it go now and move on, its always very emotive where animals are concerned ( as you'll find out when you get your new pup I hope).

 

Chin up and thinking of you. X

 

I am sure that the pup has ended up in a loving home, I very much doubt that the pup was chipped, in my estimation, she was weeks old. My partner who took her in said during her correspondence with them through out the week, them mentioned that the pup had Parvo. I would put everything I have on stating that the original owner didn't re claim her.

 

As you say though, as gut wrenchingly disappointed that I am, I am sure she is being looked after, I just hope whoever unfairly took her gets all their shoes chewed up in good time.

[jackieandwayne]

She's a lucky girl if she's managed to get over parvo. Anyway, time will heal, and what goes around comes around, so yes, shoes will be chewed aplenty!

 

Don't forget about the trip to the local dog's home, will you? Probably best you go soon, while you are still in a lovely animal sensitive mood...!

[Clear33]

Good afternoon all.

 

I recently discovered a pup, she was on deaths door and there is no exaggeration when I say that. To cut a long story short, we took her into a Petmedic branch near Manchester. We were told that she would be kept for 1 week in order to give the chance for the owners to claim her and were advised that after this period, we would have first refusal.

 

Our intention to home the pup was clear. We enquired daily as to the condition and response to treatment. When the week was finally up (today) and we were excitedly anticipating collecting the pup, we learnt that they had re homed her on Thursday.

 

Is this acceptable behaviour?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Steve W

 

I am disgusted by this. I hope you managed to track pup. Just to be certain she is being well looked after.

 

There have been some pretty bad stories coming from some sanctuaries. An individual is always better in my opinion that a pup falling into a system.

 

Isn't there some points of law here to at least acknowledge that you gave them the pup in full agreement you would be offered first refusal? At the very least a strongly worded complaint in writing? perhaps this would deter the vets from lying in future?

 

 

 

Clear33

 

edit: i recall unusual stories in the leigh newspapers about healthy dogs being killed.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Clear33

[hightail]

I'm a little confused. Did you pay for this dog's treatment? If you did then it's unforgiveable that the dog has disappeared. If you didn't because you took it in and made it clear the dog didn't belong to you then I'm afraid you have no automatic right to claim the dog as yours. What normally happens in a case like that is that the vet rings the RSPCA to get the go ahead to treat the animal - no vet does something for nothing.

[Clear33]

Vets do treat wild and stray animals for free. It maybe Charity work for goodwill with people or simply kindness.

 

The issue I feel strongly about is that the Vets told the OP that the pup would be theirs if no one claimed her. They then rang everyday to enquire about her wellbeing and prepared themselves for their new arrival.

 

At no point during those conversations did the Vets try to change the verbal agreement.

 

They could have said we now want some money for return of the puppy (which would still be wrong in my view after initial agreement made).

 

Normally, if I have to leave my animal with a Vet anyway , I NEVER pay upfront. So if I leave my animal with them is it OK for them to give my animal away too? No.

 

Best,

Clear33

[hightail]

 

Normally, if I have to leave my animal with a Vet anyway , I NEVER pay

upfront. So if I leave my animal with them is it OK for them to give my animal

away too? No.

I never pay up front either but I do sign consent forms agreeing to pay and I think that is standard protocol. I probably worded it badly but it was this sort of thing I was trying to establish. Did the OP effectively register this dog with the vet under their own name? If so then they became the owner as far as a vet is concerned - and liable for any resulting costs. If not then they just handed a stray in to a vet who may well have handed it on to the RSPCA or back to an owner if it had been reported missing.

 

If it were really the norm to walk into a vet claiming an animal is a stray which needs treatment but you'll take it once it's well again vets would be inundated with people who saw it as a way to get free treatment.

Edited November 10, 2013 by hightail

[Clear33]

legally, you have to wait 7 days before the OP could 'own' the dog. So there would not be a chance to register your name with the pup until the owners had a 7 day time frame to claim.

 

In my view, the next best thing was established. Verbal consent of chance to own dog if owners do not claim. On reflection, getting it in writing is important, not something I would have thought of as I would have trusted the verbal agreement .

 

If money was an issue, then the Vet should have said so. Could have set up a payment plan, or gone to the PDSA instead. But instead, the puppy has just vanished.

 

Once I took a stray kitten to a Vets for rehoming. I was getting terrible nightmares. I rung to see how she was getting on and arranged to visit her at the Vets.

 

I was horrified. Her eye was a terrible mess all closed up etc. worst i have ever seen. They told me it would prob. have to be removed.

 

On hearing this I wrangled with them for her back. They said if I paid for her 'treatment' £100-150 I could have her back. Including paying for her current medication .

 

Fortunately I had a credit card back then. It waas funny as I told the Vet I would be taking her to the car before paying so she didn't have to wait with the noisy packes out reception which would stress her out.

 

8However, the receptionist rudely shot out after me ! and escorted me back in. I had made an agreement to pay, i was insulted by this.

 

Got kitten home, stopped all medication upon my wonderful Vets advice who adopts a Holistic approach , fresh air, sight of birds , good food and the eye was well on the road to recovery by the next day.

 

She had been having an allergic reaction to the medication !!

 

Best ,

Clear33

[hightail]

 

legally, you have to wait 7 days before the OP could 'own' the dog. So there

would not be a chance to register your name with the pup until the owners had a

7 day time frame to claim.

Absolutely true if you walk into the vet and announce it's a stray you have just found. I'm not at all sure a vet can just keep the dog for 7 days without saying anything to anyone though. I'm pretty sure that as a minimum they would inform the RSPCA and local council. I'm also fairly sure that in a case like this one it's policy not to release the animal to the person that brought it in. It's very sad for the OP and others who honestly try to do a good turn but it isn't so unusual for people to give exactly this story if an animal they own has been allowed to get in a bad state.

[Clear33]

Obviously not policy at this Vets as they promised OP the puppy.

 

But yes often Vets wont give animal back in case they were the owners trying to get free treatment. But they dont promise to either.

 

 

Legally, I am thinking its just the dog warden to be notified. I would like clarity for any future purposes of my own. I have been told animal does not have to stay at dog warden kennels during the 7days.

 

Anyway, I am very sorry about what has happened.

 

Best ,

Clear33

[hightail]

I'm sorry too. Unfortunately the OP had no 'right' to this pup.