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Subscribe to RSSA couple in Pennsylvania is facing criminal charges for selling their neighbor’s lost puppy on Craigslist instead of returning it, according to police.
Police in Leechburg, Pa., said two dogs, a Rottweiler and a golden retriever mix, wandered onto the property of Scott Duff, 41, and Roxanne Duff, 38, on September 3.
After discovering the animals, police say, Roxanne Duff left a phone message for police saying she was unsure what to do with them.
Leechburg Police Officer Christopher Laird returned Roxanne Duff’s message, recommending that she contact either an animal shelter or a local dog kennel, according to a police report. He told her he would contact her if they find dogs’ owner. During that call, Roxanne Duff allegedly told Laird that the Rottweiler puppy had run away since her initial report.
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Later in the evening, Laird received a call from the dogs’ owner, Shawn Lerch, who said Duff had returned his golden retriever but not the Rottweiler. Lerch said he believed his dog was still in the area and suspected the Duffs were keeping him, despite what he had been told.
When Laird knocked on his neighbor's door, Scott Duff answered and allegedly denied having the puppy. The next day, Lerch called police again, saying he believed the dog was still at the Duffs' house, according to the report.
This time, police chief Michael Diebold went to the Duffs' home, where he found the couple's five-year-old son and his babysitter. According to the police report, the child said, “his mommy had given the dog to a woman from the Internet."
Diebold contacted Scott Duff again and told him what his child had said. Duff told him he had no knowledge of this and said he only knew that the puppy had escaped from his yard. A short time later, Duff called police back and allegedly admitted that his wife had placed an ad and sold the dog on Craigslist for $50.
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After police located the woman who bought the Rottweiler, who said she was unaware of the theft. Roxanne Duff went to Pittsburgh, where the woman lived, to retrieve the dog, and it was returned to Lerch.
Police charged the Duffs last week with not making a reasonable effort to return lost property, two counts of conspiracy and false reporting.
The couple is due in court for a preliminary hearing on October 31.
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Normally I don't bother commenting on articles that don't appear particularly newsworthy, but THIS is downright ridiculous. This story would have been appropriate filler for a small-town weekly, at BEST.
Are you kidding? People love dogs. I bet this story gets a ton of hits.
Sure, people love dogs - I love dogs - but really! Someone lets their puppies roam the neighborhood, apparently with no identification, and one of them gets sold on Craigslist? I bet the lady that bought it would have taken MUCH better care of it.
I don't know what is worse...not having tags on the dogs.. or selling it on craigslist.. both acted rather stupid.
rkaralius;
in the middle of a lot of human conflict,sometimes its refreshing to see an article that takes a step back and reminds you that while crap goes on in the big picture, life goes on at the individual level as well. and pets/dogs/animals are a good way to remind us of that. you don't want to miss the forest for the trees--but you don't want to overlook the fact that the trees make he forest.
Now, as to the article:
As a longtime animal shelter volunteer, I have seen many, many examples of people whose pets were not returned--even in couple of cases when the owner was known. People find pets all the time--and people steal pets all the time too, and sell them. Animal trafficking is a quick, dirty, and rarely punished crime. My sympathies to the dog, to Lerch, to the woman in Pittsburgh who took a new pet home and then had to give it back--if she had kids I'll bet the kids were disappointed. Congratulations to Police Chief Diebold, who stuck with what had to have been a very minor, insignificant case (in the grand scheme of things) and got to the heart of the matter. Cases involving animals are often not investigated as thoroughly as they should be, and animal rights issues don't usually come up (unless you're Iowa Republican Representative Steve King and it's an election year and you suffer from acute dentopodatry.)
One last thing; Craigslist pets
I'm not going to knock the adoption of pets on craigslist. From personal experience, we've had animal control officers go out to peoples houses to pick up an 'owner surrender (unwanted) pet , only to have the owner say "oh, I sold it off craigslist a couple hours ago.' While we don't like the idea of rehoming, we do admit sometimes it is necessary (not every dog and every person can get along) and it reduces the amount of animals living in shelters (and possibly being euthanized if not adopted--I volunteer for an inner-city animal shelter that gets between 12,000and 15,000 animals a year (including injured wildlife) and we are high-mortality because we simply don't have enough space for all of them.
That being said, people, PLEASE can you use some common sense!?
If a seller does not want you to come over and see the dog before buying, red-flag. If a buyer does not want the dog to meet the members of the family or have you see the home where the dog will be living, red-flag. when you see the dog, watch how the owner interacts with it. If the dog doesn't respond to its name, doesn't seem to like or recognize the owner (or recognizes its own name) red-lag.if the seller seem more interested in the money and is vague about the details of where they got the dog, how long thy have had it, and how old it is, red-flag.
If you decide to buy the dog, take it to the vet afterward, have it checked. Most well-loved pets these days have microchips. Verify with the microchip company that the dog wasn't reported as lost, stolen, or missing.
AND I STRONGLY URGE ALL PET OWNERS HAVE THEIR PETS MICROCHIPPED.
Puppies can get out. Collars with tags can get caught on something, like the bottom of a fence as a puppy is digging is way out, and finders often don't take the dog to a vet or animal shelter to check for a microchip.
And not all owners have their dogs microchipped or don't update the registration, and many vets and animal shelters don't have standard procedures for checking ownership of animals via microchip info even when there is one present.
Microchipping has gotten very reasonable. If you are going to invest in a pet and love it, do the microchip and keep renewing the service.
rkaralius, there is always one pseudo-intellectual making posts like yours after articles like this. Unfortunately, I have now wasted 10 seconds of my life reading yours. I suggest you try to get one.
The shelter I volunteer for will microchip for $10 if you ask for it. We have once-monthly rabies clinics (get the rabies shot for $6 and microchip for $10, and other basic vaccines for cats and dog don't cost more than $15.
Does her state have a leash law? In Mi we do. Puppies have to be registered for tags at a certain age. The low lifes in this area, and I personally knew of 1 couple, would cruise the area looking for loose dogs, their truck was identical to Animal Control. They would take and sell these dogs to Illinois animal research facility. They had friend working at animal control also.
My daughter rescued 2 kittens from shelter. They are micro-chipped, neutered and see a vet every year for vet checks and vaccinations. They are 9 yrs old now. They are not pets they are members of our family. If you cannot take care of dog or puppy, or any animal, don't get one, get a stuffed animal.
Sounds like the owner had it coming....
rkaralius - I agree - sorry to go off track here (sort off) – but have you noticed there is no real news out there any more – if it is not war - Obama did this – Romney did that - or something like this – there is nothing about the people of the U.S.A. and their current plight of the economy and the banks that caused it and the government that helped cover it up. Sure a blip here and there – a few semi interesting stories – but nothing about the deep core of the story of who caused this economical problem and what is going to be done about it. I know it’s not going anywhere fast, it’s slow, their trying, it is being investigated, etc, etc, etc, but how about who is to blame and what is being done about making them fix it?
I want to know how many people are being forced out of their homes by the banks and what the federal forces are going to do about making the banks leave them alone – the “bought to much home” people are long gone, now it is people that have worked all their lives building what they have and are still losing everything – what is being done to protect them?
The Banks have been protected and saved, now how about the people? You know – the tax payers…
I want to know what the “protectors” are going to do to make the banks rebuild the economy and get all of those good lost jobs back so people can start working and earning and spending again.
I want NBC to start doing some real reporting – Edward R Murrow style – dig deep and tell it like it is.
Instead I here about how the mighty forces are running around finding a dog that was sold from a neighbors yard, this hardly covers the issues of our country.
Ok – I’m done – I kind of feel better – thank you for your time – sorry to have bothered you with my rant – have a great day.
And yet, you not only took time to read the story, but to comment (not once, but twice!) on it as well.
DOGONIT
Gee, wonder if the Duffs are related to Cruel la De ville? Good thing it was a Rottweiler and not a Dalmatian puppy!
We bought a puppy as a companion for our 4-year-old retriever. Retriever suffered a little jealousy over the pup, so she jumped up on the screen door, let the two of them out (she does this when she has to tinkle), and led him astray. This was one day after we got him. She came back without him, happy as a lark.
For a whole day, we combed the neighborhood. Fortunately, we had taken pictures the first couple hours, so our posters showed vivid details. The next day, we saw him in the front field, a half mile from home, scared, tired, and totally lost. Our beloved retriever was none too happy he returned. But from that day on, he never left our side. And he is now microchipped.
Nobody stated if the pups got out on their own, or if the owners were careless. Without knowing for sure, do not judge the owners harshly. Dogs have amazing abilities that we don't necessarily give them credit for possessing.
Selling the neighbors dog...sound like a good idea to me. I have neighbors that let their dogs bark very late at night. I always wonder why they can't hear their own dog as well as I can.
Rottweiler pelts aren't nearly as valuable as Dalmation pelts.
This is big news, it is getting more common (especially pure-bred theft related to show dogs). Microchipping is great and affordable but can only go so far.
There is evidence suggesting microchips can be tampered with and removed, especially someone trying to sell a high-value show dog's puppy. Actually does happen in breeder circles. There are new DNA registration services for pets that are actually on par with the cost of microchipping - about $25-$45. This supplements the microchip and adds another layer of protection.
My dog was tattooed at the adoption shelter, microchiped and DNA swabbed at the vet when a puppy. All the numbers tie together in the registry. If someone finds my dog (runs away) or tries to sell my dog (theft) then I have indisputable proof of ownership and ID.
The Duffs should be ashamed and I hope truly prosecuted by the law. The post that said "roaming the neighboorhood without any identification" -- who said they didn't have tags? And how did the Duffs know where to return the Golden Retriever? Seriously, these people are mean and just didn't want to return the other puppy. We have three dogs -- all lab mixes -- and occasionally, by accident, two of them get out of our yard. They have tags and we would expect them to be returned if found. Usually, we find them first. Don't assume you know what you're talking ab out when you judge the people that lost the dogs. If there's a problem with the dogs (such as barking late at night as one post mentioned), then call the police and let them handle it. That works.
rkaralius and Inventor101: There is nothing wrong with your opinion, you're entitled to it after all. I just can't help but wonder why, if you feel this way, you even clicked on the article or bothered to post in the first place.
The dogs may have gotten loose - not great for the owner - but the big stupidity award goes to the lady who sold the rottweiler. Had she never made a phone call in the very beginning, she never even would have been caught. But no, she left a trail a mile long for the world to follow right back to her. How in the world did she expect NOT to be discovered? And then, she actually went to all that effort and only sold the dog for $50?! Wow. Whatever happened to being a decent human being and returning animals to the places you KNOW they belong? Does she think it made her a good person because she returned the golden retriever? Come on.
Just where in the article did it state the dogs had no tags??? Everyone just assumes it so it's true??? These people returned the less sellable dog and sold the other for $50. Scumbags and need to be punished. Period.
Conniving canine crooks or a novel way to get rid of a neighbor's dog. You decide.
I would just love to sell my neighbors little rat-bastard of a yapping mutt. This little 4 lb mutt never shuts the Hell up and the idiots that own the dog, put him out at all times of the night and day. Winter is coming and I hope he freezes his little yapping arse off. Oh, and it's wrong to sell some one else's property, just saying.....
There seems to be no limit to the number of horrible people in the world, and it's extremely sad that animals and children are the ones who most often suffer. Glad they got their dog back.
I could understand if it was a loud barking annoying dog and the owner was a douchebag, but this was wrong.
To many people animals are like family members. I think this woman is scum and would understand if someone took her 5 year old little Johnny and sold him on the internet.
Please give this woman 6 months in county to think about what a B she is..........
I say anyone who doesn't like dogs hasn't had one cooked properly!
Stop the hate, it's your dog I ate. Barak Obama MM MM MM! (Read his book and own words on his eating a dog).
One and Done.
I wonder if the dogs actually did wander off to the neighbor's yard, or if the neighbor saw the dogs outside on their owners' property and took them. Seeing what good neighbors the Duffs are (rolling my eyes), I wouldn't put it past them.
Does craigslist have different rules in PA? Where I live at you can't post dogs for sale.
dirtydog200, I've noticed that too. I take care of my neighbors cats when he is out of town & when my dogs bark it's much louder at his house across the street than mine. I even told my wife about it, how much louder it was.
"I always wonder why they can't hear their own dog as well as I can."
They can hear it; The dbags do it 2 annoy U.
Clarification for those who did not understand my above comment (I got a couple of private messages) so decided to clarify here:
Last month Iowa Representative Steve King said that if it is legal to take your kids to see a boxing/wrestling match then it should be legal to take your kids to see a dogfight/cockfight. Anyone who placed the welfare of humans over the welfare of animals had their 'priorities mixed.' And in saying so, he put his foot in his mouth (dentopodiatry.)
Animal lovers everywhere pointed out that two boxers or two wrestlers agree to fight and get paid lots of money for it, and the fight is not to the death. Animals can't consent and fights often end with the death of one.
Then he blamed the Humane Society's 'anti-meat-eating agenda' on the fact that his words were 'taken out of context'.
"If there's a problem with the dogs (such as barking late at night as one post mentioned), then call the police and let them handle it. That works."
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. *choke, *cough. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Really sorry.
I don't know where U live, but lemma give ya an example of the conversation U would have with OUR local PD:
Dispatcher: You're calling us about a barking dog? There's a gang-related shooting happening outside The Col & U want us 2 leave that over a dog? U can't knock on your neighbors door & ask him 2 let the dog in?
Don't bother calling them over some dbag parking in front of your driveway either. It won't matter if the car sits there for another 2 minutes or for another 2 days. The Keystones won't show up until an hour AFTER the car has left.
U woulld B better off 2 go push the car yourself.
"the other 53% have just stood in line for 24 hours straight to buy a $700.00 cell phone system . . . to say Hello?"
IKR? If they really don't have a better use 4 that $700, they can just send it 2 me.
"I wonder if the dogs actually did wander off to the neighbor's yard, or if the neighbor saw the dogs outside on their owners' property and took them."
Mitchell, I wondered the same thing.
The more hard surfaces you have the more the sound bounces off and the louder it's going to seem. If you have a big green grassy lawn in front of the house and you neighbor does too, chances are you might not hear much. If your houses are close together and you have nothing but street, an alley and little or no grass, etc in or around your house, chances are it's going to seem much louder.
Also depends on the direction the dog is facing, and whether the dog's bark is higher-pitched or lower pitched. There's a lot of physics and acoustical logistics involved, but that's pretty much the gist of it.
You can't choose your neighbors, but pissing them off selling their dog is dumb.
It might work where you are, but may not work everywhere. It certainly wouldn't work in our municipality. (I used to work dispatch at animal control, that was how I started volunteering at our animal shelter.)
I live in a city of about 600,000 people. We have nine animal enforcement officers (AEO's). The original intent was to have one for each district of the city; Central, North, Northeast, East, Southeast, Southwest, West, Northwest. And we have one 'chauffeur' (the AEO who goes out and picks up animal corpses/roadkill) A lot of the dead are animal abuse cases so this is an important function, don't laugh.
Each of those nine officers has to have two days off a week. So on any given day there are only seven officers. They work in shifts just like the cops--three shifts per 24 hour period. If one officer is tied up on an issue, the officer assigned to the district next to the absent one has to cover the off-duty officer's district too.
I remember one night we had two officers out and one who had just spent the entire day testifying in an Animal Control involved lawsuit/civil trial. We got an emergency call from the police saying they needed animal control at a residence in North. Turned out a guy who got himself killed in a drug deal had a five foot alligator living in a clawfoot bathtub in the basement of his rowhouse. When officers searched his house they found it and asked for AEO assistance. One AEO had his hand bitten (alligator wrangling is not in the training manual for municipal AEOs) and we had to call the officer who had testified that day plus the two who were off to go out, help get the alligator in, empty out the bathtub with the scummy green water, and bring all of that back to the shelter. And in the middle of that I get a all from someone who wants to know when an AEO was going to be out to stop the neighbor's beagle from baying..
I tried to be polite in explaining the situation--sorry, Ma'am the barking beagle is just going to have to bark. We have to get this alligator taken care of, it's already bitten one AEO and one police officer.
A barking dog is really low on the priority list compared to a police emergency.
Both!
I find that people on my block that complain the most about my dog barking are completely unaware of the noise their, motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs, thumping car stereos, kids, driveway basketball hoops, pool parties, 7AM lawn mowing, 9 PM lawn mowing (in the dark no less), fireworks (illlegal) etc etc etc make.
"completely unaware of the noise their, motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs, thumping car stereos, kids, driveway basketball hoops, pool parties, 7AM lawn mowing, 9 PM lawn mowing (in the dark no less), fireworks (illlegal)"
I know what U mean, dawg.
4 U:
♪♫Pleased 2 meet U. Hope U guess my name.♪♫
Let me see. The couple who stole the dogs LIED to the owners AND TO THE POLICE (the Chief of Police no less) as to what happened to the dog. With neighbors like that who needs enemies.
The person I feel sorry for is the child-- got two parents who lie like cheap rugs. What will the child grow up knowing?
I hope the couple who stole the dog and sold it on Craigslist have learned it doesn't pay to lie to the police chief. And it doesn't pay to have a kid that knows what is going on. Thank you, young man.
And the woman who returned the dog deserves a big THANK YOU.
Industrial Strength:: You made a SNIDE comment about eating dogs. It just so happens that in some parts of this universe dog can be a regular on the menu. Another thing, if you are hungry you will eat anything that will fill your belly.
I remember hearing about some female prisoners of war (in WW2) that were hungry enough for meat that they caught and ate rats.
You live in America, not in some far-distant country. You eat what you want and what is appropriate in America-- and what is appropriate for your ethnicity.
If you don't want to eat dog, DON'T DO IT. But if dog is acceptable in some other country, let them eat what they want. After all, it is protein.
People are mean.
.
Either way, the Duffs are a couple of punks.
Good posts Suzie. They eat dog in a lot of places, horse meat too. Just because we don't eat it doesn't mean it's unacceptable. There is a lot of things I wouldn't eat, in Korea (I think) they eat live octopus. I couldn't eat one cooked much less alive. We eat pork could you see someone from the M.E. eating that?
They probably just didn't want a rottweiler next door... I'm not saying anything about the breed myself but some folks are afraid of certain breeds.
Perhaps they have young children and didn't want a potential killer Rottweiler living next door.
I'm not 100% sure that would make what they did right. However, it was lovely that they could make a little money based on their...suspicions. It would seem the the rightful puppy owners and the rest of the neighborhood have more to worry about with brazen thieves living on the same street.
It was the Duff's five-year-old that spilled the beans about what happened to the puppy...and it wouldn't surprise me if he was punished for telling the truth.
I'm with Inventor 101. I want to see some news on whats being done for the millions forced into Bankruptcy and the scum that make it all possible. Lost my home last December. What's happening to all the victims of the recent storms and floods?
Lost puppies? Really?
Diversionary articles and/or seeds are most welcome in an election year, especially this close to election day.
@rkaralius
I felt the title was quite clear.
I after reading it decided I wished to read the whole artice.
What I don't get is ... why did you click it then if it wasn't what you are looking for.
Can you answer that one for me please.
My goodness--some people are evil...
I hope they get hit with some heavy fines and community service at a local shelter for many, many months, picking up dog poop.
Loser people, and we wonder why children are the way they are, will look at this child's example
Cue the music.... "How much, for that doggy, in the Internet....???"
Neighbors at their very best. Good thing one of their children did not wander over to their yard! They may have been sold on Craigslist too.
Do you equate children with puppies in your own home, or just on Newsvine?
we do, our dogs are like our children!
denver bill 2:: Dogs are children-- and many times more acceptable than children. Then consider this-- dogs can be more acceptable than grown (or supposed-to-be grown) males.
I will admit, they are easier to clean up after. And, unlike children, they usually learn not to do something after the first time you swat them with a paper.
Out of the mouth of babe's the truth!
What exactly is the charge here? Theft of under $100? I agree with the earlier comment, this isn't even local news.
dinsmo,
If this was a purebred Rottweiler puppy, it's probably worth over $1000
Never buy a dog on Craigslist. Only get one if it's free. That's the only assurance you have that the dog is theirs to give away.
If you see a pet for sale on craig'slist you can report the article and they will remove it all it takes is a couple of clicks. It's against their rules.
Subhumans! and I wouldnt even sell toilet paper on craigslist. Its cesspool.
Craigslist has a policy against the selling of animals in excess of "rehoming " fees. Typically only enough to pay for shots or worming.
While I understand your disdain at Craigslist I will point out that if utilized with some care it is an awesome resource. I used to have to post items for sale in the classified section of the local newspaper at considerable expense. Now I just snap a digital image and a few minutes later post it and walah...a couple of days later it's sold. AWESOME
I have bought and sold hundreds of items on CL over the years. I don't have everyone just come to my house....I usually meet them down the street at a local gas station and complete the transaction there or if the item is too large I size them up first at the station.....If I don't like their looks I tell them It just sold. Sorry.
Trick is not to buy stolen merch. ( usually if you tell the person you want a reciept and tell them you will want to see their drivers license that is enough to discourage thieves )
The worst thing about it from my point of view is people not removing items that have sold.
Blanket statements such as yours make about as much sense as me saying all posters on msn using to word "subhumans" are morons.
What a POS neighbor and person! Great way to teach your kid good values.
I agree, letting both of your puppies just run all willy-nilly on some one else's property, POS neighbors for sure.
I wish I could do that to my neighbors dog. Plus what horrible dog owners, to let dogs wander with no tags. Such irresponsible people. If there is nothing identifying the dogs then its finders keepers.
They should feel lucky the dogs didn't get shot. Lol really it's kinda funny, bet they keep a good eye on those dogs when they let them out from now on. This may prevent future problems when those dogs grow up.
Except they STOLE the dog. And surprise all that puppy is worth a lot more than $50. They are likely looking at Grand Theft as well if the owner pushes it. I just honestly cannot believe people. So if lost dog comes on your property and it doesn't have a tag its "finders keepers"??? What are you 6? Yeah sounds like a horrible dog owner because they didnt have TAGS. The fact isn't the dogs were found and the owner could not be located. The owner was LOCATED and they decided to STEAL the puppy and sell AFTER they knew the owner was found. They STOLE his property and SOLD IT because they KNEW it was his and did so after the fact. This is no different then breaking in and taking his big screen tv and selling it on Craigslist. Theft is theft. (Oh and it doesn't matter what they sold it for it matters what its WORTH). These people are looking at some serious jail time over FIFTY DOLLARS all. Know what? I think they deserve everyday they get. Give them 2 years of weekend jail time and about 1000 hours of community service. They are pathetic and anyone who agrees with what they did is as well....
In my municipality Animal Control laws state that if you find a pet, you're obligated to either keep it for 72 hours or take it immediately to the local shelter. if you choose to hang onto the pet and the owner does not claim t or you cannot locate an owner after three days (72 hours) then it's yours.
We actually did have a case where something like that happened. Animal control kept getting calls from a citizen who said their neighbor had a dog, yellow lab puppy, five months, skinny, chained in the backyard with no food or water on the hottest and coldest days. Despite repeated citations, animal neglect fines, etc. the owner did not rectify the situation, so the neighbor who kept calling finally (though it was never proved) sneaked into the yard one night, stole the puppy, hid it in her basement for three days then tried to smuggle it out to a relative in another municipality.
The owner tried to file a lawsuit hen it was found out (saw the woman slipping the puppy in a crate in the backseat of her car to go to the relative's) and the owner caught her and accused her of stealing the dog, who, according to the papers, was a purebred AKC registered, pedigreed dog. she maintained that the dog had broken loose wandered into her yard, and she had kept the dog for the requisite three days.
She was allowed to keep the dog after the judge decided in her favor during the civil suit. The woman had taken the dog to the vet, documented the malnourishment, neglect, collar grown into the dog's neck, incredible flea infestation, mange, absence of license and vaccinations and any veterinarian care. Other neighbors also testified to seeing the dog (and had pictures) of it digging snow dens to try and keep warm in winter,lying in mud wallows after summer thunderstorms the padlock that locked the chain to the dog's collar (that's illegal in my municipality.) Today he's a happy, healthy gorgeous golden lab who's won a couple of local dog shows with this woman who rescued him.
No the same would be if someone's big screen tv was out wandering the neighborhood. They didn't break in to the owners house to steal the dog.
The woman that sold the pup should get fined for not giving the pup back, pay back the $50 and court costs and the neighbors should get a fine for letting them get loose and not having tags on them.
Many years ago we found a Siberian Husky, took it in, and listed it in a found ad. A woman claimed it was hers and we set a time for them to come over and see the dog. She arrived with her husband and they were having a big fight over the dog and left without claiming the dog. This dog did not have any house manners and likely just lived outdoors. We found a new home for him with with a friend's friend who owned a Siberian and knew/loved the breed.
A couple of days later, the original couple called to get their dog back. They even came with the police.
It was a stressful situation. I'm not a rule breaker. But I told the police that they couple had come to see the dog and left without claiming him. Then I did something that still causes me to feel shame. I lied that this other person came to see the dog (having seen the found ad), the dog seemed to know him, and he took the dog home. And 'no' I didn't have contact information.
I believe that the police recognized the fact that these people had walked away from the dog after seeing him several days previous to this. They didn't press me on my story of the owner who reclaimed the dog. I like to believe that they saw that the dog went to a home where it would be cherished, trained, and well cared for. I do believe that the couple were the owners as they lived in the neighborhood. I just couldn't let that dog go back to them after the arguing, the obvious lack of training (the dog clearly was an outside only dog), and how they walked away from him the first time they came over. I still feel guilty for my subterfuge. But it was the best thing for this dog. He needed to be with someone who was familiar with the breed and who was willing to put the time into training him so he could be a family dog instead of just being left out in a yard 24/7 by people who had to think about it for a few days before saying he was their dog and wanting to take him home.
I find it funny you all are blaming the owners and acting as id they did not give two @!$%#s about their dogs. I have 2 dogs, one who is stuck to my side like glue and another who is a bit more curious. NO ONE deserves to have their pet STOLEN. Why don't you get your facts straight "haterofstupid", they lost the dog, their neighbors found it, and instead of returning, decided to STEAL the dog and sell it on craigslists for PROFIT. WHAT @!$%#TY PEOPLE. HOPE THEY KNOW KARMA IS A BITCH.
Accidents happen, and pets get lost, yes ithsould have had a collar on, but it didn't, the point is not that they didnt leas or collar the dog, but that @!$%#s found it, stole it and sold it.
And Nav, before you call someone a "horrible dog owner" simply bc the dogs didnt have tags on, just remember there are a lot more terrible dog owners out there who abuse and neglect their animals, this was a mistake, not intentional. Finders Keepers wtf is your issue, that ia like saying, hey this kid just wandered up to my property, no id tag on it, no birth certificate attached to his clothing, and I see that their is a missing child but hey finders keepers. How old are you 5?! That is the stupidest @!$%#ing reasoning I have ever heard...finders keeps my ass!
Thanks KA, you did the right thing!
haterofstupid, yours is basically the best post I have read so far. I am going to keep my eye out for a nice 52" inch Flat Screen wandering around my neighborhood without a collar or tags on, my current TV is very old.
If the dogs had no tags they probably didn't have any rabies shots either. In my town any dog over 6 mos. has to have rabies tags.
Lauren Conklin Trim
Of course the woman selling the pup was wrong BUT, you are ignoring the fact that the owners broke the law too. You don't seem to care that these people had 2 puppies on the run. They should get a fine. Both parties were in the wrong, how is that not a fact? If you think the owners are so wonderful, let's change this headline to " Puppies get killed in road because owners didn't keep them in fence."
I think the article indicated the Rott was a "puppy." Might not have been six months. It doesn't say anything about tags.
Did the lady get her $50 bucks back?
On a side note.....don't tell your 5 year old the details of your crime. Kids can't keep secrets.
That may be the worst part of this. I had about $300 worth of fishing rods/reels stolen from me at a campground years ago. Only one family in the place other than us - 4 seemingly great kids, but I can guess they didn't turn out too well with such role models.
what ever happened to finder's-keeper - loser's-wheeper?
Sounds like another bunch of hideous "CAUCASIAN'S" acting up!!!Lying THIEVES.
WOW!! mshawaii, RACIST MUCH? In-fact, it is plainly obvious who the "hideous" person here is and that person goes by the SN: mshawaii808.
Bryan -
There is a lot of that in Hawaii. "Haole haters."
I actually think this is pretty funny. Good for the neighbor. But then I'm not a dog owner so not feeling much empathy there by nature.
I'd love to see someone start selling neighbors' dogs from their own yards rather than wait until they get out. Vicious / barking dog next door got you down? Sell it on Craigs list. "he's in my back yard. Just put the 5$ in the mailbox because I'll be at work then. You might have to tranquilize little poochie rottweiler before your take him because he has a tendency to maul little kids in the neighborhood." Problem solved.
No because if the dog bites someone the seller is liable. Call Animal Control instead--and keep calling until something gets done.
They say one of the signs of a sociopath is no feelings or affection for animals. Your comments back that up.
Great comment Mogul, although I doubt 5$ marge will comprehend!
Sorry mogul,
But I just finished my on-line sociopath course and it says that people who don't understand "distasteful jokes" are the real sociopaths.
MRZ:
The tone of her post didn't make ME think a distastefu joke....but I hope it was.
I didn't see anywhere in the article that the dogs had no tags. Can and should we assume they did not, simply by the phone call saying she didn't know what to do with the dogs? I don't think we can jump to that conclusion, especially because these people were deceitful all throughout.
First, she leaves a phone message about the dogs, and then she tells the police that one of them ran away in the meantime. The neighbor knocked on their door and they lied to him, and when their little boy told police what happened, they tried to lie about that as well.
If the dogs weren't wearing tags, that would not be smart and I hope the owners immediately put them on the dogs from this point forward. That being said, what these neighbors did was cruel and their actions unjustified. Once they knew who the dog belonged to, they should have returned it. If at that point they wanted to lecture their neighbors about the dangers of allowing their dogs to roam free without identification (if that is the case), they would have had every right to do so.
I am an old guy and have a dog. When you get older your kids are gone and your dog becomes your child. I never would have believed that but it is true. If they had done this with my dog they would have been calling the police to come and save them rather than have me turn them in.
If you believe a dog is a child, you are too lonely. Get on a dating website and get a life. Keep your dogs in your yard and you don't have to worry about having your "kid" sold on craigslist.
I'm with Ron Brock on this one 100%,
We treat our dogs as children that maybe some of us never had for whatever reason and why should we go to a dating website just because we have a love for dogs and animals in general and you think were lonely?
I'd rather spend time with my dogs than a lot of people these days and I now have another person that fits into that group with msnbc fan above, Just keep your comments to yourself next time as they are not worth much out here by the vote your getting and what you wrote stinks like what dogs put out there rears, learn some compassion please.
Funny how animals always give 110% of themselves were as people seem to more distant and cold and some even get off on the fact that they have messed with you by selling something of yours just because they don't like you or your pet.
I myself think the world needs more animal lovers as loving a real person is becoming harder and harder every day when people do the things they do, just read the news for a week and up your chances of a heart attack with what people are doing to one another or their own kids, friends etc.
Yeah I'll pick my dogs any day..
Dogs do become your "kids" when your adult kids move out on their own. You MSNBCFAN, you are a jerk!!! Who the hell do you think you are saying someone is too lonely, screw you!! I hope a stray dog comes in your yard and bites you on your unkind butt!!!!!
You are the reason I love my dogs more than people, people suck and you just proved it!!!!!
Ron Brock that is so true and dogs are the greatest! They are family memebers, they help children learn responsibility, they are great for therapy, they are even better for a hiking or a workout buddy. They protect, love, keep you company and never talk back! Best creatures around.
Many older people depend on them as companions and they are great for those people, also for kids that move out or go away to school, they have protection and companionship too while alone. They can't replace people, but they are very important in many peoples lives and most dogs are better than some people!
Can't knock them unless you had one as a family member.
I've owned dogs for the last 42 years. Great companions, burgler alarms, duck-fetchers and comic relief. Not a one has been my child, but all have been treasured members of my family.
My granddaughter is coming to visit in a few weeks - she regularly asks how Tawny (yellow lab) is and can't wait to visit with her.
MSNBCFAN....you are a pathetic excuse for a human being. People like you make me glad I live on acreage...and do not have douche-bag neighbors like half of the posters on this thread. I can't believe how many of you think this is funny.....had it been one of my four pups, I'd be the one in jail and my neighbor would be in the hospital. And, how warming it is to know that the neighbor had a child...scum is never infertile.
I imagine you would not let your two unlicensed untagged puppies roam around the neighborhood willy nilly either. Some people should just NOT own pets.
The asses that sold the puppy are just that. Asses.
Yes, thaaaaat's right, teach your child to be an awful person, too. I'm sure he wasn't getting enough examples of that already from you guys.
After seeing the headline I thought they were selling some annoying barker....That would have made more sense....
Ignorant owners usually make annoying barkers...
Who knew there were so many ways to break the law.
Another poorly written, hard to understand article from msnbc.
Yeah, I had to read it twice to get what actually happened.
September 21, 2012 first day of fall and still no cure for stupid!
I agree. I can't believe those stupid people let their dogs run loose!
Retired SFC 2541031
First off, thanks for your service.
Secondly, this year Fall starts 23 September, so the 2 Duffs fall in the Summer category for Stupid - we still have 37 hours left to fix stupid! LOL
Enjoy Life My Friend,
Retired USAF - Defensor Fortis
MSNBC FAN-3800574,
I also let my dogs run lose everyday and I have never had a problem with them causing any problems for anyone. I also have 5 acres of land for them to run but they love to go next door to visit the neighbors and I have excellent neighbors thankfully. I also let my neighbors use my little chunk of land for there kids riding mini bikes and whatever they need it for as its no big deal to me and I don't mind sharing what I have.
You seem to enjoy picking on everyone because there dogs run a little bit and the one dog in the story was a puppy that doesn't even know any better, you need to grow up and leave people alone until you've walked a mile in our shoes.
I am also disabled and if I had my dogs on a leach it could cause me a big problem so just bite your tongue for now or go buy a dog, you need something in your life as you seem quite lonely yourself. Plus your just a troll from what I'm seeing you write here.
Show some compassion it goes along way..
I have invisible fence so my dogs and cats can play outside to their hearts content!
@muddiemike...my friend hit a black lab on the road and sued the owner for the damage. Tore up the under carriage to the tune of $3,400 and the dog was killed.
Keep your dog in your yard and you won't have to worry about it.
awesome, i would like to sell my neighbors dog also, you just have to come by and pick him up yourself.
Despicable!
I agree. I cannot believe those losers let their dogs run loose!
Ms...I can't believe your mother ran loose and had you.
The chief of police gets involved in a lost dog case? How big is this town?
It's just a few thousand; I grew up in a town right next to it. It's an old mill town about an hour north of Pittsburgh.
I'm glad they got caught red handed, they knowingly deceived their neighbors efforts to find the puppy and sold property that didn't belong to them.
Was 50 bucks really worth it, they might have got that much as a reward!
Not being a dog owner, I don't have empathy for the dog owner, and I will sell someones dog from under neath them if that dog keeps barking all the time.
Nav.....pathetic, no reason for humans like you to be on this planet.
My neighbors have a rottweiler. It is a real nice dog,sweet and not intimidating.It also has a bark that sounds like it is miked.I want it dead
Very ignorant comment pained.... you should wish death on your neighbor for leaving the poor dog outside.
pained1 -- you sound like one of those hopeless A-HOLES who will do anything for any kind of attention. Doesn't matter if it's good attention or bad attention...just attention. I have a feeling you were probably neglected as a child and now you're an adult who behaves like a child. Frankly...if it were between you and the barking dog...I'd be rooting for the dog and wish you and people (I use that term loosely) like you would be dead!!! Learn about compassion and maybe communicate with your neighbor about the dog. Maybe you could learn about dogs as well --- THEY BARK ON OCCASION you NIT-WIT!!!
I have, but never will again get a dog off of Craigslist. Too many times people have surrendered dogs and lying about their behavior or temperment. At least at the humane society the animals are given a temperment test. More then once Ive gotten a rehomed dog that had aggression problems, skittish abuse problems, and yes even stolden dogs.
Give to the humane society and get yourself a suitable campanion.
Dog lover for sure...