Owners need to adopt their own dog after 5 days at shelter
After their Beagle pup ran away about two weeks ago, James and Angela McFarland were overjoyed to discover he was safe and sound at the Humane Society of Parkersburg, but that relief soon turned to frustration after humane society officials would not return the dog.
After their two little Beagle pups escaped their 200 acre farm, they looked everywhere. After only one returned home they were happy to see that the other one was on the list of the local humane society.
We contacted them, but even though he is registered and licensed to us, they won't give us back our dog," Angela told Wood County commissioners Monday.
"Their reasoning was he was there longer than five days, so he's now the humane society's property, so we'd have to go through the adoption process, pay all their fees and have him neutered before we could get him back. We'd have to be approved for adoption to get our own dog back," James said. "We have his AKC registration papers, descriptions and photos proving it's our dog and they have their licenses.
By code the county animal shelter is only required to keep a dog for five days before it can be euthanized. But now, after 10 days the McFarlands verified that Rolo is still listed on the humane society's Pet Finders website under the name "Snoopy."
The McFarlands are more than willing to reimburse the shelter for any costs incurred in caring for their dog while the humane society had him, but they had considered breeding the purebred dog, so they'd rather not have him neutered.
"I talked with Maryann Hollis, (the shelter director). She quoted code saying the dog is now property of the Wood County Dog Pound, so I asked if it was the county's dog. She said the owners needed to go through the adoption process," "It's not my decision, it's code. I can't violate our policy or state code. If the dog is not claimed within five days, the dog becomes the property of the county. We've had the dog for 10 days. They can apply to adopt him, but he cannot be adopted without being neutered,"
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Thats theft u have been looking for him they him they should release him as your property. you have his papers. How is it a wallet full of money has to be held for 30 days before you can claim ownership,but in only five days they can claim ownership of your pet! Its an outrage this policy needs to be changed! I would get a Lawyer and sue them.
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