The story about Rocko the beagle who was reunited with his owners after five years got me to thinking: Should a pet always be returned to the original owners?
Taking Responsibility
In Rocko’s case, the Naranjo family obviously still loved the dog –even though they’d only had him for two months before he’d disappeared and he’d been gone for five years. However, they were willing to fork out some bucks and time to get him back. First they had to fly to Georgia to pick him up, then they had to rent a car and drive (14 hours I might add) back to New York with him in tow.
They could just have easily said, “Hey, he’s not worth it. He hasn’t been our dog for five years. And how do you expect us to get him? We live in New York. Find him a new home.”
But they didn’t. They accepted responsibility for him like a good pet owner should.
Other Owners?
However, what about people who lose their dogs in a similar manner to the Naranjos? A hole wasn’t properly tended to. A loose latch wasn’t fixed. Out the backyard the dog escapes. Someone else finds him (or her). Thirty days passes. The pet now legally belongs to the new people.(When I found Tabby, I found out that in Tennessee you can claim a found pet as yours if no owner steps forward within 30 days to claim it.)
Let’s use Rocko as an example again. He was turned in to an animal control. (Right after Fourth of July, I might add. On July 5. He could’ve been one of the many dogs that broke loose, scared by all the holiday chaos.) There was a microchip. Success! Owners located.
But what about his Georgia owners? They never even got a chance to find and claim him. (I’m assuming he had owners because the vets at the animal control where he was turned in assumed someone had been caring for him. Other than being lost, he was healthy and in good shape.)
Who Does the Pet Belong to Really?
What if he’d had a collar and it had come off? What if he hasn’t been Rocko all these years, but some other name? What if he has another set of people who feel awful he’s gone and also want him back?
If he was so lucky, then he’d truly be lucky indeed. Because so many lost pets are lost souls. No one wants them, no one cares they’re gone, no one loves them.
And it’s not like the Georgia owners could say, “Hey! He’s ours. The Naranjos lost him so obviously they’re not capable of properly caring for him.” Because they did the same thing. (Lost him.)
I wonder how it would be settled if the Georgia owners came forward and said, “Hey, that Rocko is our dog!” Likely in a court of law, but how would the judge rule? I wonder if there’s ever been such a case?
Not that I hope Rocko and his people ever have to deal with that. Or myself for that matter. Or any of you. Here’s to keeping our pets happily sequestered in the safety of their homes forever and ever. Amen!
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