The loss of a pet becomes a real tragedy for the whole family. Frightened on a walk and ran away, the dog may be many kilometers from home until his stress subsides. Often, the dog is no longer able to go back, and the owners are forced to start searching. In most cases, if the dog cannot be found in the first days, strangers take the fugitive to them. Despite the claimed rights to a lost animal, not all people who have sheltered a dog want to give it to its real owner. In this case, the law protects the rights of the owner, and the dog has every chance to return to his home.
It is necessary
documents for a dog: pedigree or puppy, puppy purchase agreement
Instructions
Step 1
Organize a search for your missing dog. Bring the maximum number of people to help: your friends, acquaintances, neighbors and just passers-by. In the first hours after the loss, inspect the neighborhoods adjacent to the house, park areas and places for ordinary dog walking.
Step 2
Make a list of the animal's distinguishing features right away. When asking others, you should not name the breed of a dog if it does not belong to the most common. So, asking a passerby about a leonberger running past, you obviously won't get the answer you need. In this case, it is better to describe the color of the dog, indicate its approximate height from the ground, the type of coat (smooth-haired or long-haired).
Step 3
If the search is not successful "hot on the trail", submit an ad about the missing dog in all major newspapers in the city. It is advisable to contact local television and order an on-air ad line. Here you will need complete information about the animal: name, breed, brand (if any) and always a photo.
Step 4
For the first three days after losing your dog, contact your local police department and file a missing pet report. Be sure to insist on registering the application. This will help you further defend your ownership rights to your lost dog.
Step 5
If, as a result of searches, you find your pet among strangers, demand the return of your dog. In accordance with Article 230 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation N 51-FZ, a neglected animal must be returned to the owner. A person who has found a lost animal must voluntarily return it to the owner and, first of all, inform the police about the animal that has taken refuge.
Step 6
If you receive a refusal from the finder of the person to voluntarily transfer the dog to the rightful owner, go to court to protect your rights. To defend your property, which is a dog, provide the court with evidence of legal possession. This can be a contract for the purchase and sale of a dog between you and the breeder of the puppy, as well as a pedigree or puppy card for the dog.
Step 7
In addition to providing these documents, ask the court to hear witnesses on your side who knew you and your dog well. Also, the court may take into account the dog's affection shown to the real owner. The sum of all the evidence presented will help the court to rule in your favor, and the dog will return to his home.
