elderly couple want dog back?

Instead of giving the dog back, why don't you arrange to take him for regular visits with the elderly couple so they can connect some. Once they get used to this, they would probably quite welcome someone else being responsible for the day to day maintenance of their beloved pet!

If they don't want to do this I suggest you getting their family or their doctor or someone else with authority with them, to speak to them about their not being able to give the dog the care it deserves, and how it is better that it find a new home away from them.

Good luck.

I don't buy it. Give their dog back. Someone GAVE AWAY **THEIR** DOG. It was not his right to do so. How dare someone give away an elderyl couples dog, instead of rallying around the dog and either temporarily fostering it or bringing food and water to it. How do you know the dog hasn't been out for a walk in a month? How do you know where she lives? How do you know her nurse? I think there is more to this story then you're letting on. They live in an UPSTAIRS apartment on the "2nd floor" but yet they put the dog in a 10x10 backyard? They even have a backyard??!?! Something isn't right.

Is this an elderly dog that has been with it's family the whole time? Someone took the dog and gave away something that did not belong to him. Since they've had the dog so long I would say it is a good chance that they do have medical records to prove they had the dog.

Sorry, but maybe them being in the hospital and really sick and not having anyone to help them can excuse the dog not having a bath. You paint her out as a scenile woman who calls you when she thinks about it. I wonder if she's elderly and sick and wants HER dog back. How does she have a backyard that she keeps the dog in yet live on the 2nd floor of an apartment? Huh?

When a person loses their mental faculties, they really do need others to make decisions for them.

When my MIL began forgetting to put the car in gear when parking (she ran over the toe of my shoe 2 separate times, & when I got out of the car where she was staying to wait & I shut the door---the car began rolling backwards), I mentioned this to another family member who told me he'd seen her make a L-turn in the middle of a 4-lane street right in front of an oncoming car (the driver of which had to veer suddenly to avoid hitting her), I decided to report these things to DMV. She had no idea that she had become a dangerous driver, and blamed me for a year for losing her license, claiming that she'd never had so much as a ticket. I would simply reply that she would have had several if police had witnessed her driving, and told her what her son had seen & described to me (her L-turn) and that she could have killed herself & those in the other car. She was always genuinely surprised, and after that would say nothing . . . at least until the next visit.

In other words, when she brings up this subject, if you could gently remind her of the reasons why they gave you the dog to begin with, and tell her just how your family feels about the dog now, and perhaps add that if they were to take the dog back & end up in the hospital again, you might not be able to take the dog in again . . . maybe they would be more willing to let the dog stay with you. I think they are just forgetting the trouble they have been having, and their feelings are the only thing they have by which to make their decisions on. They may also forget any agreement they make, like they already have, so will need to be reminded. . . To that end I suggest writing sending them a very nice Thank-You card, telling them how thankful your family is to have the dog, and describing the life he has now with you, and the things he does that you love him for. Show them that you love him as much as they do. Send pictures of him with various family members. This can serve as a reminder, as well as an assurance that he is happy where he is now . . . Could they visit to see him in his new home? If the situation suggests it, that might be very comforting for them.

It's very sad when this kind of thing happens! Are there any volunteers in their area to help with the elderly? If there are, perhaps you could alert them to this couple in need. Pet therapy is wonderful, and many retirement homes have resident or regularly visiting pets, for their residents. You might want to try taking the dog over to visit them regularly, to see if that could work out OK . . . if you want to allow the couple to see their beloved pooch. That might be good for them, IF they can accept that he is no longer theirs to keep. Otherwise, it might upset them further. They are all alone, and probably confused as well.

Also, check with animal control about the length of time the dog has been in your possession, and the fact that you were given the dog to begin with, explaining the situation to them in its entirety.

Regarding the phone . . . You can either change your number, get a system so you can see the number of the caller, & not pick up her calls, or, actually block their number from calling yours.

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Just refuse to give the dog back. I know this sounds really harsh, but in order for the elderly couple to LEGALLY get the dog back, they will have to take this matter to civil court, and frankly...I don't think they have the mental faculties or resources to do so. Even if they did...you have enough people who will testify to the conditions the dog would be subjected to if given back (as well as medical documentation of their feeble condition, if necessary). The poor dog is probably more stressed out than anyone. At some point...it HAS to be about the dog's welfare.

Keep the dog. If they are as you say they will forget about him. If you can get someone from an agency like ASPCA to go to their home and explain to them why it isn't good there for the dog, it may work for you. The phone calling is harassment, and can be dealt with accordingly. You need the neighbor to verify that they said you could have the dog. Good Luck.

do not forget that the dog has feelings too, and all this back and forthing isn't good for him both physically and emotionally.

you need to keep the dog, and don't even contemplate giving him back, its a sure sign that they are losing it if they cannot remember the conversation before they went into the hospital that they are unable to care for the dog. also not to mention that the dog is not receiving the care he both needs and deserves. compare the dog to a child, as they both have feelings and cannot tell you how they feel or what they want. you would have never left a child in their care, neither would you have given the child back after seeing their deteriorated condition. keep the dog with you, let him know that this is his home, he will become confused and may start to pine as a result.

Don't give the dog back. Next time she calls you could answer and pretend you're a different person. You don't have a dog. ? They aren't making good decisions. If they were thinking of the dogs welfare they wouldn't ask for it back. Unfortunately they have no family to help them make better decisions.

In this instance, the dog has more rights then they do.

Keep the dog, and say that you don't know what they are talking about. NO competent person would dare to get involved with this issue to resolve it in their favor and in three more months they wouldn't remember the dog anyway.

When the old couple calls, give them the number of the neighbor that gave yous up "saying they have the dog" Paybacks are a b*tch.

Animals have rights too-if the owners are not able to properly care for an animal then it will be taken away. It's against the law to keep an animal and not care for it properly. That couple can't even care for themselves. The dog deserves much more than that horrible treatment.

Why don't you tell them you will visit them every other day or so, with the dog, so that they can see the dog. Win/win for everyone!