Did I commit theft?

[vera445]

What is the name of your state?OH
Here's my situation:A dog was running loose in the neighborhood, my son recognized it as the dog of a neighbor whose house was being foreclosed upon. They had moved their belongings the day before. I took the dog in and was going to turn it over to the Humane Society the next day, (it was closed at this time), it appeared to me the dog was abandoned. Well the next day the lady returned and came to my house, I turned over the dog (which was in very poor condition, very anorexic) and suggested she take better care of her pets in her new home. She did not like my comment and contacted the police and told them I stole her dog and that I wouldn't give it back. (she had hidden it in her house, she came to get other belongings she forgot) The police insisted I had the dog and were going to arrrest me, they eventually went to her and discovered she had it. She accused me of having the leash and dishes, which I did not. The police stated that since she had the dog back I wouldn't be charged with theft and that as far as they were concerned the situation was resolved. This woman has extreme anger issues (as evidenced by her constantly screaming at her children) she began to make threatening hand gestures to me behind the officers' backs. My question is this, I took in what I thought was a stray dog, willingly gave it back to the owner, and the police said the situation is resolved, she is a very unhappy/vendictive woman, can she still press charges on me for taking in her dog? I wasn't aware that I was doing anything wrong. Thanks.

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state?OH
Here's my situation:A dog was running loose in the neighborhood, my son recognized it as the dog of a neighbor whose house was being foreclosed upon. They had moved their belongings the day before. I took the dog in and was going to turn it over to the Humane Society the next day, (it was closed at this time), it appeared to me the dog was abandoned. Well the next day the lady returned and came to my house, I turned over the dog (which was in very poor condition, very anorexic) and suggested she take better care of her pets in her new home. She did not like my comment and contacted the police and told them I stole her dog and that I wouldn't give it back. (she had hidden it in her house, she came to get other belongings she forgot) The police insisted I had the dog and were going to arrrest me, they eventually went to her and discovered she had it. She accused me of having the leash and dishes, which I did not. The police stated that since she had the dog back I wouldn't be charged with theft and that as far as they were concerned the situation was resolved. This woman has extreme anger issues (as evidenced by her constantly screaming at her children) she began to make threatening hand gestures to me behind the officers' backs. My question is this, I took in what I thought was a stray dog, willingly gave it back to the owner, and the police said the situation is resolved, she is a very unhappy/vendictive woman, can she still press charges on me for taking in her dog? I wasn't aware that I was doing anything wrong. Thanks.

**A: there is much more to this story but dog gone it, I've heard enough already.

 

[vera445]

No there isn't anything else to the story. That is what happened. This is just a very unhappy woman.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

This is just a very unhappy woman.

My response:

Well, of course she's unhappy. She voted for Bush - - which is the reason, ultimately, why she lost her home. No job, no savings, only debt. What a great President! (what an ass-hole)

IAAL

 

[vera445]

I would have to agree,you are an intelligent person, she must have voted for Bush. But seriously, she is just a nasty woman with 4 children which she allows to run wild in a very nice subdivision, and when other neighbors have asked her politely to watch her children she became hostile. We (neighbors) have come to the conclusion that although her house is foreclosed upon our property value has gone up despite the house being empty. I honestly thought I was taking in an abandoned neglected animal which the humane society said they would take for a fee, which I was going to pay out of my own pocket. When I saw that they returned to remove forgotten belongings I let her know that I had the dog, and I get accused of theft and get the humiliation of having the police at my house threatening to arrest me in front of my children for theft.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

I would have to agree,you are an intelligent person, she must have voted for Bush. But seriously, she is just a nasty woman with 4 children which she allows to run wild in a very nice subdivision, and when other neighbors have asked her politely to watch her children she became hostile. We (neighbors) have come to the conclusion that although her house is foreclosed upon our property value has gone up despite the house being empty. I honestly thought I was taking in an abandoned neglected animal which the humane society said they would take for a fee, which I was going to pay out of my own pocket. When I saw that they returned to remove forgotten belongings I let her know that I had the dog, and I get accused of theft and get the humiliation of having the police at my house threatening to arrest me in front of my children for theft.

My response:

It's over. Just be thankful that she and her spawn are moving back to the trailer park from which they came.

IAAL