Post by Brooke on Mar 28, 2004 22:53:47 GMT -5
Saturday, March 27, 2004
Family loses puppy, which is found but adopted by another family
By Adam Dolge
Staff Intern
The family of a puppy that was lost is pleading for her return.
But the pup's adoptive family apparently wants to keep her.
Melissa Ubner of Burlington Flats said she let Samantha, a yellow Labrador puppy, out when earlier this month, but the dog didn't return. Ubner said she and her three children miss Samantha.
"She was a surprise," Ubner said. "We got her Christmas morning, and the kids and I just love her."
In searching for the puppy, Ubner said, she tried contacting the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the dog warden. She placed ads in the Pennysaver and contacted a lawyer about Advertisement
legal options after she found out the dog had been adopted by another family.
The puppy, wearing a purple collar, was found and given to a local dog control officer, who refused this week to provide information about the case.
Samantha was turned over to the Pittsfield Veterinarian Clinic, which serves Burlington Flats. State law requires lost dogs to be held five days in clinics before they are put up for adoption or euthanized.
Dr. Lisa Johnson of the Pittsfield Veterinarian Clinic said the puppy was held for seven nights, and at the end of the eighth day, the puppy was adopted.
"It's unfortunate that I can't do anything to get the owner her dog back," Johnson said. "But the dog is placed in another home — it's not dead, it's not along a roadway somewhere, it didn't get attacked by coyotes — it's safe and alive in a new home.
"Legally there is nothing (Ubner) can do to get their puppy back," Johnson said.
Johnson said she has been in touch with the new owners, who she would not identify, and explained to them about Samantha. The adoptive family said they are happy with their addition.
The clinic had checked Samantha for a dog license, but the puppy had yet to be licensed. Ubner said she thought they had more time to get Samantha a license.
According to state law, every dog, regardless of age, owned or kept in New York state for longer than 30 days must be licensed in the town, city or village where the dog is being harbored. An exception is if the dog is younger than 4 months old and not running-at-large, according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets website.
Ubner said Samantha usually came right back home after being let out. Ubner said she has been in touch with Johnson, who told her she is doing everything in her power to tell the new owners to "do the right thing."
Johnson said the situation could have been avoided if the dog had had a microchip. A dog can be traced through a microchip, which injected into the animal, she said.
"We did track a dog back to the owner that had been lost for a month using microchipping. The dog was picked up, and we ran the scanner. After it beeped with the number, we called the number and received information showing the owner's residence in California," Johnson said. "He also had residence in Hartwick; he responded with in a half an hour and reclaimed his dog."
Liz Mackey of the Susquehanna SPCA also encouraged microchipping pets. Mackey said she feels sad for the Ubner family, but the law is the law.
"There is no way anyone can be that attached to a new dog after only a day or two," Mackey said. "It just takes one time for a dog to run away, you can't just let them out the door and think they'll stay on the property."
Family loses puppy, which is found but adopted by another family
By Adam Dolge
Staff Intern
The family of a puppy that was lost is pleading for her return.
But the pup's adoptive family apparently wants to keep her.
Melissa Ubner of Burlington Flats said she let Samantha, a yellow Labrador puppy, out when earlier this month, but the dog didn't return. Ubner said she and her three children miss Samantha.
"She was a surprise," Ubner said. "We got her Christmas morning, and the kids and I just love her."
In searching for the puppy, Ubner said, she tried contacting the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the dog warden. She placed ads in the Pennysaver and contacted a lawyer about Advertisement
legal options after she found out the dog had been adopted by another family.
The puppy, wearing a purple collar, was found and given to a local dog control officer, who refused this week to provide information about the case.
Samantha was turned over to the Pittsfield Veterinarian Clinic, which serves Burlington Flats. State law requires lost dogs to be held five days in clinics before they are put up for adoption or euthanized.
Dr. Lisa Johnson of the Pittsfield Veterinarian Clinic said the puppy was held for seven nights, and at the end of the eighth day, the puppy was adopted.
"It's unfortunate that I can't do anything to get the owner her dog back," Johnson said. "But the dog is placed in another home — it's not dead, it's not along a roadway somewhere, it didn't get attacked by coyotes — it's safe and alive in a new home.
"Legally there is nothing (Ubner) can do to get their puppy back," Johnson said.
Johnson said she has been in touch with the new owners, who she would not identify, and explained to them about Samantha. The adoptive family said they are happy with their addition.
The clinic had checked Samantha for a dog license, but the puppy had yet to be licensed. Ubner said she thought they had more time to get Samantha a license.
According to state law, every dog, regardless of age, owned or kept in New York state for longer than 30 days must be licensed in the town, city or village where the dog is being harbored. An exception is if the dog is younger than 4 months old and not running-at-large, according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets website.
Ubner said Samantha usually came right back home after being let out. Ubner said she has been in touch with Johnson, who told her she is doing everything in her power to tell the new owners to "do the right thing."
Johnson said the situation could have been avoided if the dog had had a microchip. A dog can be traced through a microchip, which injected into the animal, she said.
"We did track a dog back to the owner that had been lost for a month using microchipping. The dog was picked up, and we ran the scanner. After it beeped with the number, we called the number and received information showing the owner's residence in California," Johnson said. "He also had residence in Hartwick; he responded with in a half an hour and reclaimed his dog."
Liz Mackey of the Susquehanna SPCA also encouraged microchipping pets. Mackey said she feels sad for the Ubner family, but the law is the law.
"There is no way anyone can be that attached to a new dog after only a day or two," Mackey said. "It just takes one time for a dog to run away, you can't just let them out the door and think they'll stay on the property."