# Encounter with our guy's prior owners!



## megbot (Aug 3, 2009)

We adopted Wrinkles at the beginning of August from the city animal control. They seized him from his prior owners in May for tying him up outside and not feeding him. We got him, he was scheduled to be PTS in 11 days, he was skin and bones, and has a lame paw, reportedly from a neck injury when he was younger. His teeth were very bad as well.

My SO Brian was walking Wrinkles the other day, and a van pulled up and parked. Not unusual, we live in a city. Then 4 kids jumped out and ran at him say "look its Wrinkles!! WRINKLES!" And Wrinkles started to whimper and whine and wag his tail. Brian didn't know what was going on, so he asked the kids to not come close, he didn't want them to scare his dog. They didn't stop, then he heard the lady driving say something like "Look kids, Wrinkles has a new owner now." Then it clicked in his head. He pulled Wrinkles back and told them to not touch him, he's anxious and might bite (note: Wrinkles wouldn't bite anything, not even a chew toy). 

The lady called the kids back saying that its ok, Wrinkles has a new family now, then they left. Brian was extremely pissed, and Wrinkles was an anxious mess. He whined for like 30 minutes when he got home, and paced. I'm irritated myself, I have so much I would have wanted to say to those people, and they had the nerve to just let their kids run at the dog they tortured and left to be euthanized. I sincerely hope they don't storm me when I'm out with him.

Argh. Needed to rant.


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

just a weird little question..

do you really think it was the kids that were responsible for his previous situation or the adults?


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## harrise (Jan 9, 2008)

I missed the part where the kids were blamed. ¿? 

That would have pissed me off to no end. A long time ago I did have a lady pull off a busy road screaming "that's my dog! You have my dog!!!" It wasn't her dog and I got very aggressive towards her. Finally the husband dragged her away and apologized. But to have the previous owners come up like that, would not have turned out so well for me.


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

Just goes to show that even if you mistreat your dog they can still bond with you.

I can imagine it was upsetting...I do feel bad for the kids and for Wrinkles though...it was probably very confusing for them all.


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## loganbean (Dec 3, 2008)

My dog was a rescue and once my hubby got his prior medical records from the rescue (after several weeks and phone calls) he called the prior owners (a no-no we now know). The couple that got him from the puppy mill gave Logan to the groomer, then the groomer gave Logan to her boyfriend, boyfriend gave Logan to rescue. 
Hubby called them all to get info on Logan.
The couple was all suprised to hear from him. They had given Logan to the groomer and assumed he stayed with her on her farm. They were " very disturbed" that she gave him up (pot, meet kettle) and told him "tell us where you live. We will come get him RIGHT NOW!"
Ah- NO YOU DON'T!
The groomer had told us that Logan was locked inside the couple's garage all day, in a crate, and never got out to exercise. She said that she felt sorry for Logan and wanted him to come live with her and her animals at her farm.
When we got Logan he was afraid of other dogs, afraid of walking on tile, he was very food obsessive (still is) and wanted to lay in his crate all day. These people wanted him back?
That's the funny thing. People who abuse or neglect their dog don't think that they are doing anything wrong.


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## megbot (Aug 3, 2009)

zimandtakandgrrandmimi said:


> just a weird little question..
> 
> do you really think it was the kids that were responsible for his previous situation or the adults?


no absolutely not. The parents, without a doubt. The parents shouldn't have pulled over and let the kids run out at the dog in the first place. What if it wasn't their dog and they got bit? Very, very irresponsible parents. Plus, the kids are getting taught that it's ok to abuse a dog and just give it away. It'll be fine. Sigh.

Logan: I would have flipped out had they asked Brian for Wrinkles back. Flipped. I suspect you handled that situation better than we would have.


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## loganbean (Dec 3, 2008)

The way I look at it Meg, you and I both have dogs that came from less than desirable homes. We are lucky that these owners don't have the dogs anymore to neglect or abuse. 
They are OUR dogs and the people in the past just don't matter. I believe that dogs live in the moment and it is our job to make sure that they get the best lives possible.
Trust me, I was worried for a little while that they would track us down and try to take Logan. But he is never unattended (meaning left outside by himself- ever). But then I think if they didn't bother to research the breed, failed to exercise him, gave him away and then never wanted to visit him- HOW much could they have wanted that dog? Not much I suspect.
Just curious: why didn't you change Wrinkles name? From what I have read this is suggested when they was abuse in the past. We didn't change Logan's name (previously Webster) because the rescue group already did and he didn't have any negative association with it.
You may want to change it. If you had changed his name the kids wouldn't have been able to call him like that. Just a thought.


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## megbot (Aug 3, 2009)

At first I wanted to change it, but my SO fell in love with his name. His forehead is very wrinkley. He knows his name well now, and so far as the abuse goes, he's pretty good.. He gets anxious when left alone, and doesn't like the words 'bad dog' but otherwise, he's a happy puppy. 

I'll talk with Brian as to whether or not he'd consider changing his name. One positive thing is that we're moving in January, the loser prior family won't find us anymore.


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## Jen D (Apr 23, 2007)

I am so glad that you are moving, I don't know how I would of handled that incident. Wrinkles is one lucky dog to have you!


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Well, I'm certainly happy now that Smalls has no previous owners to speak of (stray at 5 weeks old) and Jack and Jonas came from hours and hours away. No chance encounters! Jack was microchipped when we adopted him (good job on the shelter not informing us/checking that out) but the previous owners were quite annoyed when our vet called to make sure and made it clear they did not want him. Jonas came with his AKC papers, and when I contacted the breeder she was horrified that I found him in a horrible condition in a shelter here.


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## megbot (Aug 3, 2009)

ThoseWordsAtBest said:


> Well, I'm certainly happy now that Smalls has no previous owners to speak of (stray at 5 weeks old) and Jack and Jonas came from hours and hours away. No chance encounters! Jack was microchipped when we adopted him (good job on the shelter not informing us/checking that out) but the previous owners were quite annoyed when our vet called to make sure and made it clear they did not want him. Jonas came with his AKC papers, and when I contacted the breeder she was horrified that I found him in a horrible condition in a shelter here.


whoa. Was the vet able to reregister the microchip in your name? That'd freak me out. I feel like bringing Wrinkles in to be checked! Though I had him microchipped too. Maybe he's got two? Cyborg dog!


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

megbot said:


> whoa. Was the vet able to reregister the microchip in your name? That'd freak me out. I feel like bringing Wrinkles in to be checked! Though I had him microchipped too. Maybe he's got two? Cyborg dog!


Thankfully, yes. He told me normally you need a signature from the previous owners, but since they were not so thrilled about the call, they just changed it for me. The minute he found a chip, though, I immediately thought the shelter messed up and he had a an owner out there that didn't find him because he was originally in AC in Indiana and pulled to Michigan. Glad I didn't have to return my Jack!


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## nikelodeon79 (Feb 3, 2009)

I'm always paranoid with Apollo because he was a stray... and a rather nice looking Rottie so I'm afraid someone will run up and say, "That's MY dog!" 

We've often wondered if we somehow ended up with someone's show puppy... or perhaps cast off show puppy... but in that case he wouldn't be of much use to them anymore because he's now missing some very important... er... parts.


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

A story about a past owner that will cheer you up:

Before Alvin and Clifford, my family had an Aussie mix we found as a stray. He spent five days at the county shelter, waiting for his owner. When the hold period was up and he was released to the public we adopted him, brought him home, and named him Beauregard (Beau) because he was so handsome. Not even a full day after, we got a call from the shelter. The owner was there, frantically looking for the dog, which had escaped from the friends he'd left it with when he was out of town. We made arrangements for him to come and pick up his dog.

He brought a McDonald's cheeseburger for both our own dog and "his" dog that we'd just adopted. He told us that the dog's name was actually Brutus and that he wanted us to keep it. He'd been using it as a watch dog at his repair shop, but he couldn't bring it home at night and he wanted it to have a better deal, which he could see it would at our house.

He moved away, but for several years afterwards he would drop by our house with cheeseburgers for both dogs every time he was in town.


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## USA (Sep 18, 2009)

I just read the posts on this thread & I too have a rescue. I squirmed when I read how the prior owner's of Wrinkles jumped out at you! I do know that Sassie's prior owner gave her to the Denver Dumb Friend's League. They told me "She said that "Venus" (yuch!) gets along with kids and all other animal's, but they are relenquishing her because she didn't get along with another dog??" Contradiction here! They "promised" she had no medical problems...I can only hold my breath here. Vet said that she seemed healthy but that her little knees "were really loose but ok because she's young-but may need surgery later??" That scares me! I have learned some do because of mixed breeding?? Read it online. (By the way-she NEVER answered to "Venus" EVER! LOL! She responses instantly to Sassie! She knows who loves her!) She is either Yorkie/Bichon or Yorkie/Maltese and is now 10.5 lbs. She was a mess when I first saw her, having been at the Dumb Friend's Leaque for 5 days they said. She was soooo horribly matted and you could see her spine protruding pretty bad as well as her ribs! And she had wet herself when they took her out to meet me. Poor thing! Yet, in spite of all she went through she continues to have the greatest personality and full of love to me! Sigh! I have been blessed! She has definitly gained weight with me (very quickly) and friends said that she actually looked a little "fat and sassy" LOL! She is just right now after the last couple of months with me and to say the least she is living the life of Riley as I do everything around her now...I have no life-no time-just Sassie! LOL! Only kidding! My choice and I do it with love!! But I was so sad to read these postings here and it would be a cold day in H__ll that ANYONE would get my little baby back!! I fear she may have been used as a breeder in her condition that she was in and will never know. She was also spayed and microchipped immediately from the Dumb Friend's Leaque. I hope "The prior owner's" didn't chip her-I too want to check now...By the way, the rescue named "Dumb Friend's Leaque" always killed me...Dumb friends?? Ha! This would be a BEAUTIFUL WORLD if human's acted more like those dumb friend's!! Thank you all for your words, I get lots and lots of info here at Dog Forum. Info really needed for a new mom for a pup...as well as wonderful stories and photo's!! Thank you all! We newbies REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU AND ALL THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR YOUR PUP's!! Kisses from Sassie.


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## megbot (Aug 3, 2009)

That's great what you did for Sassie! I'm sure all of us can relate to getting our new loved one in poor condition. Wrinkles too had his spine protruding. He's since gained 15 lbs, is at a health 55 lbs, but is still very lean. You can't imagine what he looked like three months ago. 

I'm not much a fan of the 'Dumb Friends' name of the rescue either. What an inappropriate name. I guess someone thought they were being creative.


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## USA (Sep 18, 2009)

Hi Megbot;
And thank you for taking Wrinkles and loving him! Yes I do know the difference of caring homes-carefully chosen good food and lots and lots of love can do to an animal in such a short period of time-witnessing this as well in the last 2 1/2 months. As I write this, Sassie is next to me, happily chewing on her bone..Can you tell me how to post photo's on here? I have them on CD disc and when I go to post them my computer stops it saying it won't add it as it must leave an active link to my computer. I don't want that but I don't know or want to use "photobucket". Isn't there a way to post photo's without exposing my computer to the world? Thanks for any info. DT


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## megbot (Aug 3, 2009)

probably just copy the photos from the CD to your computer, then upload them from there.


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## BooLette (Jul 11, 2009)

Not to be a thread hijacker, but I love the Dumb Friends League. Aside from their name they do a lot to help animals around here... 

Megbot: I would not have been able to contain myself if I were your SO... how DARE that woman pull over and let those kids run over to a dog that she had abused?!?!? Didn't they do enough to him without further confusing him by letting him see those kids again?
I'm sorry, but I would be severely agitated.


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## USA (Sep 18, 2009)

BooLette said:


> Wrote:
> Not to be a thread hijacker, but I love the Dumb Friends League. Aside from their name they do a lot to help animals around here...
> 
> OMG I totally agree! Please, I didn't mean it that way, I just don't like the name is all. I think they are great! It's a very very tough job that they do and they all seemed to love the animals. I have read things online that were not very flattering to them, but I disagree. I truly believe they love the animals! I am grateful that they ARE there to take them in and feed and love them until they do find forever homes! Sometimes you can write something and it comes out wrong.... And I also agree with you re: the prior owner's showed up...I could NOT be so polite either! Nobody ever had better show up for Sassie..they did give relinquish her and the sorry shape she was in=awful! I am proud to say that she is getting very spoiled and seems quite happy and settling in fine to her new forever home. She does not look like the same pup that I picked up there! She also never lost (thank goodness!) her wonderful loving personality-no matter what happened to her before. Awwwhhh..I just got some kisses from her! LOL!


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## megbot (Aug 3, 2009)

I can say they're very lucky it was Brian and not me they ran into. He's a much nicer, patient person. There would have been hell raised if it were me out there. Thankfully, Wrinkles is a spectacular companion and we couldn't be happier with him. He's energetic and strong and has gained 15 lbs. Yeah, a whole 15 lbs, and he's still on the lean side. The vet couldn't believe how much he gained. You can't imagine what condition he was in.


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## delee39 (Nov 30, 2009)

megbot said:


> no absolutely not. The parents, without a doubt. The parents shouldn't have pulled over and let the kids run out at the dog in the first place. What if it wasn't their dog and they got bit? Very, very irresponsible parents. Plus, the kids are getting taught that it's ok to abuse a dog and just give it away. It'll be fine. Sigh.
> 
> Logan: I would have flipped out had they asked Brian for Wrinkles back. Flipped. I suspect you handled that situation better than we would have.


...from his previous condition and living environment...I am unsure you should have expected anything more from these people.
I agree with you...but stupid is as stupid does. 

Me being who I am, I would have taken the opportunity to educate the kids about their dogs previous conditions...and likely had their mom all red faced and huffing by the time I was done.


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## CerbiesMom (Jan 30, 2008)

If the previous owners of either of my boys came up to me saying i had their dog, they'd be punched in the face immediately. My boys were so neglected and abused, both outdoor dogs, one chained and burned, the other beaten. But, i'm sure neither of them even thinks of them anymore. 
If my little girls first owners could see her now, I think they'd want her back. They were good ppl, they were just elderly, and forgot how hyper puppies are, and they didn't want to send her back to the breeder to sit in a cage.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

CerbiesMom said:


> If the previous owners of either of my boys came up to me saying i had their dog, they'd be punched in the face immediately. My boys were so neglected and abused, both outdoor dogs, one chained and burned, the other beaten. But, i'm sure neither of them even thinks of them anymore.
> If my little girls first owners could see her now, I think they'd want her back. They were good ppl, they were just elderly, and forgot how hyper puppies are, and they didn't want to send her back to the breeder to sit in a cage.


I would have a REALLY hard time with meeting any of my dogs previous owners. Magpie was in such bad shape and showed it, physically and mentally, and dumped by her first and second owners. Smalls was found as a stray at 5 weeks. Jonas was kept in a kennel with no human contact, except for breeding. Jack was physically abused. I don't know if I would have the strength to control myself if one of those a-holes came to me and said "Hey, that used to be my dog!"


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## pupnamedkarma (Dec 7, 2009)

These are such incredible stories. I can't even imagine if I ran into the previous owners of Karma. My SO and I just adopted her sort of. A woman begged my aunt to take the dog with her because her boyfriend abused the dog and she needed to get rid of Karma. My aunt was going to try to put her into a rescue because she couldn't keep her as she travels for work. My SO and I had actually just started to look into adopting a dog. It worked out well for everyone.

My question is why she wanted to get rid of the dog instead of that loser boyfriend? 
Oh well we now have a sweet pup who seems happy to be in a calm and loving house.


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## beccahacom (Dec 9, 2009)

I just rescued my girl domino about 4 weeks ago the shelter had named her mace and she had been there for about a month but she wasn't even reacting ot the name so we renamed her and we called her domino the first itme she perked up as if to agree yes i liek that name. 
She has gained quite some weight since I got her which is actually because she is surprisingly pregnant. The first vet I took her to told me she was spayed turns out she isn't... 
so i will have rescue puppies soon, too late to abort. 
BUt i still love my domino and she gets along with our other dog.


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## ColoradoSooner (Mar 26, 2009)

That would completely freak me out...especially Ranger's first owner, who is serving a life sentence for murdering another woman.  For awhile I was honestly paranoid about posting his picture on forums like this because I had this fear she would break out of jail, track us down and try to get Ranger back. (Um, yes, I obviously have an overactive imagination.)

And Mayzie's previous owners - like others mentioned, I'd probably punch them in the face for how they treated her. Although part of me would love for them to see what a difference love and (gasp!) FOOD can make for a dog.


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## beccahacom (Dec 9, 2009)

ColoradoSooner said:


> difference FOOD can make for a dog.


hihi who would have thunk that dogs should be fed. my rescue will be too skinny once she has the puppies, but right now she eats how she please, since i can't force her esp since she is due at any point. but if i ever met her owner oh i would be pissed furious....


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

I only had one incident with a past owner. I was contacted by the local police (someone I knew) about a Rottie that was seized from a drug house. The dog was badly beaten, and likely used as bait for dog fight training. She had been hung and had some fractures. Her head was swollen up and they didn't know if it would make it. I took the dog, got her the medical attention she needed. The man was tossed in jail for drug charges. A while after, I was reading the classifieds and there was an add about that dog. The owner wanted the dog back and was looking for whoever took the dog from the shelter it had been dropped off at. AS IF!!! There was no way in hell she was going back to that person. I was shocked and horrified. I told the police and they said they would take care of it. The way it was written seemed threatening. I didn't take that do out in public for awhile until she was healed and had put on a lot of weight. By the time she went out, she looked like a different dog and of course what I named her didn't match up to what they might have called her.

I would have been angry at the parents in that situation as well. I feel sorry for the children because they obviously missed their dog and because they are learning to be dinks too.


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## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

I think I'm pretty safe from prior owners. Butch was found in the country (I live in Houston!) and I've had him for 5 yrs. He was named by my vet and I kept it. Roxxy came from Louisiana (she's a Katrina baby). She was named by the rescue and I kept it too. Mortimer was found at 10 wks somewhere and no on would recognize him (I thought I was getting a short haired cat...wrong). He was named by me (morphed from Voldemort...looonnnng story).

Glad I don't have to worry about prior owners...never would have thought about it before I read this post either.


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