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RPBrown wrote: ↑Fri Sep 20, 2019 8:28 am

G.A. Heath wrote: ↑Fri Sep 20, 2019 6:23 am Another option:
Contact your local LE agency and report the animal abuse and offer to take in the pups. Yes, there is a risk the dogs will be returned to the abusive owner but if you don't then some other dogs will simply take the place of those two and in the end you have only made other dogs suffer.

In most cases I would say this should be the way to go. However, I have a little story about our latest addition. We received a call from the director of the local rescue (not going to mention the name for security of the rescue) wanting to know if we would be able to "foster" a 3 month old pit bull puppy. This poor puppy had been abused starting at about 6 weeks old all the way to when the courts took it at 3 months old. It had been documented by neighbors and video existed. The police were called and the dog was removed from the home and the owner arrested for cruelty. The dog was put into the care of the rescue until the court case was complete. As angry as the owner was when he was arrested, they were afraid he would try to come take the dog so we were asked to "foster" him until they could close the case and put him up for adoption and we agreed (she knew what she was doing asking us to foster).
To shorten this story up, the court took the puppy away from them, gave him a years probation, but did not take the other dogs from the home as there was no evidence of abuse to them (their words not mine). Nor did they prevent them from acquiring any other dogs. Now, we saw the videos and this guy was slapping, punching and kicking this puppy. When we got him, he was being treated for 2 broken ribs, a dislocated front shoulder and numerous bruises AT 6-12 WEEKS OLD. Therefore I don't have much faith in the courts to do the right thing to those that abuse defenseless animals.
Like I said, the director knew what she was doing calling us to foster because we ended up adopting him. This is him at 6 months, healed up, 60 lbs., and a momma's boy for sure. My wife can't get out of his site.

kayt00 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 20, 2019 6:09 am I think from a moral standpoint, those pups chose you and your misses for better or worse. I'm not a lawyer but perhaps there's a case to be made against thier previous owners based on the condition of the pups. Not sure but I'd wager that they're yours now.

The Annoyed Man wrote: ↑Fri Sep 20, 2019 5:54 am

Boxerrider wrote: ↑Fri Sep 20, 2019 4:54 am I wouldn't get law enforcement involved either. I would consider taking pictures of them to document their condition, and maybe going back to the vet for a once-over. That will provide you third party documentation of their condition when they showed up at your place.

This, and it doesn’t seem to me like that much of a moral dilemma. It seems obvious they’re being abused, and they didn’t start out this way. One could make the "whose property is it" argument and satisfy the law .... if one were so inclined .... or one could make the "do right by the dog, and it will do right by you" argument. Doing the next right thing isn’t always the next easy thing. It seems like the first dog knows you’re a safe haven, and rescued his buddy. That kind of loyalty should be rewarded. Be the pack leader he deserves.

cirus wrote: ↑Fri Sep 20, 2019 3:38 am Keep them and don't say a word and leave the law out of it.

03Lightningrocks wrote: ↑Fri Sep 20, 2019 12:01 am If they were in that kind of condition I would keep them. I love dogs and trust them more than most people. Seeing them in bad condition would really bother me. So yep, right or wrong, I would keep them. Maybe take some pictures of their condition in case that piece of garbage that mistreated them tries to get them back. Then you have evidence of their poor condition for the judge. If it comes to that. I'm betting he won't show up.