# Dog thief or dog rescuer?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-thief-or-dog-rescuer/676195>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 12, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-thief-or-dog-rescuer/676195 "2013-12-12T21:33:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-thief-or-dog-rescuer/676195/21 "2013-12-19T15:01:29Z")

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A couple of years ago a farmer in Northern Sweden got an animal welfare officer on his back because his livestock was walking around in the open without access to a wind shelter. The officer was not impressed when told that yaks prefer it that way.

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**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog-thief-or-dog-rescuer/676195/22 "2013-12-19T15:28:13Z")

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> [@CrazyCatLady](#):
>
> Calling Animal Control accomplishes exactly two things: jack and shit. As long as the animal has some amount of food, some amount of water, and some form of shelter, and isn’t obviously emaciated, their hands are tied. At least in the jurisdictions where I or a coworker have called them. The food, water, and shelter can be clearly inadequate for the animal in question–you can have a 100-lb dog tied to an unshaded doghouse in 100-degree heat all day with half a cereal bowl of water–but as long as there’s _something_ there, there’s no official channel to get the animal help, and the owners are often hostile if you try to talk to them. So I totally understand the temptation to just take the poor thing.
> 
> This, however, doesn’t sound like that sort of situation. A Swissie at 30 degrees or so? In a covered, and therefore presumably dry, non-muddy run? For 8 hours? Keep an eye on the situation, but that dog is most likely just fine.

Why am I not surprised that the owners are hostile to you?

If you (not “you” specifically) chose not to call animal control or the police but instead chose to steal an animal, you are a thief. You will, and should be, treated as a thief.

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