Q: can we keep a dog if the owner is abusing and neglecting it
We have had the dog for two months paid for do food toys shelter for her and the owner bounces from house to house can't even take care of herself we have watched her punch and hurt the dog till it cries
A: This is a difficult question, but ultimately the answer is probably that you can keep the dog with you. However, in order to make sure this is done properly, you need to contact your local animal control or police department to report the abuse and state that you are willing to foster the dog at your own expense until this is resolved. More than likely, if the owner is found guilty he or she won't be allowed to have any pets for at least a year or more and he or she will be forced to surrender the pet that you are fostering. At that time, you become the legal owner of the dog. That is the legally correct way of taking in an abused or neglected dog from someone.
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