When the owner is arrested, what about their pets?

[Catherine]

This question came up when a video ended up on line of a man stealing something while he had his dog with him. Since there is a video, he obviously was arrested. Everyone wants to know about his dog.

In this case the dog is fine and being cared for, but it raises the question of what does happen to pets in arrest and other situations.

http://news.google.ca/news/url?sr=1&ct2=...t=2&at=dt0

It is good to know that the police take the pet's welfare seriously. I am sure different cities have different procedures, but clearly they do have some sort of plan.

I think it is irresponsible to put yourself in danger of arrest when you have pets. 

Sometimes people are arrested for protesting things. I would think you should make pet care arrangements if arrest is possible.
During the G20 summit in Toronto, I wanted to protest and it was my right, but Pigbert was very old and not well. People were being arrested for being on the street in the area. Some of them were just going home from work. Pigbert would have died if I had been held for more than 24 hours. Many people were held much longer and yet later charges were dropped because they did nothing wrong. I didn't even risk leaving the house because  I couldn't take a chance. I had a responsibility to care for Pigbert. It would have been terrible to come home and find him dead or dying, not understanding why I would abandon him.  I never left his side. Most of that summer I stayed home with him when I could.


Why would someone steal something and put their pet at risk?

[Tobi]

I would have done the same as you did with Pigbert, Catherine. What good is Love, or fighting for a righteous cause -if it ignores the needs of your own dearest loved ones?

I actually was there for Misty when her previous caretaker was arrested -at the very time he phoned me, I could hear the police come in and read him his rights, then tell me over the line that they were switching off his phone. I just had time to tell them who I was, and that I was co-caretaker of the dog. The policeman sounded pretty emotionless, but kindly did give me details of where she would be taken (which I miraculously memorised! -no time to write it down!) Then the line went dead. Oh and by the way, I was informed (again in a very emotionless way) that after 2 weeks if she was unclaimed she would be euthanised.

(I wrote about that incident...and quite a few others... in our book "Angel From the Streets")

One would imagine that having care of another Soul -whether an animal companion or a young child or aging parent, etc -would cause a deep sense of responsibilty towards them, and be a deterrent to putting oneself in a position which could lead to arrest! Well....that's how it would hit me anyway.

[Catherine]

I couldn't put Pigbert at risk no matter what the reason.  I made sure I was home with him as much as possible until the end.

You rushed to Misty's side when she needed you. (You were lucky they released her to you.) Clearly you saved her life.

I know people have lots of reasons for their actions, but I wonder why they don't consider the wellbeing of their pets before they act. If nothing else they should have arrangements made in case the pet needs care.  I think criminal behavior is foolish anyhow, but if someone plans to commit crimes shouldn't they think about their pets. After all, they usually end up getting caught.

Of course if the man had been sensible he wouldn't have committed a crime, especially not in front of a camera. Cameras are pretty  common so most of us can expect to be filmed much of the time when we are in public.


I think some police departments are kinder in their attitudes towards pets.  Still I wouldn't want anyone of my pets to suffer the trauma of being taken from the only home they really know.

[Tobi]

Many so-called 'petty' crimes involving theft are drug-related. Many people who are reduced to this sort of crime are homeless or semi-homeless. Many of those do have dogs. That's a bit of a generalisation of mine, but from what I witnessed and experienced while 'rescuing' Misty, many petty criminals put their need for drugs before their thought for the dog (who is most often well loved as a special companion!)
They don't consider the risks. Of course they know they are there, but always figure luck will be on their side.
I never even asked or thought about all the dogs in that sad dog pound I went to to pick up Misty that day. It is likely many of them would have been there while their owner was incarcerated. Some are released after a number of hours, and have to face charges but aren't locked up for a long stretch straight away, so they can get their dog and make arrangements with friends for its 'care'.
But of course there are other heavier crimes involve with the drugs world, and some dogs are not that lucky.

It is really quite sad how the drug controls these people so strongly that they are willing to risk the things they hold most dear for their next hit.

[LPC]

Yes, it is all very sad. I can understand about drug addicts needing money to buy drugs, so they steal to get the money. I'm sure that they do (mostly at least) love their pets. They are just so addicted that they will risk anything (sometimes even their own lives) to get what they need.

However, for me, Tobi and Catherine - and no doubt for other members of this forum - the welfare of one's pet comes first. If this means a slight curtailment of risks we might otherwise run, then so be it.

[Catherine]

I think we put our pets first because we care about them and because we understand that caring means being responsible.
It gets me out of bed to go to work on the worst mornings of winter. It makes me careful about the choices I make.
People who are married and who have children must feel the same need to be responsible. Being married with children and pets must be a very heavy load sometimes.

I think street people and people who commit crimes do care about their pets. (I am not saying that street people are the ones committing crimes, just that both groups are vulnerable) They just have so much else going on that they can't look after themselves very well. It is hard for them to care for their pets. They do the best that they can.
There are people with money and security who do a worse job of pet care.

We need to be a society that steps up and provides for the pets of people who have been arrested(or hospitalized). It is not right that a pet be left vulnerable and uncared for. You were lucky you could save Misty. Some of the dogs in the pound were probably not claimed.  We need to stop having pounds like that. They need to be places of refuge for dogs (and other animals). If they cannot go home then they need to be placed, first in foster homes if the need is temporary. If no one can come for the animal then a permanent home needs to be found.

I guess that is the point of this story. If the dog's owner has failed his responsibility then it is up to the rest of us.