Thanks for the note.
Actually, I agree with you on all counts.
My use of the word “stray”, would be any dog not under the control of its master. Pedigree aside.
Animals are property, but people abandon property all the time. Nonethless; the base personnel should have recognized this dog as special.
Does the base have the legal authority to collect stray dogs on the base and adopt them out? Just like city or county animal control (the pound). Don’t know. If not, then they have some liability here.
The family that adopted the dog has done nothing wrong and if legally adopted should be able to keep the dog. However; if it were me, I would give the dog back.
Bottom line, original owners could have avoided this whole thing by controlling their pet. I have a German Shepherd- Chow mix and a Newfoundland. For ten years they have been great protectors (well, the G/S-Chow anyway, the Newfie doesn’t have a clue)and they have never gotten loose.
There is no such thing as "legal" adoption of stolen property. The stolen property must be returned to it's lawful owners. The fact that the base is obsfucating the issue is disheartening because it indicates that there is some dishonesty being covered up at the expense of the civilians they are sworn to protect.
It's not okay for the military to behave in such a way over a dog. If they can't be trusted with small things, how can we trust them with large ones?
If this is to be believed, the tags were found in the yard; the tags could not be removed without human intervention. It sounds to me like these folks had their dog under control. He was in their yard and somebody came into their yard, removed the tags, and stole him.
In most states, title to property is like water: It cannot rise above its source. If this dog was stolen, he remains the property of the original owner, irrespective of what happens later, absent some statute of limitations.