Legal tug-of-war

Puppy tied to fence the day after purchase

The young Cane Corso puppy (symbolic image) has had a bumpy start in life. He has already suffered a shock during his important imprinting phase.

(Bild: Svitlana - stock.adobe.com)

A young Viennese from a good family bought an expensive Cane Corso puppy - and simply abandoned it the next day. The twelve-week-old dog is now waiting at TierQuarTier in Vienna until the complicated legal circumstances have been clarified and he will hopefully be allowed to go to a good home. 

We can only speculate about the exact causes, as the rightful owner is now tragically believed to be missing. A severe mental illness that causes extreme mood swings could have led to him tying his euphorically purchased puppy to the nearest fence post right after the first night - according to the unanimous opinion of the people involved. 

Completely distraught, the animal was found by a local resident who had just taken her pet for a walk. The police were called and had the "found animal on four paws" brought to Vienna's TierQuarTier - the first port of call for runaway or abandoned animals.  

Chip worthless without registration
Although the obligatory chip on the neck could be located there, it was difficult to trace the animal's origins without a corresponding registration. The finder of the animal was not left in peace, she researched on her own on the Internet and contacted a breeder from Styria who had just advertised a litter from which the little puppy could have come. 

The puppy with his littermates at the breeder's, he has already grown quite a bit.

(Bild: zVg)

Lead to Styria
A lucky strike, as it turned out. The breeder recognized the little dog straight away and was completely taken aback. "I couldn't explain how the animal ended up at the animal shelter after just one day. Obviously we were fooled by the gentleman's good appearance," said the Cane Corso breeder Mr. M. (name changed) on the phone. 

Abandonment is not an option!

• If you find a stray animal, please contact the City of Vienna's lost property service on 01 4000 8060 or send an e-mail to [e-mail].
• The abandonment of animals is prohibited, fines of up to 7500 euros apply!

Deed of donation
In the meantime, a private animal welfare organization got wind of the case. They found out the young man's home address and persuaded him to sign a deed of gift. The intention was to take the puppy and place him in a suitable home. 

All levers in motion
However, the breeder is now also demanding the return of the animal, as his purchase contract contains a clause stating that dogs from his kennel may not be passed on or given away without his consent. Mr. M. is currently pulling out all the stops to get the baby dog back: "He is currently in the imprinting phase and is only twelve weeks old. It would be best if he could come back to us until all the legal aspects have been clarified."

Lawyers busy
"An animal owner has 30 days after finding their pet to get in touch. The exact ownership situation is unclear at the moment. Until this is clarified, the puppy will remain in the care of TierQuarTier within this period, where it will receive the best possible care," says the spokesperson for the MA60 veterinary authority. 

In this case, the last word has not yet been spoken and we can only hope for the little rascal that the legal details will be clarified quickly and that he can soon move into a good "forever" home.