When You Really Care For Your Pets, They’re Priceless

I find a puppy in my yard and immediately start looking for the owner. My neighbour sees me carrying the pup.

Neighbour #1: “Oh, have you got a new puppy?”

Me: “No, I just found it in my yard; I’m looking for the owner.”

Neighbour #1: “Oh, I think it’s the same sort that the new neighbour at [street number] has. Maybe you should check with him.”

I take the pup a few houses up the street and knock on the door.

Neighbour #2: “Why do you have my pup? You can’t just come in here and take it!”

He snatches the pup roughly off me.  

Me: “I just found it in my yard; I was looking for the owner.”

Neighbour #2: “Well, I own it. That dog’s worth over a thousand dollars. I’m going to be breeding it with my dog and the pups will be worth thousands.”

I can sense that he’s implying that I was stealing the dog, but why would I carry it to his door if I had stolen it?  

Me: “Well, if you are that worried about the money, maybe you should make sure it can’t get out.” 

I mentally decided that I would not be returning the puppy the next time and would find it a home that cared for their pets instead of how much money the pets would bring in. I was not expecting any sort of reward; just a thank-you would have done. I have never spoken to that neighbour again.