The nerve of some people...

[MisterKyte]

So about a year ago I rescued an emaciated and incredibly neglected Bearded Dragon that our neighbor left behind in her apartment when she moved out. He's been slowly improving since, little strides here and there and I'm still trying to bring him back into a healthy weight, but what I'm saying is that I have invested a good deal of time into this animal now and suddenly out of the blue, his original owner shows up at my door asking if she can have her lizard back. Like honestly, it felt like getting smacked upside the head. She never bothered to call or get into contact for an entire year then changes her mind and feels enough of a responsibility to try and get him back. If I hadn't been around to take him in, the poor guy would have perished by now and it's just, ugh, I wanted to yell at her. How could anyone think that after abandoning an animal like that, they still have a right to ask for it to be returned.
Either way, I convinced her that he was in much more capable hands and that he was being taken care of now. She pretty much decided it wasn't worth the trouble and left empty handed in the end so that just goes to show how much she really cared. :/

Maybe a bit of silver lining though, I did find out that Dragon is apparently nine years old so he's definitely a trooper for making it through so many years of poor care.

[Mike41793]

Yea (i believe), by law thats consider abandonment so the animal would in fact be yours to keep.

Good for you for being a good person and not a sucky one like her lol! Any pics of the lil guy?

[MisterKyte]

Yeah, I wasn't certain on the laws while I was talking to her so I just stuck to trying to convince her that I was much more capable than she was and was doing her a favour by not asking for payment like if she had relinquished him to an animal shelter or something. I'm just glad she really didn't care enough to push the issue like those folks who abandoned dogs and then take the folks who found them to court over it.


As you can see, he's still pretty thin thanks to not eating well in the first place and brumating during winter but we're working on it. Slow and steady.

[Kodieh]

A week long abandonment is too much, but a year? I agree with your thread title, the nerve of some people. I would just have told her she's lucky I didn't and still don't turn her in for animal abuse. That's send her packing real quick.

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[3skulls]

I would have told her it died and slammed the door in her face.

Get him some roaches!!

[MisterKyte]

Oh believe me, when all this nasty business first occurred I was prepared to make a report but two things held me back 1) I didn't know her name last year and our landlord didn't want to give it away and 2) like most places, the SPCA around here isn't very good when it comes to dealing with reptiles. Eurgh, I feel like I really let her off easy though which I regret but like, I don't think there'd be much of a case anymore.

[MisterKyte]

I would have told her it died and slammed the door in her face.

Get him some roaches!!

Ahah, I'm not that forward when it comes to these kinds of situations unfortunately.

As for the roaches, I would but bugs just go right through him, mostly undigested. I used to feed him a few silkworms every couple of days but they'd just turn up whole in his poop later. I'm trying to work out a better diet that will help him put on weight and fatten up that's mostly plant based. :S