What do you mean, took them back? What’s going on?

He hasn’t. But he keeps threatening to everytime he doesn’t get his way. Like today, my brother burned a job application, so he texted me and said he was taking them back and to call my mother so she can say bye. I’m home now and they are still here.

But if he did take them back, can I call the police?

He sounds like an abusive asshole.

No – you can’t call the police. They’re not there to solve family problems unless someone’s being physically abusive.

Are the dogs licensed to you?

Does your dad have a right to be on your property where the animals are?

Potentially helpful links:

https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/pet-custody.html
https://www.caninejournal.com/dog-ownership-laws/

@janbb not a family problem at all when he’s taking dogs away without consent.

@Zaku It’s my understanding that SQ lives with her parents.

Yes I do. He is an abusive asshole and my dog Phoenix is all I have right now. I can’t lose her

Are these the same dogs that he brought in & forced on you because you weren’t ready to love another dog??? Since he bought them, adopted them, or whatever, they are his dogs & it’s up to him as to whether to keep them or not. WHY did he call you to tell you to call your Mom to say goodbye to them when he could have just as easily called her himself??? Sounds to me like he wanted to upset YOU!!! In the eyes of the law, this is a domestic dispute aka family problem & they won’t do anything to get in the middle of it.

It sounds to me like it’s time to take Phoenix & move out where you have more control of your own life!!!

Not as easy as it sounds but yes I want to move

Yes same dogs.

Sometimes you guys confuse me.

Are your parents married or are they divorced/legally separated? If so, he probably has a right to do what he wants with the dogs. If not, he is threatening to come into your mother’s home and take her property to dispose of it. Last I checked, that’s robbery.

It’s a horrible, manipulative situation, I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine using love for pets to abuse my family emotionally.

@SergeantQueen: What does your mother say or do about your father’s threats?

Oh wow, so he’s essentially threatening to give your dogs to animal control unless you treat him however he wants to be treated, and live your lives according to what he says?

I don’t think such a man-baby control freak would respond positively to having the police called on him by his children. I think he’d just find other ways to escalate to try to get his way. I think the effective way through this is to understand his game and play along enough to keep him from taking action you care about, long enough that you can move out from under his babyman-power domain.

You can call the police for anything you choose. You can call the police if you are unhappy with the weather, if your toaster burns the toast or if the devil tells you to call the police. However, if you attempt to sic the police on your father, they are going to certainly look into your past dealings with them. And from what you have told us through the years, the odds are you have a less than rosy file for them to reference. But never mind any of this. It’s a matter of whether you are living independently from your father, and who OWNS the dogs. If they are indeed YOUR dogs and you can prove it, you might attempt to charge your dad with theft. But I can almost guarantee the cops will be annoyed when you try it.

You might give the police a call (not the emergency number), and see what they say. Then you’ll have a clearer idea of your options. Before you call, be sure to write down the topics and questions you want to discuss.

they usually say that these are procedural matters and this needs to be dealt with in court, although if he is really threatening and you can
then prove it, then he must be condemned for it!