On April 18th, my dog Finn slipped out the front door by accident—an old habit he’s had for years. He ran down our court, into the woods behind our house, and ended up swimming in the pond. A neighbor found Finn, leashed him, and tried to find his owners, while my 15-year-old daughter and I were driving around searching for him. Unfortunately, our paths never crossed. The neighbor eventually dropped Finn off at the animal hospital, but for some reason, his microchip wasn’t scanned, so I was never called to pick him up.

The next morning, Harford County Animal Control picked up Finn as a stray. Officer Peterson recognized him and scanned his chip, which showed I was the owner. However, because I am currently on probation for a previous dog-at-large charge, animal control decided not to let me take Finn home or even see him. Finn is a sweet couch potato who loves his family and is devastated to be in a shelter. I rescued him from Alabama in July 2020, treated him for heartworm, and made sure he was neutered. He has arthritis and anxiety, and he is so loved by me, my daughter, his dog daughter Fiona, and our neighbors. He doesn’t deserve to be in the shelter when so many other dogs need help. Harford County Animal Control has been extremely unkind in this situation.

I was told I had 10 days to file a replevin with the county to get a court date sooner, so I filed on April 28th. The trial date to get Finn back is set for June 29th, 2026, and it’s going to require significant legal fees. Anything anyone can donate would be forever appreciated. Finn is deeply loved by me, my daughter, and our community, and we want nothing more than to bring him back home.