A disagreement over who owns a dog could be headed to court after a man told Portsmouth police that an employee at a local feed store refused to give the animal back.
The man went to the lobby of the Portsmouth Police Department and said the employee had possession of his dog and would not return it.
An officer traveled to the feed store to hear the employee’s side of the story.
According to the employee, the man brought the dog into the business in November 2025 and said he could no longer care for it. She told police she did not want to take responsibility for the animal, but the man left the dog at the store anyway.
The employee said she has cared for the dog since that time. She has taken it to a veterinarian and obtained a license tag for it.
After paying for the animal’s care and keeping it for several months, she told police she now considers the dog hers and does not intend to return it.
The employee also said the store has surveillance video showing the man leaving the dog at the business. That footage could become important if the disagreement ends up before a judge.
The man, however, maintains that the dog belongs to him and said he wants it returned.
Because the two sides disagree over whether the dog was permanently surrendered or simply left in someone else’s care, officers treated the matter as a civil ownership dispute rather than a criminal case.
Police advised the man that he could file a civil lawsuit and ask the court to determine who legally owns the animal.
He told officers he plans to pursue the matter in court in an effort to reclaim the dog.
No arrests were made, and police did not remove the animal from the employee’s care.