Family dog adopted out by RSPCA while owner away

When Anna McGrath parted with her beloved dog Mia for a five week holiday to Europe, she never suspected the sad turn of events that would see them parted for good.

The kelpie healer cross escaped from her house-sitter at Drummond and wound up at the Ballarat RSPCA, where she was adopted out to another family.

Returning home to find Mia missing, Ms McGrath contacted the RSPCA on October 11 but she was too late – her pet of seven years had been adopted nine days earlier.

"In the end I was told 'no, the people don't want to give her back'," Ms McGrath said.

"I'm very distressed she can't come back because I don't think it's fair."

Mia was registered with the Hepburn Shire Council but not microchipped, which would have showed up on RSPCA's scan.

Ms McGrath said she knew she was in the wrong – but losing her pet of seven years was a dreadful result.

She hasn't been allowed to see Mia and only knows she went to a home in the "Ballarat area".

She said in seven years Mia had never gone off the property.

"It's really distressing that she's not around when she's been with us for that long a period," she said.

"She grew up with the cat and I think the cat misses her too. Nine days is a little bit rough that you can't get your dog back."

RSPCA Victoria animal shelters manager Liz Walker said Mia was brought to the Ballarat pound by a local ranger after he found her roaming the streets without an owner.

The dog was scanned for a microchip and examined for any other details of its identity or the identity of its owner.

Nothing was found and she was put up for adoption after the eight day quarantine period.

The kelpie cross was soon adopted to new family.

But more than a week later, Ms McGrath contacted the shelter claiming Mia was in fact her dog.

"Once shelter staff had confirmed the dog did belong to the woman, they made several attempts to contact the new owner and inform them of the unfortunate situation," Ms Walker said.

"When shelter staff spoke to the new owners they had made the decision to keep the dog and not return it."

She said it was "a very sad situation" which demonstrated the need for all dog and cat owners to have their pet microchipped and their details kept up to date.

"If this dog had been microchipped, it would have showed up on the scan and we would have returned to its owner quickly," she said.