I have a home owner who called me up stating that she has a dog that has been coming around and digging up here mulch beds and defecating on her cement driveway. It has even been in her garage when she left the door open. She called the dog pound but only gets the answering machine and no one will return her calls. She lives in the country, but on a cul-de-sac and none of her neighbors knows whose dog it is. She says the dog has a collar, but doesn't look like it has a tag. I set a large cage trap (2'X2'X5') with dog food and water and put a tarp over the top, weatherman has been calling for rain. My question is, if the dog has a tag, should I try to charge the dogs owner or the home owner? Or should I just take the dog to the pound and let the dog warden sort it out? I know the home owner is more than willing to pay to have the dog caught and the problem resolved, but to my way of thinking isn't it the dogs owner that should be made to pay? I've never had to catch someone's dog. On the other hand this could be a dog someone has dropped off and abandoned.

I would charge the home owner. Then take it to the pound. If it has a tag I would call the owner and see if they lost it or wanted it. If no take it to the pound.

x2, you contracted with the homeowner, collect your fee, and let the county/city deal with the dogs owner. You don't need to get into a whizzing match with someone that let's their dog run loose.

Human animals do not like other primates catching their pets and then calling them up mentioning they want a reward for it. In this modern world you are asking for world of problems in angry pet owners who think their pets should run wild and free, end up calling the police on you, to which your name ends up on police reports or they are some 300 pound primate who ends up threatening you.
You get paid by who hired you and is complaining. The dog then goes to the pound, but be aware that some locations charge you for dropping a dog off, so you probably should check that out first with the pound and then make certain that is in your price quote.

The dog's owner has to pay the pound if they bother to go get it. Call that good enough.

If you are planning on taking the animal to the "pound" you should contact them first and explain the situation. Is it a private business or one run by the government? Is there a fee? When are they open? Do they even take dogs from people who aren't the legal owner? Lots of questions need to be answered before you show up at their door with an animal that isn't yours.

Once you have everything set, the customer pays for everything.

Edit: Keep in mind there may be different laws regarding catching domestic animals and nuisance wildlife.

I was going to contact the DNR and get their take on the situation, but the last time I contacted them about a domestic animal (cat) they said there weren't any reg's on the books pertaining to domestic or "feral" animals. I know this isn't a feral dog and I'm leaning more towards someone just allowing there pet to run loose occasionally. I have already contacted the pound and made arrangements to drop off the dog if I can't locate the owner. It's been a couple days since I set the cage out and the home owner hasn't seen the dog anywhere around. I'm just going to let the cage set for a few more days and see what happens. The cage is staked down and the food protected. The area its in has coyotes so who knows, maybe I will snag a hungry coyote. LOL

You may want to look more closely at this situation. There are state statutes, administrative codes, and local ordinances specifically addressing both cats and dogs, as well as people’s duties and obligations and penalties. And, one specific tip - in the Ohio reference material it specifically states that the commercial nuisance wild animal control license does not allow the licensee to trap cats. A furtaker license allows the licensee to trap furbearing animals in season. A commercial nuisance wild animal control license allows the licensee to trap wild animals. A cat and a domestic pet dog is in neither group. It is foolish to do this and more foolish to to publish it on the internet and even more foolish to try to charge the pet owner. Unless of course you are the county dog warden. You may wish to tell this person to keep her garage door closed and refer her to the official county dog warden. Best wishes.

She already called the county dog warden and got the answering machine and no returned calls. How would you feel if I told you to keep your garage door closed? Thanks for the advise. I'll take it into consideration. Situation is resolved.