# can baliffs take pets



## white (May 16, 2009)

i have severe financial problems and i was just wandering if the baliffs will take my dogs and reptiles as that is all i own that has any value?


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## purplekitten (Feb 24, 2010)

ithink that they can but im not 100% sure, 
maybe have a look about on the net, 

i found a site where they said they could take dogs, but not sure about reptiles


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## monkey26031985 (Mar 30, 2009)

they cant take pets


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## tomwilson (Feb 27, 2010)

no they can't take live stock as far as i know but don't know if they could take a cage or viv though. they aren't legaly aloud to enter your property without your permission though


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## white (May 16, 2009)

no one would want my dogs,they are badly behaved!


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## monkey26031985 (Mar 30, 2009)

but if your window or door is unlocked they can enter


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## purplekitten (Feb 24, 2010)

white said:


> no one would want my dogs,they are badly behaved!


:lol2:


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## purplekitten (Feb 24, 2010)

monkey26031985 said:


> but if your window or door is unlocked they can enter


only with a warrant from the court

have fun in my house with our stressed out cat :whistling2:


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## white (May 16, 2009)

monkey26031985 said:


> but if your window or door is unlocked they can enter


 if they tried entering my property whilst i was out my dog would rip them to pieces


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## purplekitten (Feb 24, 2010)

yeah but then you'd get into trouble, stupid really


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## white (May 16, 2009)

purplekitten said:


> yeah but then you'd get into trouble, stupid really


it would be their fault


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## tomwilson (Feb 27, 2010)

takes a special sort of person to become a bialiff :lol2:


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## purplekitten (Feb 24, 2010)

I know that, you know that, courts dont see it that way though, although if they ate them, who'd know :whistling2:


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

On Beat The Bailiffs a couple had an expensive cat and the bailifs took that as part of the demonstration on what happens.


Rather than worrying about if they'll take your pets, look into sorting out your debts... Speak to cccs or payplan about bankruptcy / debt management plan or an IVA


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## purplekitten (Feb 24, 2010)

cccs are really good they helped me a couple of years ago, highly recommended from me


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## white (May 16, 2009)

the simple solution would be if i could sell my reptiles but i've had no interest


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## Rabb (Jan 13, 2010)

Just dodge the debt for 6 years then they can't do shit. :lol2:


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## maddragon29 (Oct 16, 2008)

white said:


> the simple solution would be if i could sell my reptiles but i've had no interest


Yet you're looking for exotic mammals for sale?
Something doesn't click there....

I'd rather give all my pets away to people i know would take care of them (friends and family) than risk bailiffs getting them tbh.


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## Tempestas (Nov 25, 2009)

maddragon29 said:


> Yet you're looking for exotic mammals for sale?
> Something doesn't click there....
> 
> I'd rather give all my pets away to people i know would take care of them (friends and family) than risk bailiffs getting them tbh.


Is there any need for that ? Its obvious that White is worried regarding Baliffs taking he's reptiles. How do you know what he's circumstances are he could be wanting to sell he's reptiles to pay the debt and poss get an exotic mammal instead or he could just be wondering.

White, From what I'm aware they aren't able to take animals for payment because generally what they do take get's auctioned off. Also they might be able to take their setups if they feel fit but if they were to do that then ( I'm not 100% Sure of this ) Either you or the baliffs would be liable for the animals not having the correct care and would be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act. 

The best thing to do would be to phone the C.A.B or the ones that Meko's recommended.


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## pezza (Mar 23, 2010)

Who do you owe money to? If it's the council then speak to the bailiff about a payment plan, if it's not council tax you owe money for then I really would not lose any sleep over it


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## roddy mac (Dec 10, 2009)

purplekitten said:


> cccs are really good they helped me a couple of years ago, highly recommended from me


 
i'm not to sure if you need to be in a job to use that service or if you still get it if your umemployed as far as i was aware they take part of your wages to pay bits to all debt's even if its only £5 a week or a month.. can you not contact who you owe and try and set up a payment plan you can keep too.. i know the laws down south are different from up here north o the boarder

fingers crossed your position get better soon


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## white (May 16, 2009)

thanks!.


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## purplekitten (Feb 24, 2010)

roddy mac said:


> i'm not to sure if you need to be in a job to use that service or if you still get it if your umemployed as far as i was aware they take part of your wages to pay bits to all debt's even if its only £5 a week or a month.. can you not contact who you owe and try and set up a payment plan you can keep too.. i know the laws down south are different from up here north o the boarder
> 
> fingers crossed your position get better soon


i was unemployed and paid what i could afford


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## cornmorphs (Jan 28, 2005)

purplekitten said:


> yeah but then you'd get into trouble, stupid really


I'm not sure how that stands.. for me, if I broke into someones house and got chewed by their dog, I would accept it as deserved.


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## white (May 16, 2009)

cornmorphs said:


> I'm not sure how that stands.. for me, if I broke into someones house and got chewed by their dog, I would accept it as deserved.


that's what i thought!


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## *mogwai* (Feb 18, 2008)

i got into a mess with my council tax & the bailiffs were on their way. they were getting in no matter what, apparently (don't know if they said this just to scare me) they were bringing a locksmith. 

no, they can't take animals or the enclosure if there's no-where else suitable to house the animal. any spare vivs or equipment you have lying round though is fair game.


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Meko said:


> On Beat The Bailiffs a couple had an expensive cat and the bailifs took that as part of the demonstration on what happens.
> 
> 
> Rather than worrying about if they'll take your pets, look into sorting out your debts... Speak to cccs or payplan about bankruptcy / debt management plan or an IVA


I didn't think they could take animals. But then I saw that episode of Beat The Bailiff (first time I ever watched it as there was buggar all else on) & they took the man's pedigree Bengal cat worth £500. Im not sure whether they can actually take animals though.


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## Shellsfeathers&fur (Jan 18, 2009)

I saw that epiosode too and they did take it. Really don't know what the position is about pets though. It did say that they would never enter a child's room to take things.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

they can take anything of value including pedigree pets,
( so if you have papers you could possibly transfer into a relatives name then you`re looking after it while they are at work?)

cant enter a childs room ( best place to put the tv and games console etc)

nor can they take the tools of your trade - cause then they are preventing you earning a living.

and dont leave any doors/windows open a slither

simples!


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## Natrix (Dec 9, 2006)

Sorry but pets are considered property. If you own a pet and the bailiffs have a court order to enter you accommodation and remove your property then say good by to your pet. 
It is a simple as that, there are no special rules relating to animals.
If they later find the animal is of no value it will be placed in a re-homing centre. The point is they took your property because you owed them money. It’s more of a punishment than an attempt to get what you owe them back. The reality is that unless they get lucky and you have something of great value, they very rarely cover more than the costs of sending the bailiffs in from the goods they take and sell. The debtor will still receive a demand for more money the following month and the process begins again.
That’s why you should go and get advice from the CAB
And yes the episode of beat the bailiffs mentioned above is spot on.
Gordon Glasson 
FBH Vice Chairman


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## paulds (Mar 17, 2009)

I doubt a baliff would take a snake as the hassle they would have selling on and the problems of keeping it until sold would outway the benefit.

A baliff can legally enter your property if you leave doors or windows open but you have the right to refuse entry if they are not court appointed (ie council).

You need to address the people you owe money to. Most companies will ask you to complete a form listing income and expenditure and you need to make them a sensible offer on what you can afford to pay. The cad will give you an idea of what is excepted as legitamit costs of living.

The most important thing is to try and get something arranged before a baliff visits as this will ad to the costs.

The cad can offer a loan if the debt is between a certain amount, otherwise IVA's a good alternative. Bankruptcy ,as a last resort, is an option if you don't own your own home or car, otherwise they will expect you to surrender that against the debt.

Good luck getting this sorted :2thumb:


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

Yes they can take pets if they can find suitable housing for them, they usualy won't bother though unless they are worth good money as they have to pay for them to be fed while awaiting sale, they would never be able to take mine though:whistling2:


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## kevhutch (Feb 18, 2010)

i say buy a big tank, put a picture of the meanest reptile you can on the glass, :devil:
then leave the viv door open and tell the baliffs to help themselves:lol2:


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## white (May 16, 2009)

kevhutch said:


> i say buy a big tank, put a picture of the meanest reptile you can on the glass, :devil:
> then leave the viv door open and tell the baliffs to help themselves:lol2:


i'd like to see them get past my german shepherds


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

paulds said:


> The cad can offer a loan if the debt is between a certain amount, otherwise IVA's a good alternative. Bankruptcy ,as a last resort, is an option if you don't own your own home or car, otherwise they will expect you to surrender that against the debt.
> 
> Good luck getting this sorted :2thumb:


 
that depends on a few things.
They won't take a car if you depend on it for work although if it's expensive they can request that it's sold, a cheaper one bought and you hand over the rest of the cash towards your debters.
Same with bankruptcy; if there's no equity in your house then they're not interested in it. If they take the house off you and sell it at auction the first thing that has to be done is clear your mortgage and any other money will go towards the debt.. if there's not going to be any money left they won't take it.


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## MissCat (Mar 9, 2009)

Is it bailiffs or debt collectors? As they are different and have different rights.
I was told last year by a bailiff from Bristow and Sutor collecting for an unpaid council tax debt that they could NOT take pets, though I have been told by other people (not bailiffs or debt collectors though) that they CAN take pets. So that's a difficult one to answer really. 
I agree though, best bet is to:
A) contact cccs or another charity based debt counselling service, or the CAB. They really are fantastic. 
CCCS | Free debt help and debt advice from the UK's leading debt charity
B) Make sure you leave no widows/doors open or unlocked as once they are in, they can come back at any time with a locksmith if they need to.
C) As far as I know that are only able to break into your property if they have been in it before (see above) or with a court order.
D) If you need to write to any bailiffs/ debt collectors this a good site to use:
The Consumer Forums
They have template letters to send the bailiffs/debt collectors, there is also a plethora of information regarding rights of all involved. 

good luck.


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## Eyelashviper (Dec 20, 2009)

If they take your reptiles whilst your sorting out a last attempt to pay them, and while they are in there care they die, what happens?

I can't see them wanting to take reptiles.


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## Natrix (Dec 9, 2006)

I think a few of you are being a little bit naive on this one. If some one sticks an adult corn snake on the classifieds for twenty quid, how many people are going to rush round and buy it?
If some bloke walks into a pet shop and offers them an adult king for twenty quid how quick will they buy it to sell on?
Bailiffs aren’t stupid they know where to off load what they take and every tenner they make is a tenner towards their pay.


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## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

I heard from someone they tried to take their pets. I thought that was disturbing.


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

Would they bother with the hassle of taking reptiles? All that care and so on doesn't seem worth it.

Put a sign on every room saying "child's bedroom".


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## Natrix (Dec 9, 2006)

Morgan Freeman said:


> Would they bother with the hassle of taking reptiles? All that care and so on doesn't seem worth it.
> 
> Put a sign on every room saying "child's bedroom".


What hassle?

They are stripping the house of everything. The reptile in it's viv goes in the back of the van last. On the way home the van stops at the pet shop where the bailiffs have pre arranged to drop of anything that might be of value (not just reptiles but birds, fish, small mammals). The viv and reptile goes in and the bailiff comes out with the cash. 
They then drive on to the auction house to off load the rest of the stuff they have collected. There is no hassle.

Have you never walked into a shop and seen twenty vivs all with adult reptiles sitting in them waiting to be sold?
Where do you think those adult reptiles come from?

Natrix


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## Requiem (Mar 22, 2010)

Check out MoneySavingExpert.com Forums

It's an incredibly useful site when it comes to consumer rights and saving money, and the debt free wannabe forum there has lots of advice regarding bailiffs, rights, repayment plans, etc.

Good luck : victory:


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## MissCat (Mar 9, 2009)

Natrix said:


> What hassle?
> 
> They are stripping the house of everything. The reptile in it's viv goes in the back of the van last. On the way home the van stops at the pet shop where the bailiffs have pre arranged to drop of anything that might be of value (not just reptiles but birds, fish, small mammals). The viv and reptile goes in and the bailiff comes out with the cash.
> They then drive on to the auction house to off load the rest of the stuff they have collected. There is no hassle.
> ...


Without sounding like I am being snipey (I certainly don't mean to sound that way) But how do you know this?


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## Natrix (Dec 9, 2006)

MissCat said:


> Without sounding like I am being snipey (I certainly don't mean to sound that way) But how do you know this?


Fair question.

Partly because I have in the past worked for a company that used bailiffs and so had to know the correct law to be able to do my job.
Partly because I got to deal with a few bailiffs while working there and heard their stories of what they got up to. You can learn a lot over a drink.
And partly because as a lad I worked in a reptile shop that did a special line in adult reptiles. 

I know laws change over time but the basics don't alter that much and bailiffs will always be in it for the money, where ever they get it from.

Natrix


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## sazzle (Jun 3, 2008)

it can take quite some time for it it get to bailiff stage, best option is to go to CAB, i wish i had done this rather than going to a debt management company who take £25 a month off me for dealing with my creditors grr

not sure if they can take reps

what you selling :whistling2:


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## MissCat (Mar 9, 2009)

Natrix said:


> Fair question.
> 
> Partly because I have in the past worked for a company that used bailiffs and so had to know the correct law to be able to do my job.
> Partly because I got to deal with a few bailiffs while working there and heard their stories of what they got up to. You can learn a lot over a drink.
> ...


Ah fair play then, you know what you are talking about :2thumb:


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## white (May 16, 2009)

well the baliffs paid me a visit today whilst i was out.Not sure how they got in,i think they used my spare key from my neighbour.Any despite all the beware of the dog signs outside my flat they still went in.When they entered they were met by my dogs,according to my neighbour he heard my dogs bark followed by one off them screaming.My neighbour called me to come home asap,when i arrived i was met by the police.It seems that one of my dogs was kicked in the head and a baliff had been bitten by one of my dogs.thre balif had been taken to hospital with wounds to his leg.I took my dog to the vet and he needed stiches to his mouth.I have spoken to the police and my solictor and the police and they both say the baliff was at fault as he attacked my dog first.I'm now going to sue that son of a bitch for every penny he's worth.I just pray that my dog is not permantly scared physically and mentally.


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## Jczreptiles (Sep 1, 2009)

white said:


> well the baliffs paid me a visit today whilst i was out.Not sure how they got in,i think they used my spare key from my neighbour.Any despite all the beware of the dog signs outside my flat they still went in.When they entered they were met by my dogs,according to my neighbour he heard my dogs bark followed by one off them screaming.My neighbour called me to come home asap,when i arrived i was met by the police.It seems that one of my dogs was kicked in the head and a baliff had been bitten by one of my dogs.thre balif had been taken to hospital with wounds to his leg.I took my dog to the vet and he needed stiches to his mouth.I have spoken to the police and my solictor and the police and they both say the baliff was at fault as he attacked my dog first.I'm now going to sue that son of a bitch for every penny he's worth.I just pray that my dog is not permantly scared physically and mentally.


 What an a-hole, if you had signs outside they are in the wrong, have they been in before?


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## _jake_ (Jul 3, 2008)

white said:


> well the baliffs paid me a visit today whilst i was out.Not sure how they got in,i think they used my spare key from my neighbour.Any despite all the beware of the dog signs outside my flat they still went in.When they entered they were met by my dogs,according to my neighbour he heard my dogs bark followed by one off them screaming.My neighbour called me to come home asap,when i arrived i was met by the police.It seems that one of my dogs was kicked in the head and a baliff had been bitten by one of my dogs.thre balif had been taken to hospital with wounds to his leg.I took my dog to the vet and he needed stiches to his mouth.I have spoken to the police and my solictor and the police and they both say the baliff was at fault as he attacked my dog first.I'm now going to sue that son of a bitch for every penny he's worth.I just pray that my dog is not permantly scared physically and mentally.


Poor dog! I think your dog has good tastes on who to bite!:lol2:


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## wohic (Jun 19, 2006)

white said:


> well the baliffs paid me a visit today whilst i was out.Not sure how they got in,i think they used my spare key from my neighbour.Any despite all the beware of the dog signs outside my flat they still went in.When they entered they were met by my dogs,according to my neighbour he heard my dogs bark followed by one off them screaming.My neighbour called me to come home asap,when i arrived i was met by the police.It seems that one of my dogs was kicked in the head and a baliff had been bitten by one of my dogs.thre balif had been taken to hospital with wounds to his leg.I took my dog to the vet and he needed stiches to his mouth.I have spoken to the police and my solictor and the police and they both say the baliff was at fault as he attacked my dog first.I'm now going to sue that son of a bitch for every penny he's worth.I just pray that my dog is not permantly scared physically and mentally.


Ok i have not read through the thread as i have a blazing head ache........ 
sorry about your dog, be warned though you could have a problem with the dog biting him, the law is a ass and the dog will be treated as aggressive and out of control even though its on your property.
secondly could someone 'babysit' your pets until this is all delt with ?


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## indie85 (Nov 22, 2009)

Jczreptiles said:


> What an a-hole, if you had signs outside they are in the wrong, have they been in before?


 
Im not 100% sure, but Im sure that if you have a 'beware of the dog' sign and your dog then bites someone, you are still liable because you have technically admitted that your dogs are dangerous. 

I'll see if I can find where this is written. But its safer to have a sign that says 'dogs running free inside' because 'beware of the dog' means 'be wary of the dog'.

So i'm not sure where you'd stand with the law on that one. Unfortunately dogs arent allowed to bite. Let's hope you get away with being able to prove your dog was under attack.


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## white (May 16, 2009)

the police and my solicitor both say that because my dog was attacked first he was entitled to defend himself and his territory.My neighbour witnessesed all this and did warn him.My dogs are allways shut in a room whilst i'm out


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

white said:


> the police and my solicitor both say that because my dog was attacked first he was entitled to defend himself and his territory.My neighbour witnessesed all this and did warn him.My dogs are allways shut in a room whilst i'm out


I hope your dog will be ok. And I hope the a-hole bailiff is made to pay for entering your home & assaulting your dog! :devil:


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## indie85 (Nov 22, 2009)

*Your Dog & The Law:* Did you know if you display a Beware Of The Dog sign anywhere on your property in the UK and your dog was to bite an intruder, YOU would be liable to prosecution? The sign, you see, in the eyes of the law shows you are admitting to owning a dog which people should 'beware of', it's like saying you knew your dog was likely to bite.

Thats what I found so far.

I hope nothing comes of it though 

By the way, with the debts and the bailiff, the best thing to do is phone some debt companys or phone the CAB. If you ignore the debt, the problem will only get worse. I've been there myself, and legally, they cant refuse your offer to pay off the debt. No matter how little you offer to pay. As long as you offer something! If they decide to take it to court, you will only have to pay what you can afford to pay. Usually they will ask for a proof of income and expenditure and will then say that you have to pay X amount of money. But please dont leave it! There's nothing worse than living in fear that the bailiff with come and take your things!


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