'Derek, put my dog back': Man watches neighbor 'kidnap' his dog and everyone is 'Team Derek'

Most dog owners will relate to their furry companions sitting by the door and waiting for their return whenever they step out of the house. While we humans might, at times, forget about our pets momentarily, they never stop thinking about us. Derek Lipp, who goes by @dereklipp_ on Instagram, understands that completely, and this, perhaps, explains why he decided to kidnap his neighbor's dog — because to him, chilling at a bar on a random Tuesday night while your pet sits at home, eagerly anticipating your return, is not acceptable.

"Derek, put my dog back," Harper's owner said as he watched Derek kidnap his golden retriever, Harper, from the security camera. "I am not arguing with you right now while you are at the bar! It's a Tuesday night! You worked all day, and you left her at home," Derek said while still holding the puppy, determined to take her with him. To this, Harper's rightful owner tried justifying that she's a dog who is allowed to be at home alone, but nothing seemed to convince Derek that day. "You are lucky I don't call APS, Animal Protective Services," Derek warned, before announcing that he would fight for the puppy's custody.

"You need to grow up; she deserves better. I am getting a lawyer, and I am fighting for the custody of Harper," he said. Interestingly, throughout this whole banter of 'Who deserves Harper more,' the sweet little golden retriever was captured lying in Derek's arms like they were long-lost friends. "We are not co-parenting. It's my dog," Harper's owner tried convincing Derek once again, but failed miserably as he watched him walk away with his dog. "Derek, Have you been drinking?" he asked, only to get a witty reply from the other side, "Not as much as you!"

While looking at a man slamming a dog parent for leaving his pet alone made you chuckle, this also talks about a serious concern: pets going through separation anxiety in their owner's absence. As reported by the RSPCA, 8 out of 10 dogs are estimated to struggle when left alone. While, in some cases, owners recognize the underlying issue because of obvious signs like excessive barking or chewing, half of the canines won't leave any clue about their condition.

Derek's video received an outpouring of love on social media, with people supporting him for fighting for Harper's custody. Echoing the sentiments, @simiisha commented, "I want someone to lift me like that and say, 'She deserves better; I am taking her.'" @fairy_tale_geckos shared, "Derek is right, if you work all day and then chill at a bar after that, it means your dog is alone for 10-13 hours maybe, and in my eyes you should have no dog if you are not willing to take the time to play and walk with them after work. They are dogs, not children, but they deserve a quality life too. Team Derek." @ichmarcos wrote, "I love how she [the dog] just stays there enjoying the drama from the comfort of the hug."

Another user who goes by @_jennydoll_ on Instagram announced, "Based on the evidence and the other parent’s irresponsibility of Harper’s well-being, the Doggie Court grants Derek full custody of Harper." @ruth4america pointed out, "Harper is a golden and will go with whoever pays him the most attention." On the other hand, @gem.adventure.cat said, "All dogs deserve better. Even if they live in a castle with lobster for dinner, dogs deserve everything and more forever.

You can follow Derek Lipp (@dereklipp_) on Instagram for more such wholesome content.