My next door neighbors own a beautiful female red nosed pitt bull. They had another dog that was hit by a car. They allow her to run loose, leave her out all night without any way of keeping warm. She was very skinny and nervous when we first let her in. Now she is part of our family. She is healthy calm and very content. It has been about a month since they checked on her. She is afraid of the entrance to their apartment and just hides and shakes when she sees them. When I last questioned them about her, I was told that she is unwanted and that I should keep her by him and the other was unsure what she wanted to do with the dog. Now we are planning on moving and it's a sad feeling to leave her behind. I am sure she will not be cared for and eventually hit by a car. I don't want to ask them because I fear some recent disagreements, will make them take the dog back out of spite. The dog is unlicensed, she hasn't had any shots and she was covered with fleas. The dog looks to be about a year or so and has already been passed around to different owners, has already been abused, neglected and used for breeding. I wonder if id have any rights at all. They could very well say she just comes here to visit? I am tempted to just go get her licensed in my name. That would probably be a crime.

Turn the dog in to Animal Control. Then adopt the dog from Animal Control. Problem solved.

I somewhat agree with AK but I'd do some checking with the shelter first regarding their policy on fees, neutering and euthanasia. Most shelter hold a dog for 3-4 weeks before allowing adoption and then they also fix dogs passing along the cost to the new owner. Your fees could run $200. You need to checkl first before dropping a dime.

What about offering to buy her from her owners?

My next door neighbors own a beautiful female red nosed pitt bull.The dog looks to be about a year or so and has already been passed around to different owners, has already been abused, neglected and used for breeding. I wonder if id have any rights at all. They could very well say she just comes here to visit, but I have had her full time for over a month. I am tempted to just go get her licensed in my name. That would probably be a crime.
They had another dog that was hit by a car. They allow her to run loose, leave her out all night without any way of keeping warm. She was very skinny and nervous when we first let her in. Now she is part of our family. She is healthy calm and very content. She is afraid of the entrance to their apartment and just hides and shakes when she sees them. A month ago I was told by one owner I could have her because all she does is cry till she can get out and come to my door.. (and cry more till I open it) and by his girlfriend that I cannot have her.

I'm not sure what ill do. If I turn her into animal control to then adopt her, I could lose her. In my area pit bulls are usually put down. They only get a chance if they are puppies. She is an exceptional dog but in a shelter she would probably just cower and shake. She flinches and has the tell tale nips that she has already been bred in her first year of life. I know from experience she wouldn't be given a fair chance. There is also the issue of finances. I've had her de-wormed and a rabies shot and I give her the flea treatments. I plan on having her spayed but I don't know if that will cause trouble. I did offer 200.00 for her but they haven't spoken a word to me in over a month. I rarely see them but they won't even look at me. I'm assuming they are angry because the dog wants nothing to do with them. Its frustrating that they see me as a dog napper because In the beginning of all this, the dog was a bother to me. She would beg at my door, starved for food and attention. I would reluctantly let her in after hours of being loose outside. They would leave her out all day, no food, no water, no shelter. They wouldn't even check on her. I felt so bad for her so after the lights went out and they wouldn't answer my phone calls Id let her in. The fleas would bite my kids, she would rile them up and eat all the cat food.I would complain to them and the landlord. She just sort of moved in with us. No one else was taking care of her. I even saw my neighbor haul off and punch her in the face while she was just sitting there on a short chain. I never even heard of someone doing that to a dog. I was sick for 2 days. When I confronted him about it he told me that he was punishing her for something shed done over an hour before the punishment! She had accidentally scratched(with her paw) a 4 year old boy that had been playing with her unsupervised. Basically she had jumped up for the stick and mildly scratched him. When I told him that he is responsible for training the dog not to jump up and to know where his dog is at all times, he told me to mind my own business. I would be minding my own business if the dog wasn't afraid of him and living outside my front door!I really didn't have a choice in the matter what would happen if I just got he licensed in my name? I have proof she has been living as my dog for over a month. She has the thing I bought her here. Her bed, toys, bowl, leash. She would choose me over him. Ill bet she doesn't have a single belonging over there. I don't know. I should be focusing on my bigger problems!

Simple... you have no rights to someone else's dog.

What you can do is offer to buy it off them... Cash talks... and is usually the easiest, and most quick solution.

If animal control takes it... you may never get a chance.

You can not just take a dog because it is neglected, you can turn it in to animal control or you can buy it from the owner.