Judge Judy Sets Dog Loose In Court For True Owner To Be Identified

May 26, 2022

Judith Sheindlin, known professionally as Judge Judy, is America’s beloved television court judge. Known for her blunt personality and determined attitude, Sheindlin has become a fan favorite in the TV world with her show “Judge Judy,” which aired from Sept. 1996 until late July 2021. She has become extremely successful for her courtroom reign on television and has even launched a spin-off series to continue to help people with their legal issues by presiding over a plethora of new cases.

Sheindlin grew up in Brooklyn, a borough in New York City, before going on to study government at American University in Washington, D.C. She earned her Juris Doctor degree at New York Law School in 1965, the same year that she passed her bar examination. While the former prosecutor and Manhattan family court judge is most known for being Judge Judy, she is also a producer behind-the-scenes and an author. She has also won a handful of awards and accolades and has continued to be recognized as one of the best courtroom judges.

Judge Judy has a reputation for being one of the most popular true court shows of all time, but this case involving the mystery of a stolen dog was one of the most viral to ever air. One person and their animal left the courtroom extremely happy when the judge revealed her verdict after she let the dog, named Baby Boy, run around to find its owner. While the episode originally aired in 2012, it continually resurfaces online because of how amazing it is.

It’s safe to say that most people have heard the phrase: “A dog is a man’s best friend.” However, it seemed like Judge Judy wanted to put this saying to the test to uncover the truth about who owned the white poodle named Baby Boy. A woman claimed that she was the rightful owner, but a man had filed charges against her claiming that he was in fact the real owner. 

For many people, their pets are their pride and joy, and they’re easily part of their family. According to TODAY, the law regarding animal custody can become quite confusing and complicated at times. In fact, the Washington Post reported that as of 2017, Alaska courts are treating pet custody cases similarly to child custody cases.

The outlet reported that Alaska became the first state in the United States to require courts to take “into consideration the well-being of the animal,” leaving full power to judges to assign full, partial or joint custody to the owners involved. The Animal Legal Defense Fund called the amendment “groundbreaking and unique.”

This is exactly why Judge Judy needed to find a creative and insightful way to figure out who was really telling the truth and to make sure that Baby Boy went home with his rightful owner.

The court case began with the story of a discouraged man claiming that his dog had been stolen from him. He filed charges against the woman who he accused of stealing his beloved pet in an attempt to retrieve his animal, reported the Daily Mail.

Baby Boy, the dog in question, is a white ball of fur that actually appeared in court. The woman defendant claimed that the dog was purchased by her outside of a shopping mall for only $50, and she held by her statement that she was the sole owner. The man who filed charges against her cried in the courtroom, as he explained that Baby Boy is like his child.

Although the woman showed that she owned photographs of the dog and had paperwork from the veterinarian’s office in an attempt to prove that Baby Boy was hers, Judge Judy remained skeptical about the true ownership of the pet.

In an unprecedented decision, Judge Judy realized that the only one who could identify the true owner of Baby Boy was the dog himself! Since the dog was present in the courthouse, the judge had someone bring him into the room and firmly instructed them to place the dog on the ground in order to determine his owner by seeing who he ran to first. The courtroom waited as the dog took his fate into his own hands, choosing his real owner. The beautiful reunion was thankfully captured on film.

Finally, it was revealed that Baby Boy belonged to the man. A viral video of the pet-owner reunion has continued to receive plenty of buzz over the years despite being a decade old. It has racked up more than 7.8 million views and plenty of comments celebrating the emotional moment. One person summed it up best:

“If a grown man is reduced to tears seeing this dog again, it is definitely his dog.”

This video is sure to warm your heart and solidify your love for animals! What would you have done in this situation? Let us know your thoughts and pass this story on to your friends!