I have a dilema - Page 1

There is a man that is head of an organization called "K9 Solutions Center" and the "American Working Dog Council". The guy that runs it is named Jeff Turner. I used to do buisness with Jeff a while ago until things didn't work out (but that's a whole other story). I recently discovered that Jeff is using pictures of my dogs on his new website that is Promoting the AWDC that he started. The dogs that he is using pictures of where never his dogs and he has done no training on them. The way he puts them on his site makes them look like they are his though. EXAMPLE- he has one of my Malinois that I raised from an 8 week old puppy to adult, as the picture that you click on to go to his DOGS FOR SALE PAGE. I have sent Jeff two emails each to a different one email adress of his asking him to take the pictures down. I got no response from either email and my dogs pictures are still on his site. You can check this out for yourself. The website is  www.awdck9.com on the home page on the right side there is a picture of a Malinois laying down with the words DOGS FOR SALE above his head (THAT IS MY DOG) and then moving on to the page titled "other supporters" the bloodhound tracking on the right hand side (ALSO MY DOG).

I know this might not be a big deal and I shouldn't waste my time with this guy but It's that fact that I asked him to take it down and he is bluntly saying no.

I NEED HELP, WHAT DO I DO?

You might try contacting the web designer too.  There is link at the bottom of the home page.

I don't know how important this is to you; if it's worth the hassle and money to contact an attorney....this is a grey area we've talked about on this board with variations of facts.  Some have said if you allow someone to take a picture of you and your dog then the photograph is not your property...others state that someone who takes your picture can not use it for advertisment or to post on the internet ect without your permission.  I'm not an attorney so I can't advise you on which one is actually "law" persay but if this is something that you are adament about getting removed chances are the only way to get it done is if an attorney sends a nasty gram. lol  Good Luck.

It would be nice if we could rely on people to use good judgement when creating websites but unfortunately anyone can steal property and pose as if it is their own. Your letting a huge number of people in on his misrepresentation just through your post  I have a client who used our stud and then to bolster his own sales covered his site with all the pics and info about our boy like he was his unfotunately he got some things incorrect posting scanned copies of xrays that actually were our studs sire. I emailed to let him know he was mistaken and of course was ignored the stud he used has certified hips so perhaps he figured who will ever know? but somehow it bugs me he would not correct his site. The copy was clearly labelled with the file name of the right dog when I sent it to him which was also obviously not the same male he used! The xrays copy happens to be from a well known kennel and that stud is still being used so I wonder do they have any rights to the reuse of the contents of their internet property? probably not but I feel like I  was part of a smoke and mirror scam.

The way I understand it is this:  the person who took the picture owns the picture and all rights to it.  I'm not sure how that would work with the hip xray pictures other than to venture a guess that since the owner paid for the "pictures" he/she owns the rights to them as well.

Since this guy has ignored you so far, (assuming you have a physical address for him as you were partnered with him at one time), I would send a C/RR letter to him advising him that he is fraudulently using the photos of your dogs and request that he remove them immediately.  If he doesn't comply I'd speak to an attorney about what your options are from that point.

Good luck.  The dishonesty of that just isn't right.

FionaDunne is correct, He who takes the pictures owns them.  I took the pictures on my property, with my house in the background, on my camera. We have consulted our legal advisor, and he advised to crop out anything that had a person in it. This person, narck9, is a 19 year old who just likes to stir the pot. We have all of the documentation to defend his previous legal threats.

So, this photo was taken on private property and not in a public place? Do you have a signed waiver allowing the use of the image for commercial purposes?  That may be a whole other can of worms. 

Well K9 Solutions I have some other very nice looking dogs that I have pictures of, if your buisness is hurting that bad I could send them to you. (it might help you out a bit). Also both of the dogs that you have the pictures of are for sale, this way you could buy them and they could actually be your dogs. Let me know!