Does anyone know of any government assistance that might be available for expats who want to return? Assume the expat is officially a visa overstayer and the marriage has imploded. Yes reporting themselves as illegal would do it but their dogs wouldnt be deported alongside them so its a no-go.

Just to be clear, this person is a UK citizen? How long has this person overstayed? Any friends/family that could help out with an airline ticket and getting the dogs back?

Yes, British citezen. 7 years. Its a lot of money to ship the dogs, around 13K. No family help available. British embassy are as usefull as a chocolate fireguard

Why the heck should the British taxpayer pay for your return to the UK and, in addition, pay for your dogs shipment.....?

Sheesh......

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, but heading back to the UK doesn't sound like a well thought out plan if you want to keep your dogs. I'm assuming it must be a lot of dogs for that amount of money, so where will you live when you get back to the UK if you don't have any family or friends that can help?

Is there any way to legalise your status in the US instead? What happened to the green card application, did you just never do it or did it just not finalise?

Do you have a current British passport? The British embassy may be able to help you get back but as you say, wouldn't help with the dogs. It may be worth contacting animal welfare charities but I suspect they'll suggest helping to rehome the dogs as they won't be able to afford the £13k either. Perhaps you could look at setting up a GoFundMe? That may help for at least some of it.

Why should it? The guy can work for his ticket back and for the shipment of the dogs if he is so insistent to get them back -- one of his earlier posts said he had 10 dogs !!
The British embassy is there for people in serious and immediate situations..... not for deadbeats........

Have you seen what he called a social services worker when she refused him jobseekers allowance some years ago....? Says it all......

It's called "entitlement".

I've seen others ask similar questions in the past, makes you wonder how the British taxpayer would react if they thought the government was funding the return of all those of us who have decided to come home, along with belongings and pets.......

As you say, let him work for the money himself, its not like he's stuck in a place where he isn't allowed to work! Maybe the US wife could help as part of the divorce settlement - bit more realistic than the British Embassy!

he said assume the expat is an “overstayer” implying no right to work legally…

Take your dogs to Afghanistan and they will be flown back for free...

No legal right to work doesn't necessarily mean the OP isn't working. Or have they been living off their spouse's income for the whole time period of the overstay...

That's what I was thinking. Must've been doing something all this time he's been in the US.
Maybe if she has been earning enough to support the two of them and ten dogs all this time, she could pay for him to get home?!

..... can't think of one good reason why, if my marriage had just imploded (as the OP says) one would be willing to spend money to enable one's ex (and his dogs) to leave the country......

You're probably right, but I think its probably more her responsibility than that of the British Government

....

..... no responsibility at all of the British government