Question

So I adopted a dog from a local humane society paid the adoption fee. The director decided that she wasn't a good fit for me and made me bring her back. I felt like I was robbed of the adoption fee. Is there a lawsuit?

Answer

Adoption agreements often state that adoption fees are not refundable but rights to a refund in this situation may depend on whether the humane society had the right to reclaim the dog pursuant to the terms of the adoption agreement. People who believe they are owed money can sue to try to get compensated. Cases involving relatively small amounts of money are often commenced in Small Claims Court. People who believe that their animal is being wrongfully withheld can also commence a civil lawsuit to try to get the animal returned. Time is of the essence since after an animal is re-homed, it is very difficult to get the animal returned. I cannot predict the outcome of any given case. Most importantly, I hope the dog has a happy life!

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