Question
My three dogs were let out of our fenced in yard while I was in our house. I noticed it within an hour when I went to go let them back in. My neighbors, who I think let them out in the first place, called the pound and now the pound wants to charge me $240 to get my pets back, and they've had them for a whole couple of hours. I had them penned in properly, why should I have to pay such large amount of fees to get my animals back?
Answer
Impound laws vary but usually require people who seek to reclaim their pets to pay a fee. These fees vary throughout the country and often increase the longer an animal is left at a shelter. People who do not pay the fee to retrieve their animal in a timely manner may lose rights to the animal. People who believe they were overcharged can sue to try to get compensated but it is generally prudent to wait until the animal is safe at home. Consider locking your fence and also supervising the dogs when outside, particularly given concerns that your neighbors may have let them out.
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