Question

A friend of mine adopted a dog from the shelter, she found out she is not allowed to keep the dog where she lives. I told her I would foster the dog because I do not want it going back to the shelter. I don’t know what I’m legally supposed to do next, do I try to get the dog put in my name or wait for when she has a permanent home?

Answer

Your rights are dependent on the agreement between you and your friend. People who agree to foster animals for a friend don’t “own” the animal (and simply getting a dog license does not change the facts). Alternatively, people who are given an animal as a gift typically gain “ownership” of that animal (for example, a friend no longer wants to keep her animal and gives the animal away). Ideally, agreements stating the rights and responsibilities of the parties would be in writing so consider discussing this with your friend. Also, some shelter adoption agreements contain provisions for when an adopter no longer wishes to keep an adopted animal. Good luck!

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