Question

Is there any legal right I can back myself with to get my dog’s puppy back? My dog and my mom’s dog had puppies together. Mine had four. We kept two and a family member wanted the other two. It has been almost a year and the dogs have not been groomed or taken to the vet, and she leaves the dogs outside in the freezing winter and now hot summer. They are a very small breed of dog and are not meant to stay outside. We established terms of care before asking for the $100 rehoming fee. The terms they agreed to was to take them to the vet when needed, get them groomed regularly, and to never leave them outside because they’re too small. We wanted to make sure they were taken care of and were going to a good home. She swore to these terms and has broken every one of them. I wish we would have signed a contract, but that seemed to be a bit much since they were my family. Now, we want them back, but they refuse. I’ve had every member of the family tell me that they love one of the dogs but hate the other. So, they’ve basically told me they don’t want her, they’ve neglected the care we agreed on, and they refuse to give the dogs back. What can I do to at least get the dog that they said they don't even like back?

Answer

I hope that you and your family member who has the neglected dogs can agree on a pet custody arrangement that considers the best interests of these dogs. I also suggest you get your dogs spayed/neutered. There is a serious overpopulation of dogs and spaying and neutering provide health benefits. People who give their animals away generally have no further rights to those animals (unless there is an agreement sating otherwise). Verbal agreements can be difficult to enforce. Sometimes people who are not bonded with an animal will agree to sell the animal. Offering to purchase the dogs may help to get the dogs returned. People who believe an animal is being mistreated should contact the police, animal control, sheriff’s department, and humane society. Neglected and abused animals may be seized by law enforcement officers (but that does not mean the person who made the complaint regarding the animal’s lack of care gets to keep the animal).

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