Question

I owned my dog for 2 years before deciding to give him away. The agreement was that we would be able to visit and take him with notice. Recently, the owner stopped responding to me, and I was informed that he doesn't want us to see him anymore. I kept all his paperwork, and he's registered in my name in case this happened. Do we have any rights, and what should I do to get him back?

Answer

People who believe that their animal is being wrongfully withheld can sue to try to get the animal returned. I cannot predict the outcome of any given case but an argument may be made that there was a breach of contract. Consider that seeing you come and go may not be the best thing for this dog who you decided to rehome after having him for two years. It likely took the dog time to adapt to his new home. Just because a person retains an animal’s original paperwork does not negate the fact that the animal was rehomed. I hope the dog is in a loving and forever home!

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