Pet Legal Q&A

Elinor D. Molbegott, is an attorney who maintains a law practice devoted to animal law. Elinor donates her time to answer questions from North Shore Animal League America supporters who would like to learn more about animal law.

Who has rights to an escaped cat?

My sister's cat escaped 10 months ago. The cat was just found by a rescue organization, but they gave it back to a guy who apparently has had the cat for the last 10 months. Shouldn't my sister have legal rights to the cat since she had her first?

By |2022-06-14T15:44:44-04:00June 14th, 2022|

Conflict in Family Led to Incident

My teenage son had an emotional and mental break down where he ended up hurting our family dog in the process. He was taken to the hospital but the police along with animal control are charging him with animal cruelty and there’s a possibility that they won’t give him back as long as my son is living here with us. It was the first time this ever happened and we don’t know what to do - none of us want to lose our family dog and my son is getting the help he needs. What can we do as a family to try and get our dog home?

By |2022-06-21T13:23:33-04:00June 10th, 2022|

Stolen dog

If I was given a dog for free, I paid for the vet bills, registered her, and paid to put her in my rental lease and then I was robbed and beaten up in my own home for the dog. Do I have to go to civil court in order to get the dog back ? I pressed charges so would that be resolved in the regular court along w the case or so I have to go to separate court?

By |2022-06-21T13:21:43-04:00June 10th, 2022|

Ex-roommates dispute over dog ownership

My ex-roommate gave me his neglected dog he said because he was going into rehab and he would be better off with me. He is out of rehab and now saying it was supposed to be temporary. The dog has a microchip, can he take him away from me? Can I have my vet change the microchip information without the ex-roommates cooperation? Over time I fell in love and totally consider him my dog. I would be devastated if I had to send him back to that bad situation.

By |2022-06-21T13:30:04-04:00June 7th, 2022|

Is my sisters cat legally mine after a year?

My sister had been gifted a cat about a year ago. After a week of having him she decided to bring him to my parents house so that they could care for him while she went to rehab. She hasn’t come to pick him back up after a year, and she does have an apartment now, as well as cares for a small dog. I paid for all his food and exams at the vet as well as a neuter, updated vaccines, and chip implant. She wants the cat back now, but I don’t believe she can care for him due to her addiction and failure to hold a job, as well as how she doesn’t properly care for the dog she currently has. Due to her failure to care of the animal before, as well as the failure to care for her current animal does that make the cat mine since I properly take care of him?

By |2022-06-21T13:29:05-04:00June 7th, 2022|

What are my rights?

A coworker gave me a dog 2 months ago and asked if they could see him every now and then to which I verbally agreed to. Now they are asking to take him for an entire day, I replied that I do not feel comfortable with them taking him but they are more than welcome to come by or we can meet up at a park. They said this is not okay and that it was a one condition that they could take him home a whole day for me to get him. Can they take him back since I don’t have any papers other than vet visits?

By |2022-06-21T13:25:54-04:00June 7th, 2022|

Legal ownership from ex partner’s dogs

My ex partner adopted two dogs 3 years ago. We broke up a month ago and he agreed to give them to me since he is busy with work. I am afraid he changes his mind and asks me to give them back. Does he have the right to do so? I have already registered the dog's chips under my name and in American Kennel.

By |2022-06-28T09:59:19-04:00June 5th, 2022|

Neglect of cats

My 2 cats have IBD and must eat. They’re shy & easily stressed. I emphasized the importance of them eating to the kennel operator both verbally and in writing. I brought different food varieties and an appetite stimulant for emergency use. I told the owner that if cats don’t eat they develop liver disease, and one of them had already experienced that in the past. Each day she told me in writing they were both eating well. When I picked them up they were both extremely thin. She told me I feed them too much, which meant they weren’t eating and she was discarding the food. I can’t recall if I signed a waiver because I was already upset about leaving them there. Do I have recourse?

By |2022-06-28T09:58:35-04:00May 28th, 2022|

My cat has been trapped!!!

My cat was trapped by my neighbor and she was out there for hours meowing we saved her in the end but she has been mad and scared since she has been hiding. The neighbors did not even tell my family that he disliked my cat. We have been keeping her inside but I’m still scared she will get trapped or killed or be lost forever. Her life is on the line please help!

By |2022-06-28T09:52:39-04:00May 26th, 2022|
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