Can someone legally keep my dog from me after watching him for 3 months?

////Can someone legally keep my dog from me after watching him for 3 months?

Question

I am now in a legal battle with somebody I used to live with who said he would take care of my dog until I became settled in a new place. He will not return my calls/texts and is now saying that I have to pay $6,000 for boarding fees even though he’s been keeping him from me for 3 months by relocating him to his girlfriends house. He is papered in my name, but he wants to keep my dog and is now taking me to court and hiding my dog from me until I pay $6,000 in “boarding fees” although there was no contract. What can I do? Does he have standing to charge me for any boarding fees without an agreement?

Answer

There is something in the law called “quantum meruit.” Basically what this means is that when there is no contract a court could order reasonable compensation for services rendered. The court will consider the evidence presented (including, for example, that the animal may have been hidden thus unreasonably increasing boarding fees) or that the animal was gifted or abandoned when making a determination regarding how much, if anything, is due.

PLEASE NOTE: Responses to legal inquiries are not meant to replace seeking legal advice from an attorney in your state. The materials in this website and any responses to questions are for informational purposes only and are not intended, nor should they be construed, as legal advice. This website, the information contained herein, and any responses to questions directed to this column are not intended to create and do not establish an attorney-client relationship. You should not rely or act upon any information provided on this website or in any response to your inquiry without seeking the advice of an attorney in your state regarding the facts of your specific situation.

Send Your Pet Legal Question Now!

Elinor will field as many questions as she can and they will be posted here on this site. Due to the volume of questions received, not all questions are answered. However, many individuals have similar questions. You may find helpful information in the categories listed below.

Ask a Legal Question

By |2019-05-16T13:45:18-04:00April 23rd, 2019|