I need help reclaiming my cats.

Question

I need an animal rights lawyer. My cats got lost and were at the animal shelter. They're emotional support animals and I looked everywhere for them for months.

Virginia, USA

Answer

Local and state bar associations typically have attorney referral services. An animal rights or civil litigation attorney may handle a case to try to get an animal returned and/or for monetary damages.

Shelters are required to hold lost and stray animals only for a few days, after which time shelters are generally allowed to rehome these animals if they have not been claimed by their “parents” during this time. Some shelters will reach out to a new adopter to let them know that a prior “parent” has come forth but adopters are not usually required to return their adopted animal.

However, some states, including Virginia, have enacted laws requiring shelters to scan animals for a microchip and to notify the animals’ “parents” prior to rehoming the animals. Failure of the shelter to do so could affect an adopter's rights and the rights of a person claiming to be an animal’s “parent.”

VA law states, in part:

Any veterinarian, public or private animal shelter, or releasing agency that releases or receives companion animals for adoption or is authorized to euthanize companion animals shall seek to identify the lawful owner of each unidentified companion animal submitted to it, including, for any weaned companion animal that may be safely handled, making a reasonable attempt to scan the animal for an embedded microchip at the time of intake, at the time of assessment, and prior to disposition. If a chip is detected, the veterinarian, shelter, or agency shall make every reasonable effort to contact the owner by the most expedient method available…