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Pet Legal Q&A

///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.

Owner Abandoned Puppy

My fiance and I were contacted to pick up a puppy or it would have been homeless. We were told the puppy was left outside of the owner's home in a kennel and the owner was not returning. We took the puppy home, bathed him, fed him, made him comfortable. Three days later, the owner contacts us asking for the puppy back. He stated he was gone for two days and came back to find his puppy was gone. He demanded to have us return the puppy or else. We were frightened and didn't know what else to do, therefore we returned the puppy. We are concerned with the well-being of the puppy staying with this owner. Is or was there anything else we should have done?

By |2021-03-25T15:29:41+00:00March 25th, 2021|

Can I adopt a dog I found and surrendered?

I found a dog in the grass near the road at night and was worried about her. She had a collar on but no identifying information, and she was very scared. I brought her home so she’d be safe, and the next morning I brought her to our local Humane Society. They scanned for a microchip, and finding none, had me sign a surrender form so they could take her for a five day hold to find the owner or see if she is a candidate for adoption. I can’t stop thinking about her, and if possible I’d like to adopt her. Will I be able to do so after signing a surrender form— considering she wasn’t my dog when I surrendered her?

By |2021-03-25T15:04:42+00:00March 25th, 2021|

Requesting to see my surrendered cat.

I have surrendered my cat to a no-kill shelter because I had to move out of the state and because I was having some health problems at the time and I couldn't take care of it. Since I haven't moved yet and I am still in Las Vegas, NV, I have asked to see my cat because my son and I, we miss him. The shelter told me that he has been adopted within the same month when I surrendered, and that they can't give me information of the adopter person for privacy purpose. I have not asked for the Adopter's address or anything related, I've asked if they can call the person who adopted my pet to let me see the pet one more time or send me a picture of him because I miss him that bad. They are not even returning my calls or emails back. I feel they have no right to treat people's feelings like that. What can I do?

By |2021-03-25T14:42:01+00:00March 25th, 2021|

How can we get our cat back?

I am really desperate to get help. On Friday, January 29, 2021, my husband and I did the mistake of taking our cat to the shelter . We regretted it and on that same day he called to try to get him back, but they didn’t answer. Then we went to the shelter on Monday, February 1, 2021, and they told us he had been adopted. That cat was my son special needs cat and now he is so sad he doesn’t want to eat. What can I do to get him back?

By |2021-03-25T14:34:04+00:00March 25th, 2021|