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.

Breeder lied about Purebred Status. What can I do?

KSL Breeder advertised Purebred White German Shepherd for $500.00. A year later I did a DNA test to find out he is not a purebred White German Shepherd, but only 66.7% White Shepherd and 20.8% Husky and 11.5 Shiloh Shepherd. Can I do anything?

By |2023-06-20T16:31:52-04:00June 20th, 2023|

Parental neglect.

I am a minor who is coming into possession of a cat. I love this cat with all my heart, and I will pay all necessary fees to keep her alive. However, my family refuses to keep this cat at our house, so I am sharing custody of this cat with a friend of mine. She is allowed to keep this cat; however, her stepfather is a mean drunk and has a history of giving away pets in the house for money or otherwise. There is no other place I can keep this cat. If her stepfather removes the cat, what can I do about it, and what legal repercussions can I enforce? If he lays one finger on my baby, I swear to God I will throw the book at him. Please help.

By |2023-07-17T16:28:04-04:00June 20th, 2023|

My teacher’s neighbor stole her cat and put it into a shelter, and the cat was sent to a pet store. Is that legal?

My teacher has a cat that she loves dearly, the cat is microchipped. However, her neighbor stole her cat and surrendered it to a shelter, and they didn't even bother checking the microchip and making sure it was her who was surrendering the cat. Now the shelter wants to charge her $100 and sent the cat to a pet store to be adopted. Is that legal? For both the shelter to do that, and her neighbor to have stolen the cat like that?

By |2023-08-17T11:15:19-04:00June 20th, 2023|

After agreeing to split cat care, my ex informed me he was abandoning them and leaving me the responsibility entirely. Is there a way I would be able to get him to pay petimony?

My ex and I adopted 3 cats while we were together. He insisted on getting the 3rd (who I love with all my heart), and I agreed to it as long as we would split cat care evenly in the event we broke up, which he assured me we would. We broke up a year ago and since then I've taken care of them mostly, he's been splitting costs and feeding them a few days a week and staying with them if I go out of town. Yesterday, after moving some more of his stuff out of my apartment, he informed me he was abandoning them and leaving me the responsibility entirely, then blocked me. I looked up petimony but it seems like that might be only legitimate through divorce, we were never married but lived together with cats for 3 years. Is there a way I would be able to get him to pay petimony?

By |2023-06-20T15:30:41-04:00June 20th, 2023|

My beloved pet was killed by my neighbors’ German Shepherds. Can I sue the neighbors if their dogs come into my yard, and should I record it for better evidence?

My dog was killed in the morning April 30th, 2023. The next day at 1 am, May 1st, 2023, the dogs get out again. I'm terrified they may hurt my other small dogs. Dog pound dispatch came on April 30th and took pictures of my dead dog and talked to neighbors, then left. Can I sue the neighbors if their dogs come into my yard, and should I record it for better evidence?

By |2023-06-20T15:11:40-04:00June 20th, 2023|

Is there a legal age that foundation rescues are required to get spayed by?

The shelter I am currently fostering-to-adopt from is telling me that I am not allowed to wait until the dog reaches 6 months to get spayed. They have scheduled a spay appointment for her in a few weeks when she will be 3 1/2 months old. The person I'm in contact with is saying it must be done before 6 months because "that's how the shelter system works" - is there a legal age that foundation rescues are required to get spayed by?

By |2023-06-20T14:51:14-04:00June 20th, 2023|

Can I get reimbursed from ex-wife who sold our dog to breeder?

My ex wife and I bought a dog together in 2014. We divorced in may 2015. She kept the dog because I couldn’t take it to an apartment. She said she would make the payments. 4 years later I get a phone call wanting back payment on this day. My son said she sold it for $3000 to a breeder in California. Can I sue her to get my money back?

By |2023-06-20T10:56:34-04:00June 20th, 2023|

Severe neglect.

A neighbor down the road has a larger dog tied to a tree with about a 2-foot or less strap. The dog can't even stand up, has no water, and is lying in a mud hole. I have contacted animal control, but nothing is being done. What can I do to help this neglected, tortured dog? It can't even stand to pee or poop. It's such a sad situation; the dog looks so sad and has no hope of any kind. It breaks my heart. It's been like this for weeks now, and I walk by every day on my walk.

By |2023-07-17T15:45:49-04:00June 17th, 2023|
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