My ex girfriend moved out in november. She left in my possession two labs that we had raised together for 2 years. When we were working on our breakup and she agreed to leave my house she asked what about the dogs. I gave her the option of taking them only in the event that she would be able to take care of them herself. I told her if she left them with me I would take care of them and I would pay off any debt owed on them at the vet. She was officially out as of November 30. She came back to pick up a few items that she needed help with about a week later during this whole time I was in possession of the dogs. After a couple of weeks I paid off their vet bill and took them to have their vaccinations which were a year over due. She called on January the 17th to tell me she was coming to get them. I advised her that per our agreement in the event that she left them with me I would provide care for them and they would stay with me she is threatening to take me to court.
2007-02-06 07:57:10 · 8 answers · asked by lacervesamasfina 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Thanks for the input. No the dogs were not registered because they are mixed. I called the humane society to see if they knew if she has a leg to stand on. The code in which the county I live in states that an owner is anyone that harbors one or more animals for 3 consecutive days. They told me I would win. Most of her case is he said she said. My vet told me that she thinks there is a 14 day statute of limitations and then it becomes abandonment. As of today I have roughly a 800 dollar paper trail. If I dont get a supeana within the next 30 days then ill know she didnt file with the court.
2007-02-06 09:53:43 · update #1
The staute of limitations would really depend on where you live.
It seems to me as you had no written contract, that it would be your word against hers, so I would prepare photos of your place, financial statements of how you paid the vet etc. to prove you could take care of them best.
2007-02-06 08:03:56 · answer #1 · answered by allyalexmch 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A couple of things I am going to assume, # 1 the dogs are not registered (if they are then the name of the person appearing on the registration is the rightful owner regardless of where the dogs live if you are both named on the registration then you will need to work out a buy sell agreement) and # 2 you have no written agreement pertaining to the dogs.
Fact - posses ion is NOT 9/10 of the law! And dogs are regarded as property in the eyes of the law. So whom ever can prove they are the owner is the person who is going to be awarded the dogs should you go to small claims court.
The most important piece of paper is the receipt, contract, etc that you received from where you got the dogs. So your contract with the breeder, your receipt from the shelter etc. If this is not you and you get to court you are going to lose the dogs, However you can take documentation proving all of your out of pocket expenses relating to the dog she will have to reimburse you for them. So start keeping receipts now as you will need them, it's not enough to say "I bought 6 bags of dog food over 6 months" you will need to have receipts proving you bought dog food, same goes for vet bills, grooming, toys treats etc,
Hope this helps, my personal advise would be to work something out before it gets that far get an independant 3 party to mediate something. The court process really isn't fun and in cases like this usually everyone loses!
2007-02-06 09:00:43 · answer #2 · answered by Bianca 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell her you'll see her in court!!!! She abandoned those dogs!!!! YOU paid the vet bill and took them to the vet!!!! By the way, whose name are the dog license in and if they are pure breed with papers whose name are they in? Still just the same I would not give them up without a fight. Tell her to take the case to one of the court judges on TV. I wish you all the best and I hope you get to keep the dogs!!! Addition> Glad to hear you checked and you found out it would probably be your case!!! Just thought of something, be sure there is not a way for your ex to try and steal the dogs. I know some ex's can be vindictive!!!!
2007-02-06 08:52:39 · answer #3 · answered by ® 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to court.
There is no proof of any agreement in her favor or for yours. HOWEVER possesion is 9/10 of the law. The dogs are in your care and you have been providing care (which you can prove by their records and the receipt). In fact all the stuff she left you really didn't have to give back to her either (you're such a nice guy).
Also if she takes you to court you can slap a counter suit on her in order for her to pay the court bills and possible loss of pay for her dragging you to court.
A verbal agreement is only binding when there is a noninterested third party present as a witness - other than that it's just he said/she said.
Good Luck
2007-02-06 08:03:37 · answer #4 · answered by sillybuttmunky 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I had a VN for a question revealed in hardship-free words some weeks in the past. It grow to be a poem! i could not care a lot less. I save something I evaluate major on my difficult force and reduce and paste into Y!A. That way, I not in any respect lose something. I were attempting to spend the criteria I have earned on account that I reached element 7, yet no man or woman needs them. i will't even commerce them in for pens and paper.
2016-12-03 19:39:50 · answer #5 · answered by nastasi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I say to let her take you to court. If she couldn't come up with money to pay for the dogs' health care, I doubt that she's going to have to money to file a lawsuit or hire an attorney. It's her word against your word and vice-versa.
If she does try to sue sue you for custody of the dogs, you can get duplicate receipts that you have paid for their vet care. I think the dogs belong to you.
2007-02-06 08:15:26 · answer #6 · answered by HDB 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Go to court. You should win. If not then AT LEAST make her pay before you give them up.
2007-02-06 08:09:02 · answer #7 · answered by coolhandven 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
whos name are they originally registered to at the vets yours or hers? are they chipped? if so who to?
2007-02-06 08:31:22 · answer #8 · answered by ben e 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋