Liability for Friend's Dog

[RH1115]

I have a friend who left her dog with us for a few months while she traveled around the country. She has since become very hostile towards us and has gone back and forth on many points regarding responsibility and care for her dog.

It has come to a point where her hostility is interfering with our lives on a daily basis and I need it to end.

According to the law regarding pets in my area it looks like I can drop the dog off at the city shelter as an "abandoned" animal. The dog is micro-chipped and registered in the friend's name so she will have the option of picking the dog up from the shelter within 7-10 days.

The problem lies in the fact that this individual is leaving the country and won't be able to physically retrieve her dog for over a month. By that point the dog will have either been adopted or put-down.

If I decide to turn this dog into a shelter, can I be held legally responsible in ANY way for doing so - there are no written contracts between us and our friend regarding care for her pet.

I would keep the dog here with me but I do not have the resources to care for it the way it needs and the dog's owner has stopped sending me money to pay for dog food.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Russ

 

[jharris352]

First of all, YES you are responsible to her for the safekeeping of the dog until you give her notice and opportunity to do something about it. You accepted this responsibility you can not just turn around on it. The dog has NOT been abandoned. You are reading that incorrectly. The dog was placed in your care and you willingly accepted the responsibility for that dog. Whatever you do with that dog, you will be responsible.

That having been said, you have options. I would notify the owner in writing. I would send an email and a certified letter. I would send the email since you know she is about to leave the country and she doesn't have much time. I would send the certified letter to her last known address because that is legal notice.

In the letter/email I would tell her that you are no longer willing to keep her animal, that she is to pick the animal up within ten (10) days, if she fails to pick the animal up within ten (10) days you intend to either sell the dog or send the dog to the pound as an abandoned animal.

The fact she is leaving for another country isn't your problem. Unless she has alienated them all she has other friends, family, and/or kennels to keep her dog.

She may be mad but sometimes life just doesn't do what you want it to. She obviously made this bed she can now lay in it.

Good luck.

 

[RH1115]

Thank you Jharris - that is the most informative response I have received regarding this situation. I appreciate the insight.

~Russ