Q: who has legal rights to a dog who's owner has passed away?
My best friends boyfriend died while she was in Mexico. His dead beat mother took the dog that they shared (originally his dog) for the last 10 months, as a plea for attention like she's a good person. His grandfather and grandmother know that he would not have wanted his mother to have the dog. Does she have rights to the dog they shared?
A: It is hard to say. The person that bought the dog would have technically been the owner unless it was gifted to someone else. It just sounds like the mother is grieving and took the dog as a way to deal with her grief. If your best friend wants to figure out ownership rights for the dog, she should see an attorney. This is her battle not yours, but it is nice you are trying to help out.
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