Atlanta, GA asked in Adoption and Animal / Dog Law for Colorado

Q: I adopted a puppy out of the shelter and he has been extremely sick since, can I hold them accountable?

The vet has stated that the shelter should have been fully aware of the puppies issue before adopting him out.

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1 Lawyer Answer
Kristina M. Bergsten
PREMIUM
Kristina M. Bergsten
Answered
  • Animal & Dog Law Lawyer
  • Denver, CO
  • Licensed in Colorado

A: Yes, you can sue the shelter for fraudulent misrepresentation of the health of the animal. Sometimes, however, some shelters have waivers of liability in their adoption contracts - so you need to check your adoption contract. If, however, the illness was so obvious that they should have known about it before adopting the dog out, like your vet said, then you might have a cause of action. I would recommend having an animal law attorney review your case.

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