Q: If I pet sit for sum1 and they break the verbal agreement on # of days and amount of $, can I withhold the animals?
There's 2 animals. Im pet sitting at my own home. They were gone several additional days without even a phone call to tell when they would REALLY be back. And they refuse to pay anything for my service when we clearly verbally agreed on a specific $ amount per day. Is it illegal to not allow them to pick up there animals until the debt is paid? And charge them the daily fee until they pay?
A:
I would give them their dogs back and sue them in small claims court for the verbal agreement you had for payment. If you don't they can sue you for conversion of their property - keeping their dogs when they are the rightful owner and if they get an attorney that knows how to use ORS 20.080 - they will get their attorney's fees too.
They can also call the police on you and then it may turn into a theft. I don't know of a law that gives you a lien on animals for pet sitting. You can search Oregon laws to see if there is such a law, but I don't know of one. Even if such a law exists you risk not qualifying for it because you don't have a written agreement that spells out that you were promised payment for caring for the pets and what the rate per day was that everyone agreed to.
In the future, learn how to be a savvy business person. Get a written agreement and some kind of deposit in advance for your services. Give the dogs back before the situation gets worse for you.
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