Cleveland, OH asked in Animal / Dog Law for Ohio

Q: I bought a dog from someone online. The dog was clearly sick so I called it into animal control as a stray

I only had her in my possession for nearly 48 hours, Come to find out the dog has parvo which is a deadly disease to other dogs. Since the dog is not registered to me can I get fined or in trouble for calling animal control and having her picked up as a stray? I knew her medical bills would be more than I could pay and I thought I bought a healthy dog but the seller sold me a diseased dog. If the previous owner calls animal control and says she was mine can I still be held accountable for the dog and It’s medical bills ?

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer
Taylor P Waters
Taylor P Waters
Answered
  • Animal & Dog Law Lawyer
  • Worthington, OH
  • Licensed in Ohio

A: You're asking whether you can lie to animal control because you bought a dog with parvo? No. You can try to return the dog to the seller, attempt to bring a lawsuit against the seller, or attempt to surrender the animal to the local humane society.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.