Q: I am themanager for a veterinary hospital. We had a client turn her pet over to us,now she wants the pet back.
Do we have to give the pet back?
A: Why wouldn’t you? Legally, if there was a completed gift or clear abandonment of the pet, then no, the former pet owner no longer “owns” the pet. Proving the legal intent to make a completed gift or to permanently abandon all legal claims to the pet will be yours to prove in the event of a lawsuit. So, depending on the facts and how strongly you feel about keeping the pet, and your willingness to get into a legal fight, you can make your decision. I imagine the person had a change of heart and missed their pet and decided they made a mistake. Unless there is a basis to suspect abuse or maltreatment, maybe the pet would be better off reunited with its family.
Tim Akpinar agrees with this answer
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