Q: Can my friend take her dog, legally?
My friend is moving out of her negligent parents' house. She's almost 20. She's paid for everything with the dog, paid the adoption fees, paid for vet costs, etc. She's wanting to re register the dog's microchip information to herself, (it's presently in her father's name) and take the dog with her when she moves out because the dog is fearful, and her parents are borderline abusive. She's worried the dog will bite someone and her parents won't bother trying to continue socializing it, or may dump her somewhere, or abuse the dog. Can she take it with her when she moves out? Isn't it her legal property if she's paid for it? She still has all the receipts.
A: If she paid for it, she has a strong argument the dog is hers. As for the microchip, it's usually company policy that they won't change the name of the person on the microchip without consent from the primary account holder, which, it sounds like, is her dad. She can take the dog with her since she paid for it, but she should prepare herself for some retaliation from her parents, if they believe the dog is theirs. If her name is on the adoption paperwork/purchase paperwork, then she has an even stronger argument the dog is hers.
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