Q: Who has legal ownership of dog living in home with no electricity and owner been in jail since Jan 18?
I live in Sweetwater, TN and have become aware of a dog, Mia, living in a house in Sweetwater with no electricity. Mia's owner has been in jail since Jan. 18 and a family member is feeding her and taking her out to potty twice a day. Upon her owner going to jail, the police told the family member that the owner was worried about his dog and the family member told the police the dog would be alright. The family member has made attempts to contact the owner and visit him in jail to discuss signing Mia over to her with no success. Who is now the legal owner of the dog.. The owner who is in jail or the family member?
A: Based on the facts as you describe them, the owner who is in jail still owns the dog. The family member seems to be taking care of the dog on a volunteer basis. The family member may be able to argue the owner abandoned the dog, if that argument is successful then the family member would be the owner. Good luck.
1 user found this answer helpful
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.
