Q: My ex roommate and I got a dog, the dog is in his name adoption wise, but he never cared for her and now wants her?
Basically me, & 3 other roommates wanted an animal for our home. We agreed she wasn’t anyone’s specifically since we had a ways to go until any of us would go separate ways. Anyways, she was put in one’s name because he’s the only one that had an id on them at the time. Now he never once cared for this animal unless he was asked multiple times, he never bonded with her even when he was home and equipped too. She’s very attached to meTime goes by and he goes awol and moves out, 3 days go by where he had every chance to take the dog and he didn’t try or mention her until he saw she wasn’t in the living room anymkre. So he took her dog food, but nothing else that she would need if he had her. He only took the adoption paper with his name on it.Mind you the dog was completely free. He tried to get the dog 1x!Two months go by, not a word from him about her,and she’s been registeredas my emotional support animal, but I get served at work that he’s taking me to court for her. will I lose her?
A:
According the law, dogs are personal property, like any other. Whoever paid for the dog would probably have the strongest claim on it.
Being "registered as an emotional support animal" is meaningless in court; there is no ESA registry, and it would still not override a claim based on purchase.
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