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Arizona Animal / Dog Law Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law and Civil Litigation for Arizona on
Q: Dog jumped on friend, causing bleeding; court case filed.

I was not home when an incident occurred involving my emotional support dog and my granddaughter's friend. My granddaughter opened the door while the dog was inside the house, and upon opening it, the dog jumped on the little girl, resulting in her mouth bleeding. It's unclear if it was a... View More

Peter H. Westby
Peter H. Westby
answered on Feb 14, 2025

This sounds like a nuisance lawsuit. I recommend reporting this claim to your homeowners insurance carrier. They will hire a lawyer for you to defend. Your lawyer will be an experienced insurance defense lawyer and will get all medical and other records to properly evaluate this claim.... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Child Custody and Family Law for Arizona on
Q: Can my nieces CAA court order my dog to be taken away from me based on a lie of saying he is her emotional support dog?

My brother is going through a custody battle in which temporary orders were given for my nieces to live with their mom. A CAA was brought in and my niece told her that she misses her dog and that she uses her dog as an emotional support animal. The dog in questions was a Christmas gift for the... View More

Stephen M Vincent
Stephen M Vincent
answered on Oct 10, 2024

I am probably too late on this ...

Most likely, the family court does not have jurisdiction over your dog.

The family court only has jurisdiction over dogs in divorces and only when the dog was acquired during the marriage and is the property of one or both of the spouses. In that...
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1 Answer | Asked in Criminal Law and Animal / Dog Law for Arizona on
Q: Is it actually unlawful to take someone's dog home with you when you pick them up off the streets? I live in Arizona

Long story short I found a puppy wandering around a neighborhood no collar, I took it to get scanned but no chip. I basically hung out with this dog all day and eventually ended up talking to some neighbors. One of the neighbors told me they think the dog lives at the Corner House. So I ended up... View More

Christopher Millar
Christopher Millar
answered on Jan 19, 2024

Hello,

Arizona Theft requires "intent to deprive" a person of the property. Here, you did not commit theft because you were attempting to locate the owner to give them their property back. I believe you've done a good deed that would not be considered "theft." I...
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1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law and Family Law for Arizona on
Q: Can I take my cat when I turn 18 if my mother claims ownership, but has never taken him to the vet and I care for him?

I will turn 18 in July, and I have a cat that is currently living at my parents' house. My mother has always said the cat is mine, and I have been responsible for cleaning his litter box. She buys the cat litter and food, which I can now provide. She doesn't let the cat do much and yells... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jul 5, 2025

You’ve clearly built a strong bond with your cat, and it’s obvious that you’ve been the one providing care, attention, and love. While your mother may have covered some expenses like food and litter, the way she’s treated the cat and her statements that he is yours support your belief that... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Consumer Law and Civil Litigation for Arizona on
Q: Where should I sue for deposit recovery in AZ puppy scam?

I paid a $500 deposit through Apple Pay for a puppy from a seller who is located in Nevada. She is now asking for an additional $250 for a "vet visit," which was not part of our original agreement that happened via Facebook messages. Despite requesting my deposit back multiple times, she... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jun 10, 2025

You’ve already taken the right first step by documenting everything—screenshots, payment proof, and the broken promise. Since you live in Arizona and the transaction was initiated from there, you can likely file your lawsuit in small claims court in your own state. Courts often allow you to sue... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Civil Rights, Employment Law, Personal Injury and Civil Litigation for Arizona on
Q: What legal actions can I take after my son was assaulted at a playground, and can other families charge my husband who defended him?

My 5-year-old son was attacked and assaulted by a group of boys at a playground, resulting in bruises, scratches, torn clothes, and psychological damage. My husband pushed the boys off our son to protect him and threw one kid off him in a padded area. The incident was recorded on video, and photos... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on May 14, 2025

I'm really sorry you and your family are going through this—it sounds terrifying and upsetting. When a child is assaulted, you have every right to pursue legal action. You can file a police report for the assault on your son and consider civil action for damages like emotional distress or... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Contracts and Personal Injury for Arizona on
Q: Can I be sued if a trainer gets hurt while riding my horse in Arizona?

In Arizona, I own a horse that is not fully broken, and a trainer is working with my horse, both doing groundwork and riding it. The trainer has equine insurance and is performing the training at a boarding facility where they have signed a liability waiver with the facility owner. All... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on May 14, 2025

Yes, there’s still a chance you could be sued, even if the trainer has equine insurance and signed a waiver with the boarding facility. In Arizona, horse owners can sometimes be held liable for injuries if it's believed they acted negligently or failed to warn about a known danger. The fact... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law and Consumer Law for Arizona on
Q: Is it legal for someone to demand payment to return my missing dog in Arizona?

My 7lb Yorkie went missing two months ago. Recently, I received a call from someone claiming they have my dog after seeing my missing posters. I didn't offer a reward, but they are asking for $200 to cover their expenses for the time they had and fed him. I attempted to negotiate, offering... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Apr 12, 2025

It’s understandable to be in a difficult situation regarding the return of your dog. Legally, in Arizona, demanding payment for the return of a lost pet can be considered extortion, especially if the person didn't have a prior agreement with you to be compensated. While they may have cared... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Civil Rights and Civil Litigation for Arizona on
Q: Animal control seized my animals and is threatening to sue me if I call again. What can I do?

I was jailed, and during that time, animal control seized my animals and left a dead dog on my property. They are now threatening me, saying that if I call them again, I am harassing them and they will sue me and press charges. What can I do to resolve this and get my animals back?

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Mar 27, 2025

This situation sounds incredibly stressful and unfair. When animal control seizes your animals, they must follow proper legal procedures, and threatening you with a lawsuit for simply contacting them seems improper. You should document everything that has happened, including dates, names of... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Personal Injury and Civil Litigation for Arizona on
Q: Can I sue for men macing my dog claiming to be from Southwest Gas?

Two men claiming to be from Southwest Gas put a ladder over my wrought iron fence and maced my dog, saying they needed to change my meter. I haven't had gas service to my property for over four years. They did not show any identification, and my neighbor's doorbell camera may have... View More

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Mar 24, 2025

An Arizona attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for a month. I'm very sorry for this stressful incident. A starting point could be to contact the gas utility to figure out if the visit was from them - based on what you learn there and the opportunity to view the video,... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Arizona on
Q: Can my manager kick out my grandma for my dog?

So my grandmother was told that my dog had to be off the premises and not allowed and told her she can kick her out because my dog accidentally ran out and was barking (not biting,) my neighbor and told me i had 24 hrs to get rid of him or she will kick out grandma. That also she had multiple... View More

Stephen M Vincent
Stephen M Vincent
answered on Dec 12, 2024

I'm landlord-tenant attorney, so I don't know too much about the situation. It's not relevant really whether you live there or not; if the dog's presence is violating the terms of her lease, it could be grounds for eviction. But they can't evict someone in 24 hours--it's a much longer process.

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1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Child Custody and Family Law for Arizona on
Q: If my child’s father is abusive to his dog, will I be able to get sole custody of our baby
Stephen M Vincent
Stephen M Vincent
answered on Oct 10, 2023

It's unusual, but it's possible. Animal cruelty is one of the listed crimes under the domestic violence statute. It may depend on whether his actions meet the standards of animal cruelty (see ARS 13-2910) and whether those actions are significant enough to impact what should happen with... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce, Animal / Dog Law and Family Law for Arizona on
Q: Wife, soon ex, won't release Service Dog to me.

Beginning divorce where I was effectively locked out of house while out. While getting necessities I was refused my Service Dog, when I asked Police assistance, wife claimed he was working for everyone in house. Even though 1 dog working for multiple people is not how it's done, police see it... View More

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Aug 11, 2023

In your divorce proceeding, have your lawyer request exclusive temporary use and possession of your service animal. Be prepared to show the specific specialized training your service animal received for your particular disability, and correspondingly that your spouse does not share that disability... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Arizona on
Q: My dog killed a cat.

I was walking my dog on a leash through the neighborhood and he caught a cat the cat ran right by him and he caught him he was on the leash the whole time. what is my negligence. the owner came out and rightfully he was upset, I apologized profusely but two weeks have passed and he seems a little... View More

Stephen M Vincent
Stephen M Vincent
answered on Jul 26, 2022

I do think $40 and a pair of jeans is worth it just to avoid the hassle of a lawsuit and avoid the risk of possibly paying more at a Court. I'd have him sign something that it satisfies what you owe him for the death of his cat.

I will say this, though, only one of you had your animal...
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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Animal / Dog Law and Civil Litigation for Arizona on
Q: Can a judge force a person to return a pet to it's owner if the owner can prove ownership?

my cat went missing and he was recovered by my neighbor. My neighbor did not know the cat was mine and posted an add for my cat. A lady who has a similar cat found the ad before I did and went and picked up my cat. She refuses to give him back and told me to take her to court. I know it's my... View More

Juliet Piccone
Juliet Piccone
answered on Feb 16, 2022

You can sue her in a replevin action and if the court agrees you’ve proved ownership the court absolutely can order her to return your cat and even issue a writ to law enforcement directing them to go seize the cat to return to you.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Criminal Law, Civil Litigation and Small Claims for Arizona on
Q: The person we had TEMPORARILY caring 4 our dog as we searched for a place to live, is trying to keep him. What can I do

Someone had been watching our dog as we looked for a place to live. Among other things, the pandemic prolonged the time it took to do so (4 months). Right before we were to contact the guy to get our dog, he randomly texted and said he killed the dog and threw him in the fire. Devistated, we... View More

Mike Branum
Mike Branum
answered on Jul 2, 2021

Unfortunately, it is not as easy as merely requesting a civil standby. I have not filed a case like this personally, but I believe you should be able to file a case in justice court instead of at the superior court level since all you are seeking is possession of the property (dog). The fees will... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Divorce and Family Law for Arizona on
Q: Divorce and dogs

I am 20 years old and live with my mother. My dad is going through a terrible divorce with my ex step mom. On December 4,2018 my step mom moved out of the house, leaving both of the dogs behind. I was in love with one of the little dogs and wanted to take it in as my own To live with me at my moms... View More

Mike Branum
Mike Branum
answered on Sep 5, 2020

You will be hard-pressed to get an attorney to say with certainty that you could never be ordered to surrender the animal, I will say, however, that it is unlikely. First, she abandoned the animal and animals are considered property. Second, your father can likely only be held responsible for the... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Arizona on
Q: If someone that is temporarily staying on your property brought a dog without your permission can you have it removed
Kristina M. Bergsten
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Kristina M. Bergsten
answered on Jul 8, 2020

You can have the person removed, and, ergo, the dog.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Arizona on
Q: Never taken my dog to the vet. Has puppy shots frm previous owner. Will i get in trouble If I take him to the vet now?

I have no proof of the puppy shots, dog has never gotten sick, but now is having some trouble with ears.

Kristina M. Bergsten
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Kristina M. Bergsten
answered on Jul 6, 2020

Most likely, no. Although, you didn't say how old the dog is, now. Most states and municipalities require dogs to have a rabies vaccine every year (if you get the yearly vaccine), so that could land you in trouble IF the vet reports it, but that's unlikely. They will probably just be glad... View More

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