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Louisiana Animal / Dog Law Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: My friend got a dog for his mom, but she couldn’t take of him. He ended up giving the dog to me, but is now demanding

The dog back, saying that he’s technically not my dog since I haven’t paid for him, but I have texts showing that he told me I could get him his money at the end of the week of October 10th. He’s threatened to call the cops, and he refuses to give me his shot record/bill of sale. What can I do ?

J. Heath Dillon
J. Heath Dillon
answered on Oct 8, 2020

Well, this is unfortunate! This is posted in the criminal section of Justia, but is really more of a property / contract issue.

The ownership of the dog will ultimately boil down to determining the intent between you and your friend when you received the dog. You say the intent was for...
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1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: I have a text message from a rescue saying I could keep a dog. 3 weeks later she says she wants it back.

Do I legally have to give the dog back. I brought it to a vet for vaccines and rabies.

I scanned it for a microchip and he doesn't have one. I will get him microchipped. How do I get him licensed? Is rabies certificate considered a license? Thank you for your help.

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Sep 20, 2020

Print the text. Get the dog licensed/rabies shot & chipped. Send her an email/certified letter that relying on her email, you have now taken adverse possession of the dog.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: , we have a pit bull that gets off her leash and runs to the neighborhood afew blocks down, Someone called the cops

Is that legal and what is the citation for can I be to in court

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Aug 31, 2020

You need to buy a harness, not just a collar to walk your Pitt. You need a fenced yard, not just a chain for your dog to sit outside without you. You can be cited for violating a leash law. Work with your dog and treats in your pocket to teach him commands. You need to do this or you can easily... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: I suspect my neighbors from down road kept my missing dog! It’s been almost a year! How can I go about getting her back?

Our dog went missing in November 2019. We searched forever and still do up to this day! We have flyers and all everywhere! Well recently our neighbors from down the road started expanding their land! And their house is somewhat visible now! Well I was walking to my mailbox and I’ve seen my dog!... View More

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Aug 24, 2020

Either call the police and tell them you suspect the neighbors of theft, or hire a private investigator to go to their home under some pretext and take photos and then call the police.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: We have a pup who stays at our house inside. We let the owner know a few times where the pup is. They don't come for him

can we keep him as our own

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Aug 22, 2020

Notify the owner by certified mail that he has 7 days to come get him. If he doesn't, then take the dog to the vet, get his shots and license. Keep the paperwork. Now he's yours.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: My 13 week old dog was in a storage container with the lid half on it, it was not closed at all. The cops came

for a different reason and didn’t find what they were looking for so the claimed that the lid was closed air tight on the container and another bin was on top with the dog inside. They also stated the dog was malnourished with no food or water, yet the bowl of food and water was right next to... View More

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Aug 14, 2020

No lawyer will take your case to sue the police department for this. You have no business putting a puppy in a storage container; a puppy is not a piece of furniture. That alone is animal cruelty. Most parishes have a municipal statute forbidding the ownership of more than 5 animals without a... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: Can I sue my neighbor for falsely accusing my dog to animal control? I'm in Louisiana.

My dogs are indoor and outdoor dogs. Animal control took my my 2 babies today under false accusations. My neighbor told them that my dogs killed 1 of their dogs and injured another one and that's not the story. About a month ago my dog tried mating with their dog and unfortunately the dog... View More

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Aug 6, 2020

Find all your records of vaccinations and a license for the dogs. Take pictures of the fence. You should have been given a citation by animal control. Fax or send by certified mail, a dispute of the accusation to animal control.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: I put my dog in a co own earlier this year and now the co-owner refuses to let me have access or communication.

I wanted to find out how I could go about getting him a back as he is a breeding dog and he is used for breeding purposes at the time he was too young for breeding and I paid $4000 for For him how would I go about either getting him returned or getting the loss of income off of not being able to... View More

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Aug 4, 2020

What does "I put my dog in a co own" mean?

2 Answers | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: If the previous owner left her dog with me for over 4 months without compensating for food and care, am I the new owner?

I have taken care of this dog since the end of February 2020 without anyone’s help including the previous owner and I wish to keep her. The proofs owner has asked us if we wish to keep her back in April but now at the end of July she wants to take her back. I’m wondering if the dog is legally... View More

Kristina M. Bergsten
PREMIUM
Kristina M. Bergsten
answered on Jul 23, 2020

Probably not. You didn't say whether or not you accepted her offer of the dog back in April. If you didn't accept or didn't answer, then the dog is not yours and still belongs to the original owner.

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1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: My nghbr has 2 dogs. I want to remove my fence that is old &falling apart but then their yard won’t be fenced in.

We can’t even go in our backyard now because we feel fence isn’t sturdy enough to protect us from these dogs.

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Jul 11, 2020

Send them a letter by certified mail that you are removing your fence in 30 days and if they need to construct a new fence for their dogs, they have 30 days before you remove yours. Also let them know the date your fence will be torn dow. So that they can put their dogs inside.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: The breeder in which I got my dog illegally got my dogs records from my vet what can I do?

The breeder and myself have a contract

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Jul 9, 2020

Your question makes no sense. Call a contract attorney.

3 Answers | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: I live in Lafayette, LA I have been taking care of a dog for over two years. How can I take ownership?

The dog has not been AKC registered yet.

The owners is my daughters ex-fiance' and cannot take care of the dog properly.

Kristina M. Bergsten
PREMIUM
Kristina M. Bergsten
answered on Jul 5, 2020

You can’t really transfer ownership without the consent and help if the owner. But, if the owner isn’t trying to get the dog back, then you can keep the dog and keep building up your case for ownership if this person ever tries to get the dog back in the future.

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1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: My dog was on her leash/rope my dog scratched a child that came in her area. Am I at fault?
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Jun 30, 2020

Unfortunately yes. Pet owners are absolutely liable for the injuries caused by their pets.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: Louisiana acquired owner of a dog rights?

Almost 4 years ago I took in a dog whose owner went into a nursing home. Of the course of time I have paid for all food and medical needs including the most recent dental that was over $800.

The original owner never signed the dog owner but obviously couldn’t take the dog with her. She is... View More

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Jun 10, 2020

Get the dog a rabies shot, licensed and chipped. Then stop talking to her former owner.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: My neighbor shot at my dog with a pellet gun my dog ran over to their yard (no one was outside) Did he break the law?
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on May 24, 2020

Build fence NOW. There is a leash law.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: sum1 gave me a puppy becuz he couldn't keep it now the dog has had puppies and he trying to take them. is he entitled to

I raised fed gave shots to her worming meds. been had her since she was 7 weeks old now she had had her own puppies and the people who gave me her because they couldn't keep her are saying they have breeding rights and trying to take all the puppies

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on May 24, 2020

Bull crap. Get copies of the Veterinarian records. Get all the puppies and the bitch licensed and shots. Sell the puppies so you do not have more than 5 dogs total. Then tell the former owners to sit and spin.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: Can i sue if i have a neighbor that falsely reported my dogs to animal control?

She told animal control that my dogs tried attacking her when they were clearly in our backyard fenced in with no breakage what so ever

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on May 21, 2020

Don't do it. It will escalate. This crazy neighbor may poison your dog.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: I puppy showed up at my house, no collar.

I immedialty posted his picture and location on a local Facebook missing animal page. I was contacted by a rescue group who said they had been working with a woman to foster him. They tried to make contact with her, she never responded. I decided to adopt him over a week later. Since then I have... View More

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on May 7, 2020

You have lost of proof he is your dog. 5he burden is on her to prove otherwise. Just get a copy of the Vet record in case the crazy woman calls the police.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law for Louisiana on
Q: can a neighbor call the law on me if my two small dogs run on my property next to his fence and “play” with his dogs?

My neighbor has three large breed dogs that run on his fenced property can he call the law on me because my two small breed dogs run up and down the fence and bark and play with his dogs? He said my dogs are nuisances, but yet his Dogs bark as much as my dogs do He put the fence up a few years... View More

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on May 2, 2020

Fence the front and record his fogs barking.

1 Answer | Asked in Animal / Dog Law, Personal Injury and Immigration Law for Louisiana on
Q: Can I sue if I was bit by a dog where I was working in exchange for room and board? The injury later caused an absess

The absess was staph and another worker had staph there. I was hospitalized for a week and was bed ridden for 6 weeks. In addition I am also an undocumented immigrant from Canada. I moved to the USA on a 3 year work visa and overstayed 10 years ago. I've resided In USA for 13 years. I lost... View More

Ellen Cronin Badeaux
Ellen Cronin Badeaux
answered on Mar 30, 2020

I think you mean that you were bitten 23 Nov 2019, not 2020. Did you have pasturella or staph? Go get a certified copy of your medical records and bill and hire a personal injury lawyer no later than 23 Oct 2020.

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