In theory, the person can sue you for negligence in failing to control your dog and allowing it to cause injury to him. However, it is unclear what his damages would be: was he bit? Scratched? Clothes torn? Suffered severe fright from the “attack”? How severe was your dog’s interaction? Was... View More

Liable for what? The vet bills of the bit dog that was running off leash in violation of the leash laws? No.

If your relative who was mauled did not own any of the dogs, or have responsibility for them, and did nothing to trigger the attack on themselves, then your relative can file a claim against the owner of the dog who mauled him/her. The dog owner's homeowner's insurer would ordinarily be... View More

You file contempt with the court and ask that he be jailed for not turning over the dog. He can get out of jail by giving you the dog. It's a court order. Even if he gave the dog away, he is still required to get the dog back and give it to you.

Call your local animal control police office. It is illegal to allow a dog to run off leash.

If he gave you the dog without requiring payment up front, with only your promise to pay in the future, then you did not commit theft or any criminal act. He may lie to the police, of course, but you have no control over that. All the facts you present support only a civil breach of contract for... View More

I am very sorry about your dog. Sadly, some people can have no sympathy whatsoever. Unfortunately, as owners of your dog, it is your obligation to maintain it under control and not allow it to run loose across traffic. The people should submit their claim to their car insurance, but legally, they... View More

If you lost against the dog owner then you’re almost certainly barred from suing anyone else. Was the case heard on the merits? And in what court and for how much did you sue for (e.g., more than $5000)? Answers to these questions may help decide what options you have.

I am sorry, as the loss of a pet can be devastating. I hope you find yours. Maryland law views pets as mere property, so the damage is measured by the fair market value of the dog (the reasonable cost to purchase a similar dog). You are also entitled to the breach of contract damages for the dog... View More

A pet is considered personal property under the law, no different than jointly owning a suitcase or other object. If you both contributed to the purchase price, and intended by agreement (oral or otherwise, or by mutual understanding) that the dog was to be the joint property of both of you, then... View More

There are two issues here. The first is whether your neighbor calls the local Animal Control office and files a dangerous dog report, which could trigger a review on whether your dog is too dangerous to be kept (and risk euthanasia). More likely, you as the owner would simply be cited for the dog... View More

It’s a private company so they can do what they want. You’ll find it much easier to adopt the same day at the county animal shelter or the local humane society, who have many rescues looking for a home.

You do not acquire ownership of the dog in the manner you describe. It is not abandoned if the original owner believes she has placed it temporarily with her boyfriend and does not know otherwise. You can notify the owner that you have the dog, and tell her that if she does not make arrangements to... View More

No, you have no legal duty or obligation to care for someone’s dog beyond the time you agreed to do so (unreasonably beyond). They abandoned their dog. Anybody can sue anyone but that doesn’t mean they will win. You could counter-sue for the extra costs you incurred for caring for their... View More

It's your dog, and your boyfriend had no legal right to transfer ownership to anyone else, so the current person(s) in possession of your dog cannot legally have obtained ownership. The conclusion may be different if other facts are present, such as your boyfriend claiming that you either... View More

A gift is a gift. If you can prove the gift, and by your facts and evidence cited in your question it appears you should be able to, then his suit will fail. If you want to reduce the risk of losing your beloved pet, I suggest you retain counsel to defend this suit.

Each county has its own procedures for dealing with dog bites and classification of “dangerous” dogs. Generally speaking, most follow a one bite/incident rule depending on the severity and circumstances of the attack, as it usually takes more than one incident of aggressive behavior to meet... View More

Sounds like a gift to you, not abandonment—unless you don’t want the dog and reject the gift. Then, if your boyfriend doesn’t take the dog, it is abandoned.

Yes, animal control could theoretically impound the dog, but for a first bite they ordinarily will not do so so long as you have proof of up to date rabies shots. Otherwise, the protocol is to impound the dog under quarantine to watch for signs of rabies—if the dog is still alive in 10 days, it... View More

Obviously, it's not an abandoned cat if there's an owner looking for it, so it is not legally yours to keep. You can call to report an abused or neglected animal, but a cat out in the rain is not by definition lost or abused, but will depend on other factors. Local authorities could... View More