Animal Legal Questions

There simply is no way to address this in a blurb and this would likely be a case where you would need to retain a lawyer on a hourly rate/retainer basis. There may be several issues about the scope of the hunting "lease" and what it allows and what applies to "wild or stray" dogs by ordinance.... Read More

Actually, it IS her business if your cat is peeing anywhere in the property, as you rent the property and don't own it. Its sounds like there is more to this than just the cat peeing issue and you need to be very cautious as a tenant to avoid this escalating into a controversy that leads to an eviction action or litigation. ... Read More

I am sorry to hear about your child's injury. You should make sure that animal control is told of the event. They will have the power to investigate and demand some answers from the owner.  I think you should also ask the owner for the information you seek and also  for their home owner's insurance information. The bite should be reported to this insurer if any. The insurance company would be responsible for any liability of the dog owner and may also have medical payments coverage to help with the bills regadless of fault. I hope your daughter heals well, but would be concerned about scarring. You should get her to a doctor for follow-up.... Read More

This is all going to revolve around what breed your dog actually is vs the paper work submitted. Unfortunately, some people with various breeds  "unwanted" by landlords go to absurd levels to keep their dogs in rental situations including false claims of "emotional support animals" and in some instances actually getting dishonest vets to go along with the charade. If your dog is such a mix, a report from a repuatable vet stating the vets opinion or dna test,  will be critical to support your position. A self designated county regisatration is not. What they can do is sue for eviction making you establish that the dog is what you claimed it to be, and a judge will decide who is right.... Read More

You will likely end up spending thousands of dollars on lawyers to sue your mother for return of the cat if you can't work things out. If you are so inclinedyou might as well hire the lawyer now to address the issue. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact our office at 1-800-922-6442 for a FREE consultation.... Read More

While it may seem excessive, you simply need to retain a lawyer to handle this for you. Its obvious that you don't know what you ae doing in the litigation process and this can have devastating results. Small claims is NOT the peoples court nor Judge Judy, its a formal proceeding with often very expensive results for all parties. If you have any questions or concerns, please call our office at 1-800-922-6442 for a FREE consultation.... Read More

Your two options are likely pursuing a Writ of Mandamus against the dog catcher or a nusiance lawsuit against each dog owner. Bigger issue is whether this is an important enough issue that you are willing to commit the thousands of dollars necessary to get such legal actions started. If not you may want to explore other options such as fencing your yard, using barrier bushes, etc. If you have further questions, please call our office at 1-800-922-6442 for a FREE consultation.... Read More

UNless cats become defined as something other than pets, the answer is likely yes. The bigger issue is are you willing to spend thousands of dollars challenging the HOA over the issue. If not, then you need to focus on compliance. If you have other questions, please fee free to contact our office at 1-800-922-6442 for a FREE consultation. ... Read More

I am confused, as at best I both of you at fault. First, absent you having a disability that requires a recognized service animal the designation serves no purpose. That is, unless your intentions are to use the designation as an improper means to bring your dog in restricted places or to aovid rental pet restrictions, etc. Since your dog is now trained I am not sure why this issue is such a concern. As to the designation issue, you may well need to retain a lawyer to explore the standards at issue, as I am not sure that there is a requirement that you are disabled to have a dog trained as such any more than there are schools that train dogs as police dogs for civilan purposes including foreign language commands etc. If you have further questions, please feel free to call us at 1-800-922-6442 for a FREE consultation. ... Read More

The practical answer is to give the dog back and get your refund. While you may well have legal grounds to keep the puppy, you will likely spend more money and emotional expense dealing with the confrontation. If you have any further questions feel free to call 1-800-922-6442 for a FREE consultation.... Read More

Yes, this sounds like a case of negligence in what we call a bailment - where someone was entrusted to hold and care for your property for you and you paid them to do that.  The problem is that all you can recover is the value of your dog and dogs are generally not worth much.  Unless it was a purebred, a service animal, or some other dog of specific value, most dogs are basically free.  The law does not recognize the sentimental value of your dog, although this is starting to change.  Who knows, maybe if you put it to a jury, they will agree with you that your dog is not worth nothing and they could award you some compensatory damages for your loss.  However, to prepare for and put on a jury trial takes a lot of work and you are unlikely to find a lawyer who would take this case on a contingency. This answer is given in accordance with the laws of Virginia and may not be applicable in any other state.  It should not be construed as legal advice, as that would require a more thorough analysis of all of the facts involved in a specific case.  If you need further information or assistance, please feel free to contact my office for a consultation. Case results depend upon a variety of factors unique to each case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any future case.... Read More

Depending on your lease terms and the facts, yes, quite possible. You will have to choose the dog or fighting with LL over an eviction in either event. Not sure what mutual responsibility you would have referenced the expected as the other person has no dog to get off the property at this point. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact our office at 1-800-922-6442 to schedule a FREE consultation.... Read More