What to do if a shelter adoptd out our dog without checking on his microchip?
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What to do if a shelter adoptd out our dog without checking on his microchip?
My dog ran away last month and we have been searchiing everywhere for him. He is microchipped. Called police and animal shelter in town,hung up lost dog posters and called the microchip company and reported him missing. I found out yesterday after calling the microchip company again that he was now registered to someone else. A shelter over an hour away found him and never bothered to call then adopted him out. I got a microchip to ensure if he was found he would come home and they never bothered to call when they got him. Was it legal to adopt him out without calling?
Asked on December 8, 2012 under Bankruptcy Law, Iowa
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
You can sue the people who adopted him for his return (assuming they do not voluntarily return him); if you can prove, as it seems you can, that he is your dog, you should be able to get him back, since person A may not purchase (or adopt) or keep property of person B.
You should also be able to sue the shelter, either for the cost of your legal action to get your dog back, or for the cost of your dog if don't get (or don't choose to try) to get him back, since they were apparently negligent.
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