Family member gave away dog while hospitalized

[Altos]

Hello!
I was the owner of a dog purchased from a local humane society. The dog was purchased by me and I have proof of ownership.
When I purchased the dog up until the point the dog was taken away, I was living in my family home with my mother. It was just the two of us living there.
During the summer of 2011, I had run into personal issues with addiction that required hospitalization. About 3-4 weeks into my hospitalization, my sister in law visited me to inform that the dog had been given away because it couldn't be tended to by my mother.

Before I was hospitalized I had found a friend who was able to watch the dog, but while hospitalized the family made no attempt to contact me and discuss giving my dog away. My family was angry at me for having developed a substance abuse issue, it felt like and still does to this day that they gave the dog away out of spite. The personal trauma this loss put me through is incredible, I'm really at a loss.

I would like to know what legal ground do I have to get my dog back?
If there is any legal ground to stand on, no matter what the cost, I will persue this.

I dont know if it was relevant but I was living in the house as an adult, not a youth/minor.

[sandyclaus]

Re: Family member gave away dog while hospitalized

Hello!
I was the owner of a dog purchased from a local humane society. The dog was purchased by me and I have proof of ownership.
When I purchased the dog up until the point the dog was taken away, I was living in my family home with my mother. It was just the two of us living there.
During the summer of 2011, I had run into personal issues with addiction that required hospitalization. About 3-4 weeks into my hospitalization, my sister in law visited me to inform that the dog had been given away because it couldn't be tended to by my mother.

Before I was hospitalized I had found a friend who was able to watch the dog, but while hospitalized the family made no attempt to contact me and discuss giving my dog away. My family was angry at me for having developed a substance abuse issue, it felt like and still does to this day that they gave the dog away out of spite. The personal trauma this loss put me through is incredible, I'm really at a loss.

I would like to know what legal ground do I have to get my dog back?
If there is any legal ground to stand on, no matter what the cost, I will persue this.

I dont know if it was relevant but I was living in the house as an adult, not a youth/minor.

It was YOUR dog, and YOUR responsibility to make the appropriate arrangements to have the dog cared for during your extended absence. Your family wasn't responsible for being your go-between, nor for negotiating between you and the proposed caretaker.

If you were so concerned about making sure your dog was taken care of, you needed to have that handled prior to entering into your rehab facility. Effectively, you abandoned your dog, and ultimately, the family gave the dog to someone they deemed able to assume care and control over the dog.

[Disagreeable]

Re: Family member gave away dog while hospitalized

Did you expect the dog to feed, water and potty itself or were you expecting it to just be petrified, when you got home?

[Altos]

Re: Family member gave away dog while hospitalized

Considering I was only hospitalized for 7 weeks and there was no mention of there being an issue of the dog being tended to, was I to EXPECT that the dog was being given away?

The care of dog was left to my mother, if she had issues with the dog, which I dont beleive she did.. as there was never mention that she had issues with the dog, it was my sister in law and my sister who gave the dog away. Or at least, legally.. they should have informed me before giving the dog away that they needed somewhere for the dog to be housed/taken care of.

If you owned a Ferrari that was parked in my driveway and I didnt think you could afford the gas and the maintenance on it.. I just can't sell the damned thing. I could tow it from my property, but its not yours to legally bestow ownership of it to someone else.

[sandyclaus]

Re: Family member gave away dog while hospitalized

Considering I was only hospitalized for 7 weeks and there was no mention of there being an issue of the dog being tended to, was I to EXPECT that the dog was being given away?

The care of dog was left to my mother, if she had issues with the dog, which I dont beleive she did.. as there was never mention that she had issues with the dog, it was my sister in law and my sister who gave the dog away. Or at least, legally.. they should have informed me before giving the dog away that they needed somewhere for the dog to be housed/taken care of.

If you owned a Ferrari that was parked in my driveway and I didnt think you could afford the gas and the maintenance on it.. I just can't sell the damned thing. I could tow it from my property, but its not yours to legally bestow ownership of it to someone else.

Considering that your mother was already resentful of your acquiring a substance abuse problem to the point where your addiction required hospitalization, would you really expect her to gladly and indefinitely care for a dog that wasn't hers, especially when you gave her no specific instructions regarding the dog? You keep saying THEY were responsible for telling you this and that, but it was YOU that was responsible for making sure your dog was being taken care of - and asking THEM what was going on.

Didn't you already say that you had made arrangements with your friend to take the dog BEFORE you were hospitalized? Why did YOU not advise her of those arrangements, and have your FRIEND follow up to ensure that the dog was taken care of?

And a Ferrari is MUCH different than a dog. For one, the vehicle has entirely different ownership and care requirements. If you aren't driving it, it isn't pooping and peeing all day, and it doesn't require you to constantly fill it with food and water. Legally speaking, dogs as property are far easier to give away and transfer ownership of.

[Altos]

Re: Family member gave away dog while hospitalized

I am reading your argument, but it is the same on both ways.

To them: "It wasn't your legal property, did you inform the owner of the property that it needed to be dealt with. No." / "Did you transfer ownership of the property to someone else with out the concent of the actual owner.: No"

I openly accepted assistance. Giving my bleeping dog away is BS.


Edit: I'm honestly not trying to go back and forth here.. it just seems like it is cut and dry.

[Disagreeable]

Re: Family member gave away dog while hospitalized

It is cut and dry. You abandoned your property and family declined to pay out of their own pocket to preserve your property. To avoid neglect/abuse charges, they disposed of it.

[sandyclaus]

Re: Family member gave away dog while hospitalized

I am reading your argument, but it is the same on both ways.

To them: "It wasn't your legal property, did you inform the owner of the property that it needed to be dealt with. No." / "Did you transfer ownership of the property to someone else with out the concent of the actual owner.: No"

I openly accepted assistance. Giving my bleeping dog away is BS.


Edit: I'm honestly not trying to go back and forth here.. it just seems like it is cut and dry.

It really IS cut and dried. You keep saying that it was THEIR responsibility to communicate with YOU, for your family to ask YOU or tell YOU what they were doing. You are an adult, and responsible for your own property. YOU are responsible for handling your business and making sure your property is taken care of.

Again, if you were so concerned about the dog being properly cared for, it was YOUR responsibility to ask the questions and make sure. It was unreasonable to expect THEM to do it for you without your input.

And you STILL haven't said why the friend with whom you had allegedly made the arrangements to care for your dog didn't do the follow up on your behalf. If they were acting on your behalf, why aren't you pointing the finger at THEM for not checking in with your mother and sister to make sure they had the dog, and that the dog was still being cared for?