Small problem that hopefully you can help me with...

[rissababynta]

Ok, I took in a dog for a moving neighbor the other day and told them that I would try to rehome it for them. I almost kept the dog, but when he got to playing with my other dog, my furniture and kids got knocked over. It was nuts!

Soo...like I said I would do, I decided to put an add on craigslist and got a few replies. One woman said that she would take him. When I tried calling the neighbors to get the hot records to give to this woman, the neighbors wouldn't return my call. The told me the dog was up to date, but now that they are avoiding me, I'm beginning to wonder. The woman came and got the dog yesterday, and I informed her of my suspicions.

I got an email from her today saying the dog had been throwing up and having diarrhea all night and day and that she thinks the dog has parvo. She said that if the vet bill was goin to be to high, she wouldn't be able to keep him because she can't afford it. This knd of annoys me because she took in an animal she knew may not be up to date with the vet and now she is complaining to me about how she can't afford a vet bill if he is sick. Duh. But anyway...she asked me how long he had been like that and I told her that hile he was in my home, he was fine. He ate, drank, peed, pooped, and played all normally. The morning she came to get him he was acting kind of tired but my other dog was sleeping a lot too so I didn't think much of it. Also the neighbor had originally told me that he was laid back and just kind of hung out a lot so I thought it was him just being lazy.

Even though he wasn't actually my dog and she didn't buy him, I'm wondering if she can try to legally make me help for any vet bills now because I'm the one who physically gave him to her. I'm kind of freaking out over hear because I don't have the kind of money to pay for someone elses vet bills, just my own animals. I don't even think the other owners are around anymore...They said they were leaving in a few days and the cell number I had has been cut off. The only person that she can get a hold of in connection to this dog is ME now...and I only had him for a day! Does anyone know enough about the legal system to be able to tell me if I may be screwed?

[csrakate]

I am no lawyer but since there was no contractual agreement and no money exchanged, I can't see where she can do much more than simply return the dog to you. After all, she said herself that she couldn't afford the vet bills so if she goes ahead and proceeds with treatment, she can hardly hold you accountable for payment, especially if you tell her that you cannot do so from the get go. I appreciate your love and concern for this dog, however and hopefully you can find a place for him. I find it so very sad that you were left in this predicament but you may have no other recourse than to call a local save shelter and see what they can do to help place him.

[rissababynta]

I am no lawyer but since there was no contractual agreement and no money exchanged, I can't see where she can do much more than simply return the dog to you. After all, she said herself that she couldn't afford the vet bills so if she goes ahead and proceeds with treatment, she can hardly hold you accountable for payment, especially if you tell her that you cannot do so from the get go. I appreciate your love and concern for this dog, however and hopefully you can find a place for him. I find it so very sad that you were left in this predicament but you may have no other recourse than to call a local save shelter and see what they can do to help place him.


I already told the woman that if she can't afford the bill that I would help her out by calling animal control to come get him or bringing him there myself to be put down with dignity instead of suffering for possibly another couple of days to just die anyway. She hasn't gotten back to me, but that's pretty much the best that I can do to help her. I just don't want her to all of a sudden try to hold me responsible when I didn't charge her, he wasn't my dog to begin with, and I didn't intentionally give her a sick dog.

[FalconAngel]

Have your dog checked out, too. If the dog has Parvo and had enough contact with your dog, there is that concern. http://workingdogs.com/parvofaq.htm

Parvo is serious stuff. Also, don't take the dog to animal control; they will just kill the dog in a week. Take it to the Humane Society. They will do what they can for it and only kill it if the dog is hopelessly ill and incurable.

Also, for every Dog owner that hasn't done so, should join Doggyspace (it's kind of a myspace for dogs) and create a profile for your pooch. Minimum dog owner age there is 13 and it's very family friendly.
Doggyspace has tons of things that are shared about dog issues, dog treat recipes and other fun and serious dog issues. Ours is named Boudica and we will be happy to add you to our friend's list.

My wife handles the Doggyspace page for us.

[rissababynta]

Have your dog checked out, too. If the dog has Parvo and had enough contact with your dog, there is that concern. http://workingdogs.com/parvofaq.htm

Parvo is serious stuff. Also, don't take the dog to animal control; they will just kill the dog in a week. Take it to the Humane Society. They will do what they can for it and only kill it if the dog is hopelessly ill and incurable.

Also, for every Dog owner that hasn't done so, should join Doggyspace (it's kind of a myspace for dogs) and create a profile for your pooch. Minimum dog owner age there is 13 and it's very family friendly.
Doggyspace has tons of things that are shared about dog issues, dog treat recipes and other fun and serious dog issues. Ours is named Boudica and we will be happy to add you to our friend's list.

My wife handles the Doggyspace page for us.

Yeah, I know about parvo and what it does. I just don't know if it is possible for this lady to try to hold me responsible.

[eddy10]

Now a days seems like any one can sue for no reason at all. In this case I do not think she has a leg to stand on. Once she took possession it was her responsibility.

[boca.openminded]

what makes you (or her) think its Pervo?

When you had him the dog was fine but now he has diarrhea and throwing up...

I too am no lawyer but the dog was fine at your house and now he is sick. Maybe the dog ate something over there? OR maybe the dog is homesick because he switched homes again..

When I adopted my dog it took her almost a yr to get accustomed to my home. At times she got very depressed or wouldn't eat or anything like that. When I brought her to the vet she would not get into the car (I guess she thought she was going to another home). The vet checked her out and said she was fine but what she is going through is mental rather then physical. With the right love she will be back to her normal self.

In your case there was no money exchanged and from what you know the dog was healthy. You informed the new owner that the original owner told you everything was ok but can't show proof. This new owner new all that and still took the dog anyway. PLUS, I am sure she looked at the dog and checked him out for a few minutes at your home before taking him.

The lady did not see anything wrong with him and took the dog anyway. The way I see it is you told her everything you knew (including that you did not have any papers) and she still took him.

This is clearly a "take as is" transaction.....She checked him out and took him anyway...

[FalconAngel]

Yeah, I know about parvo and what it does. I just don't know if it is possible for this lady to try to hold me responsible.

Not legally. but if she tries, she's pretty desperate. It's a free dog, after all.

[Cherokee_Mountaincat]

She cannot hold you responsible Babygirl. All you were doing was re-homing the animal, it if was sick when you got it you are Not responsible. Contact your local Human Society and ask them, but since it it now in Her hands, you are blameless. And if she cant afford to pay for the care, it Can be helped by various Humane Society agencies, and Rescue groups. The best advice I can give you now if for you to get Your animals (yes Cats too) checked out to make sure they are alright. Parvo takes up to 2 weeks to manifest any kinds of symptoms, so have them looked at as soon as you can.
Cat

[rissababynta]

what makes you (or her) think its Pervo?

When you had him the dog was fine but now he has diarrhea and throwing up...

I too am no lawyer but the dog was fine at your house and now he is sick. Maybe the dog ate something over there? OR maybe the dog is homesick because he switched homes again..

When I adopted my dog it took her almost a yr to get accustomed to my home. At times she got very depressed or wouldn't eat or anything like that. When I brought her to the vet she would not get into the car (I guess she thought she was going to another home). The vet checked her out and said she was fine but what she is going through is mental rather then physical. With the right love she will be back to her normal self.

In your case there was no money exchanged and from what you know the dog was healthy. You informed the new owner that the original owner told you everything was ok but can't show proof. This new owner new all that and still took the dog anyway. PLUS, I am sure she looked at the dog and checked him out for a few minutes at your home before taking him.

The lady did not see anything wrong with him and took the dog anyway. The way I see it is you told her everything you knew (including that you did not have any papers) and she still took him.

This is clearly a "take as is" transaction.....She checked him out and took him anyway...

Major signs of parvo are bloody, liquidy diarrhea that has an extremly foul smell, vomiting, lethargy, and not eating or drinking. The diarrhea is often a yellowish color. All of this is present with the dog.

[rissababynta]

She cannot hold you responsible Babygirl. All you were doing was re-homing the animal, it if was sick when you got it you are Not responsible. Contact your local Human Society and ask them, but since it it now in Her hands, you are blameless. And if she cant afford to pay for the care, it Can be helped by various Humane Society agencies, and Rescue groups. The best advice I can give you now if for you to get Your animals (yes Cats too) checked out to make sure they are alright. Parvo takes up to 2 weeks to manifest any kinds of symptoms, so have them looked at as soon as you can.
Cat



Well, the dog has been vaccinated for parvo so I'm not too worried about him but I was planning on calling the vet today anyway and seeing if he can be vaccinated again since they suggest trying to get one yearly anyway...and since he is older if he did get sick it would automatically not be too extreme because his intestines are more developed than a puppy's...he's got two good things going for him, so I have high hopes.

[rissababynta]

Well she sent me an email late last night and told me that she would take me up on my offer to help out if the vet bills are too high. She said that I would have to come get him and take him somewhere, but now that I think about it, that's kind of ridiculous...it would make much more sense to call and have someone pick him up. We will have to wait and see after three o clock to find out if it even is parvo and what the next step is.

If it is parvo...this dog is pretty much screwed...he hasn't had anything to drink or eat in 2 days and he is still vomiting and having diarrhea like crazy...I'm suprised dehydration hasn't killed him already. So, if it is parvo and he is this far along with it and he can not get treatment any time soon (today will be almost another whole day before he gets to the vet too) then he is kind of screwed...

Good news however, she doesn't seem to be holding me responsible for anything. The only thing that she wants me to do is come and get him out of the house if there is nothing she can do.

[Dano111]

I had this same problem recently, I have a friend who runs her family vet. She took the dog in, got it healthy and they have a place they then send them.

Find a reputable vet and they won't charge.

As for a law suit, you would win though it will still cost. Attorneys don't come cheep. Even small claims judges want an attorney present. Been there also

[rissababynta]

She just sent me a message earlier and said that she isn't taking the dog to the vet anymore, that he has been having pure blood diarrhea and vomiting blood all night and morning and that he is too far gone. She's sure he is going to die before he gets to the vet because it has now been days that he has been sick.