My friend won't give my dog back

[Nolegalbeagle]

What is the name of your state? New York state. My family and I decide to move to Florida and asked a friend to watch our dog. Initially it was supposed to be for 3 or 4 months until we found a new house and got settled. We remained in contact with our friend and told him when we got our new place. Unfortunately we had to settle for the first place we could find and they didn't allow pets. We told our friend and remained in contact with him for 8 or 9 months while we looked for a new place. Due to a mold situation in our home we had to move out while they gutted the apt and we ended up having to stay in a homeless shelter when our money ran out. We lost contact with our friend for the 7 months we were there. We finally got a new place to allows pets and we contacted our friend and told him we would like to get our dog back. At first he was suprised to hear from us but said it was no issue in getting our dog back. Now he does not want to return our dog. What can I do?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

The way I do the math that's up to 19 months you abandoned your dog an the last 7 there was no contact.

A dog is a property and as such you could sue for it.

 

[Zigner]

How much money have you offered the guy?

...and how much, exactly, is a used 2016 Mutt worth?

 

[Nolegalbeagle]

The way I do the math that's up to 19 months you abandoned your dog an the last 7 there was no contact.

A dog is a property and as such you could sue for it.

I don't know if leaving her on a farm with her mom and dad and siblings is really considered abandoning but I get what you are saying.

 

[Nolegalbeagle]

How much money have you offered the guy?

...and how much, exactly, is a used 2016 Mutt worth?

I offered to pay him multiple times before we lost contact and he never wanted a dime.

 

[Zigner]

I offered to pay him multiple times before we lost contact and he never wanted a dime.

Yes, but after you abandoned the animal for an extended period of time with no contact, and then asked for the dog back after reappearing, how much money did you offer the nice gentleman in order to compensate him?

 

[Nolegalbeagle]

Yes, but after you abandoned the animal for an extended period of time with no contact, and then asked for the dog back after reappearing, how much money did you offer the nice gentleman in order to compensate him?

I offered him $600.00

 

[not2cleverRed]

How much money have you offered the guy?

...and how much, exactly, is a used 2016 Mutt worth?

We don't know that it's a mutt.

But yes, if OP thought the friend was "pet sitting", the friend should have been compensated accordingly. Not paying for food + vet + other expenses (my NY agricultural community has an annual licensing fee for dogs).

I offered to pay him multiple times before we lost contact and he never wanted a dime.

Maybe because he knew you weren't serious about caring for the dog.

Accepting a pittance is sometimes worse than getting nothing. And yes, $600 is a pittance.

 

[Nolegalbeagle]

I offered to pay him multiple times before we lost contact and he never wanted a dime.

Also we've had this used 2016 mutt since she was 4 weeks old. So he had here for almost 5 years before we moved

 

[Zigner]

We don't know that it's a mutt.

To start: I agree, we don't know.
I made a guess because the OP would have mentioned if the dog were anything but.

 

[Nolegalbeagle]

We don't know that it's a mutt.

But yes, if OP thought the friend was "pet sitting", the friend should have been compensated accordingly. Not paying for food + vet + other expenses (my NY agricultural community has an annual licensing fee for dogs).



Maybe because he knew you weren't serious about caring for the dog.

Accepting a pittance is sometimes worse than getting nothing. And yes, $600 is a pittance.

After turning down money repeatedly before I left and during our time in contact how much would u have offered?

 

[Zigner]

Also we've had this used 2016 mutt since she was 4 weeks old. So he had here for almost 5 years before we moved

Ok, sorry - now we're talking about a used 2011 model.

 

[not2cleverRed]

After turning down money repeatedly before I left and during our time in contact how much would u have offered?

I would have looked up the cost of boarding and offered more than that + vet fees.

 

[Nolegalbeagle]

Ok, sorry - now we're talking about a used 2011 model.

Yes we are lol. A used 2011 model that my daughter picked out when she was in Pre-K and my son was born with our dog always around.

 

[Zigner]

Yes we are lol. A used 2011 model that my daughter picked out when she was in Pre-K and my son was born with our dog always around.

The dog was gone for nearly 2 years...