Question
Hello, a few months ago my girlfriend and I broke up. We shared an apartment together and shortly after moving in, I rescued a baby kitten from the side of the road from under a car. I took care of the cat and nursed it back to health because it was very small, hungry and full of multiple infections. My girlfriend and I ended up breaking up and I couldn’t take the cat with me the night we broke up because my mom is allergic and I had nowhere to go. Now I am independent at home again, I miss my cat and want to have him back in my life. My current ex-girlfriend is reluctant to give it to me. How should I go about getting it back? I paid for all his food, vet bills and spay/neuter.
Answer
People who believe their pet is being wrongly restrained can contact the police, although the police do not usually become involved in animal custody disputes and may take civil action, such as court action. , to try to recover an animal. Even if a person has rescued an animal and paid for the animal’s food and veterinary costs, courts are likely to also consider what happened afterwards, for example whether the animal was shared, gifted , sold or abandoned. I cannot predict the outcome of any given pet custody case. A court may decide, based on the facts and circumstances, including any agreement between the parties, that when a person moves and leaves an animal behind, the intention was to abandon the animal. Alternatively, a court could decide that the agreed arrangement was for a temporary placement and that the animal should be returned. I hope you and your ex can amicably agree on a custody/visitation arrangement that is in the cat’s best interest.
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