Question
How do I file a lawsuit against my neighbor for live trapping my 7 year old pet cat, as well as a raccoon, and dumping them in the middle of nowhere? The neighbor in whose yard the traps were set told me exactly what happened. The police don’t respond to any calls and I can’t get anything done with animal control. What is the next step?
Answer
I’m so sorry to hear about your cat. Abandoning an animal is against the law. In Michigan, police and animal control generally enforce animal cruelty laws in addition to Michigan Humane, although my understanding is that MH only enforces these laws in certain parts of the state. I suggest contacting MH for more information. A civil monetary suit can also be brought for compensatory damages, such as for the value of the cat, and for punitive damages for egregious behavior. In the meantime, I hope that through dialogue you can determine where the cat was left and make efforts to locate it, such as hanging up flyers, visiting and contacting animal shelters, contacting entities in your area that hold reporting lost and found pets, checking lost and found pet sites online, posting a loss report, and contacting local veterinarians. Good luck!
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