I do some informal boarding in my home and, perhaps surprising, over the years have never had a person not pay or pick up their dog.
Well its happening now.
Here’s the situation — dog was dropped off for approximately three week duration. Since it was a new person, I required one week fee in advance. We filled out the contracts to agree to payment, waiver, and vet care release. All signed. Then the guy disappears. I send updates, but never hear from him. I call, never get a call back. Finally after 5 weeks I get him on the phone and he says he’ll stop by at a given time. No show, no call. This happens two more times.
Called the police, they say the dog is now my property (I asked specifically if there were any procedures to go through and they said no), to dispose of the dog, and take the matter of the fee owed to civil court.
To make matters more complex, unknown to me until a few days ago, it turns out he leased this dog for breeding (that does make him the legal owner for a period of time), lied to the person and said she didn’t have puppies (she did, he told me she did and it was obvious she had nursed a litter), and then dumped her with me. I will "dispose" of her by returning her to her rightful owner, but I’m still not getting paid what is owed to me in boarding. And I will testify that he stated she had puppies for that person’s lawsuit against him. So the dog is physically in no danger, but I am still out the fee.
Anyone have this experience? What did you do and how did you do it?
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