Legal Question in Consumer Law in Florida

I have adopted a dog from a county animal shelter.

The dog was given a rabies shot prior to adoption but my vet has informed me that the dog has distemper - she saw the animal the day after I adopted it. My own dog which I have had for 5 years now also has distemper.

Do I have a legal claim to demand the cost of veterinarian services resulting from this distemper infected dog I adopted from the county shelter?

To the best of my knowledge, I signed no documents relieving the county of liability for something like this.

I live in Walton county in the state of Florida


Asked on 1/26/10, 1:17 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Sarah Grosse Sarah Grosse, Esquire

I'm so sorry to hear about your dogs. I am a huge animal lover myself, and my cat is from a county shelter.

I do not think you have a case. Whether you remember or not, you signed papers absolving the shelter from liability. Your only recourse under the adoption papers is to bring the dog back and sign away your rights.

Again, I'm so sorry you got a sick dog. My cat was healthy when I adopted her, and then she got sick, and I had to max out my credit cards at the vet to keep her alive. She had feline leukemia. My only recourse would have been to take her back to the shelter where they would have put her to sleep. I could not do that.

Perhaps if you call the animal shelter and tell them what happened they will feel obligated to pay a portion of the vet bill. Not likely, but that's the best suggestion I have.

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Answered on 1/31/10, 8:18 pm


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