Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Rhode Island
Custody of family pet
When I selected ''property disputes,'' the property in question is a pet my parents adopted from the local pound. I am 18 years old now. My parents technically are the owners of the pet, but gave it away without consulting me. The pet has been in the family 5+ years and I have become very attached to it, and would like to obtain custody of it, as I disagree with my parents' choice. They will not contact the person (to whom they gave the pet) for me so arrangements can be made for me to re-obtain my cat. I will be able to keep the cat, and live, with my boyfriend temporarily until I go to college and he gets an apartment to house my cat. In this situation, is there anything I can do legally? Do I have a case? It is a very important matter to me personally, and I will NOT part from my beloved cat. I would prefer a simple evaluation of my situation via e-mail, should that be convenient. Thank you, and I hope this matter is not negligable and a waste of your time.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Custody of family pet
As an animal lover, I understand your feelings completely. Yes, the law regards a domestic pet much like a possession, personal property.
From your post, though, it is unclear whether you have a place to house the cat at this time. Sounds like you live with your folks and expect your boyfriend to get an apt sometime in the future. Is this correct?
Where are you going to college, where will you be living at college, and who is paying the bill for college/room and board?
At the end of the day, if you have a place of your own and are, in fact, independent and self-sufficient - a rarity for any 18 year old (or 22 year old, these days) - then the Collaborative may be willing to get involved to help you as a courtesy. Barring this, though, your parents' decision really should be respected. They likely know things you may not know.
If you would like to discuss further, feel free to give me a call tomorrow at the Collaborative office.
Best,
Scott Summer
Staff General Counsel
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