Question
A guy was giving away a free cat on Craigslist and we accepted her. A day later, he said that he needed her back to take her to the vet for a shot and that he'll bring her back the next day. Now he is saying he isn't going to bring her back. My fiancé is now in tears because she has already lost a cat to cancer this year, and she doesn't want to lose another one. Is there anything we can do?
Answer
People who believe their animal is being wrongfully withheld can sue (replevin action) to try to get the animal returned. If litigated, the Craigslist post may help to prove that the cat was given away. Alternatively, it is possible that a court could believe that the cat was subsequently returned since most new pet “parents” take their new pets to a veterinarian on their own (although a court may believe that the prior owner had regrets about giving away the cat and used the shot as a ploy to get the cat back). I hope this all works out for the cat!
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