Can I sue an animal shelter for putting my pet to sleep?
A. Maybe. As discussed in the previous question, animal control laws allow shelters to hold stray pets and get rid of them after a holding period that usually lasts a few days. If the shelter puts the pet to sleep, sterilizes it, sells it, or places it up for adoption after the holding period the owner usually loses his or her right to get it back. However, you may be able to sue the shelter if it failed to follow by the law. If it disposed of the pet in an illegal way, acquired it illegitimately, did not make efforts to find the owner, put the pet to sleep it without a reason, or did not keep the pet for the full holding period then it may be liable to you for the damage it caused. An animal shelter might also be liable for damaging a pet if you tried to reclaim it before it was damaged. In one case, a court awarded damages to a dog owner whose dog was sterilized after he asked for it back even though the holding period had already expired. Lastly, the shelter might be liable for viol
