If I adopted a dog from a shelter who had mange but that was not disclosed to me,isthe shelterresponsible for paying for the treatments?
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If I adopted a dog from a shelter who had mange but that was not disclosed to me,isthe shelterresponsible for paying for the treatments?
I adopted a dog from an animal shelter 2 1/2 weeks ago. When I adopted him, he had a rash and bald spot on his head. The shelter didn’t say anything about it and it wasn’t mentioned in the exam they gave him. When I took him to the vet, they told me it was a form of mange. This means he had mange in the shelter and they didn’t do anything about it. The medication is $35 a dip and he needs 5-7 dips. Not only can I not really afford this, but I don’t think I’m responsible for paying it since he had it before I adopted him. Is it their responsibility to pay this?
Asked on July 22, 2011 Montana
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
What do the adoption papers for the animal say if anything about problems of the animal that you adopted that were existing when you made the adoption? Probably nothing. If so, you adopted the animal taking risks that there could be some physical problems with it that no one knew about it such as mange.
Having a pet is like having a child, you as the owner have to take care of the problems that arise. You adopted the pet from the animal shelter. You did not buy the animal from a pet store. There is a difference in adopting an animal from a shelter to save it from being euthanized and buying a pet from a pet store.
The shelter should not be responsible to repay you for the treatments to cure the mange for your new pet. You should mention to the shelter that the dog had mange when you received it and perhaps the shelter will offer something in return to you.
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