# Legal Question - Abandonment



## ehc5029 (Feb 28, 2008)

Hello, My name is Erin. I'm in Pennsylvania. I have a question regarding the abandonment of a horse. A horse came up on a brief trial from north carolina. It was decided very quickly the horse was not wanted (due to chronic lameness) and the owners were alerted. It has now been 3 months and they have not come to pick up the horse as was agreed. We are paying for everything (feed, hay, etc...) and taking care of the horse as if it were our own. No vet bills were acquired or anything. What is the law on this? How long do we have to hold this horse? When is it considered abandonment? 

Thank you...


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## Jr_lover (Apr 14, 2007)

honestly i think its already abandoned. Why not go to a local animal shelter tell them and ask them for help and their opinion on it. They might know something to help you out.


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

Where is the horse being kept? If it's at a boarding facility the facility is the only one who can legally do something about it. After a specific number of days (which 3 mo should be within the period but it depends on the state) they need to send an official letter to the owner and tell them that they have a specific number of days (i think 30) to come get the horse and pay for remaining bills otherwise the horse becomes the facility's property. I think it's called a "lien". Once the horse officially becomes the boarder's property they can 'give' him to you. If this is a abandonment case where the people moved and left the horse in their pasture I think the SPCA would be the ones to call on that and I imagine you would work through them.


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## Brandon (Jan 17, 2008)

Man this really burns me, i don't understand..... I would gladly take this horse if i had the money and a place to put him.. it just really ****es me off when someone just brands a horse as "useless"!!! 

Horses that are lame are not useless, and they should be loved just the same as a sound horse. 

In a year or 2 i am hopefully gettin a lame horse for free, and the only reason i am gettin this horse free is because he is lame..

But i dont care if they lame or not, aslong as they got a good personality they should be kept and loved.

THanks,
Brandon


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## ehc5029 (Feb 28, 2008)

Its a private barn, my family owns it. The horse was not for us to try though, it was for a friend. This question was not about the lameness of the horse. He can be ridden and he is a good horse, the person, however, rides very very hard and does show. This horse going lame all the time would not fit her needs. If she was a light rider, she'd probably buy the horse. So, please, don't judge us unfairly. We are very loving horse people. There was no board arrangement since it was for this person to use. It was at the most supposed to be a 30 day trial, so we are passed that. She alerted them 2 weeks in maybe sooner that she definately did not want the horse and they could come pick it up. They agreed. I know Pennsylvania to north carolina is a long way so we've been patient.


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## kim_angel (Oct 16, 2007)

I'd get a lawyer to draw up a letter to send to them notifying them that they have until a certain date to remove the horse or you will either charge them board or sell the horse.


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