“I asked my X-girlfriend to watch my dog for a few weeks and now she has refused to give him back, are there any laws pertaining to a situation like this? Perhaps animal theft or kidnapping of a animal?”

Under most state laws, pets are considered personal property. It may not technically be considered “theft” (depending on your state law it might be called a form of “embezzlement”, “fraudulent appropriation,” or “unlawful conversion”). In any event, it is a crime and you should go down to your local police station and report it. They can take your statement and may be able to help you retrieve your dog quickly. You may be required to show some proof of ownership (records from your vet, licensing fee receipts, etc.). Depending on the value of the dog, such a theft could even rise to the level of a felony, so this could turn very serious very quickly.

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Ray Everett-Church is a privacy and security consultant with PrivacyClue LLC and is co-author of "Internet Privacy for Dummies" Contact This Author

State laws vary, and the above is intended as general advice, and not direct legal advice regarding any one particular situation in any one state. For direct personal legal advice related to your own situation you should consult an attorney familiar with the laws of your state and with your situation.