Can someone legally keep my dog from me after watching him for 3 months?

Question

I am now in a legal battle with somebody I used to live with who said he would take care of my dog until I became settled in a new place. He will not return my calls/texts and is now saying that I have to pay $6,000 for boarding fees even though he’s been keeping him from me for 3 months by relocating him to his girlfriends house. He is papered in my name, but he wants to keep my dog and is now taking me to court and hiding my dog from me until I pay $6,000 in “boarding fees” although there was no contract. What can I do? Does he have standing to charge me for any boarding fees without an agreement?

Answer

There is something in the law called “quantum meruit.” Basically what this means is that when there is no contract a court could order reasonable compensation for services rendered. The court will consider the evidence presented (including, for example, that the animal may have been hidden thus unreasonably increasing boarding fees) or that the animal was gifted or abandoned when making a determination regarding how much, if anything, is due.