Rescue group said my dog was spayed but now she is pregnant.

Question

I adopted a Collie in August of this year from a rescue group and they told she had been spayed. She is 8 years old and very pregnant! Do they have to pay for all this expense and spay.

Answer

These situations are very uncommon. I cannot predict the outcome of any given case but if an adopter pays an adoption fee for an animal represented as being spayed but the animal is not spayed, a court might very well require the adoption agency to pay for the spaying and other ancillary expenses (such as expenses incurred for caring for the pregnant dog and her puppies). Proof that the adoption agreement stated that an animal was spayed will be important to demonstrate that such representation was made. Consider contacting the rescue to ask them to pay the pregnancy, spay and related expenses. Doing so may avoid a lawsuit. Worth noting is an Arkansas law which states that shelters, rescues, pounds, and humane organizations may not release a dog or cat over the age of three months for adoption unless the animal has been sterilized. There are limited exceptions in the law, such as if a veterinarian certifies that the animal is too sick to undergo the procedure at that time. Good luck!