My Ex took my dog and won’t give her back! What do I do??

We hear it all the time: my ex took my dog and won’t give her (or him) back, what do I do? Legally, in Colorado, you can not go to your ex’s house or apartment and take the dog off the premises, even if you own the dog. The reason is because you could be trespassing and/or breaking and entering, which are serious crimes, and you could be charged with the theft of your own dog! It’s best to avoid all that.

So what CAN you do?

You can sue your ex in civil court in the county where he/she lives. If your ex lives in Denver, you sue in Denver County; if your ex lives in Boulder, you sue in Boulder County; in Northfield you sue in Adams County; in Lakewood, you sue in Jefferson County, and so on.

To sue, you will have to turn to ancient property law and file a complaint in replevin (or partition, depending on the facts of your situation), and battle it out in court to present evidence that shows you are the true owner of the dog. The Judge then decides who owns the dog and the winning party takes the dog home.

Our Aurora animal lawyers handle these cases on an almost daily basis because vengeful exes do this kind of thing a lot. Sometimes it’s related to domestic violence, sometimes it’s an ego thing, sometimes it’s a power and control thing, sometimes the other person genuinely believes he/she is as entitled to the dog as you are! No matter what the reason, Bergsten Law Offices is here to help and get your dog back.

Give our experienced pet lawyers a call today for a free 30 minute consultation at 303-623-4000.