Verbal Contract, No Payment from Father

[AWebb3701]

State: California
Parties: a 19 year old woman vs her father

Case: Shortly after her decision to move out, "Jen" was instructed by her father "Bob" to adopt a shelter dog, assuring her that as long as she took care of the dog, he would pay all costs involved with the adoption, neutering, and upkeep of said dog. It has been many months now, and the bill for this dog has passed $300, all paid by Jen and her boyfriend. Does he actually owe her anything, or can he walk out on the dog and daughter both, letting her sink into further debt?

Now for the Twist: Bob recently adopted a dog of his own, which in turn attempted to attack Jen's dog. Jen held him off, getting bitten by Bob's dog in the process. Bob ignored her phone call asking for help, then came home much later and berated her for calling 911 to learn how to treat a dogbite.


Case 2:
Same parties, but this time over a car. Over the years Bob has promised the "spare" car (first a neon, then another neon, and now a camaro) that he owns to his daughter. The first was repossessed, the second was sold behind her back, and the third is sitting at his house (where she diligently works on it every weekend). Bob once again promised this car to her for her 19th birthday, which came and passed without transfer. She found out 2 weeks after that if he did give her the car, he would also leave the back-registration fees to her, as he has never registered it.

Now for the twist: He is actively buying and selling cars, sometimes owning 3 or 4 at a time before selling or losing them.