dog bite

i had a rottweiler that some one gave to me. i never registered the dog in my name in the city or with akc. i only had it about 4 months, when i moved to an apartment were i couldnt have it. a freind of a freind said she wanted it. i gave it to her with no written agreement, and told her not to get rid of it without first contacting me. 2 days later she gave it to someone else and it bit him in the face giving him 19 stiches. they didnt tell me, my freind did, and they said that they told the doctor that they had called animal control when they had not because they wanted to keep the dog. when i found this out, i sent my freind to get the dog so she didnt bite someone else. they where mad that i took her back, but i was worried. i had my freind take her to the pound and said that i found her because i didnt have the heart to tell them to put her down. now he says hes going to sue me. can they do this? it wasnt my dog anymore!

Wow, what a tangled web!!!

Let's see if I get this right....
You had a dog, and gave it to someone else, but not really since you said that you retained 'first right' to take it back (guess you just 'loaned' the dog to them). Then after you found out about a dog bite, you had a friend 'steal' the dog back (or, if you had just 'loaned' it, I guess you reposessed the dog).

Now you say that 'someone' (who, the person who was bitten, or the friend that stole/repossessed the dog, or the person that thought they owned the dog, or ... damn, this is confusing!!!).

Bottom line, if you still owned the dog, you are responsible for the dogs actions, even if not in your custody at the time. If you didn't own the dog, then the person you gave the dog to is responsible. Or, since the person (person #3) that was bit actually owned the dog (maybe??), then that person is responsible and has no one else to sue....

Man, that sure gave me a headache!!!