"lost dog"

[glmri]

my wife owns a small grooming business in minnesota. We agreed to take in a friends dog and groom it. they asked if we could keep it overnight. Since they were a friend we agreed. The next morning, my wife took it outside and it slipped the choker collar we were using and ran away.
My wife and I searched for it for the next 5 hours and also put up signs and talk to local authorities. We haven't seen the dog since. Now the owners are upset and want to sue over it. Can they? We are not a boarding business and took the dog in because they were our friends. The dog was purchased from the humane society and is a golden retriever cross.

Thank you for any advice on this you can offer. We really don't know what to do. I don't want to hire a lawyer unless I have to.

Thanks again.

 

[JETX]

Yes, they can sue, but they probably wouldn't win.

Unless you were being paid for services, you entered into what is called a 'gratuitous bailment' (meaning taking possession, but not ownership, of someone else's property without you receiving benefit). As such, you are only expected to provide REASONABLE AND ORDINARY care for that property. If you were negligent in allowing the dog to get loose, you might have some responsibility, but you probably could not foresee the dog getting loose from a choke chain. (Also, was the choke collar the owners, or yours?? It could have some bearing on responsiblity.)

Finally, even if you are liable, it would only be for the actual damages, being the cost of the dog. (Pets are considered property and have no sentimental or emotional attached value.)

I would suggest that, if you haven't already, make every effort to help find the dog, place posters, contact local vets and animal boarders, etc.