How can I legally adopt a dog abandoned at kennel?

Question

I work as a veterinary technician at a veterinary hospital in California. We have had a dog boarding with us for a few months and the owner is about 6 weeks behind on paying, and has not answered or returned calls. The dog is left boarding in a kennel meant to house dogs temporarily, not for unbeknownst lengths of time. I was wondering the process required to adopt said dog and how to legally go about doing so? Thank you for your time!

Answer

The California Veterinary Medical Association has issued an explanation of the laws regarding abandonment of animals left for boarding. See http://law.onecle.com/california/civil/1834.5.html. The law provides that an animal left for boarding will be deemed abandoned if not retrieved within 14 days after the animal was scheduled to be picked up. The law further provides that �The person into whose custody the animal was placed for care shall first try for a period of not less than 10 days to find a new owner for the animal or turn the animal over to a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or nonprofit animal rescue group, provided that the shelter or rescue group has been contacted and has agreed to take the animal. If unable to place the animal with a new owner, shelter, or rescue group, the animal care facility may have the abandoned animal euthanized.� The law further provides that �There shall be a notice posted in a conspicuous place, or in conspicuous type in a written receipt given, to warn a person depositing an animal at an animal care facility of the provisions of this section.� There are also lien laws (explained in the link above) allowing for sales of animals not retrieved on time, although the animal�s �owner� must first be given notice prior to any such sale.