https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2019/05/portland-landlord-catnapped-tenants-best-friend-frank-lawsuit-claims.html
“He was the only thing that loved me at the time,” Smith said. “Girlfriends come and go. Friends come and go. Frank’s been the one constant in my life.”
"A neighbor told Smith he observed the landlord holding Frank by the scruff of his neck and putting him into his car, he said. Smith hasn’t seen Frank since."
"Michael Fuller, an attorney for Smith, said he is not aware of any property rule or written policy prohibiting his client from keeping the pet in his home."
“Isn’t that totally messed up?” he asked.
#justiceforfrank
"Michael Fuller, an attorney for Smith, said he is not aware of any property rule or written policy prohibiting his client from keeping the pet in his home."
Even if there was a rule, doesn't give the guy the right to steal his pet.
Total piece of shit landlord.
I'm not hugely familiar with landlord laws around here but I'm pretty sure the land lord's actions here are outright illegal. The article states that the land lord showed up unannounced while the tenant was gone which I'm quite certain is against rental laws around here. On top of that, even if the lease agreement had changed I'm pretty sure that it would be illegal for the land lord to come and take the cat too. If anything it would be animal control or possibly the police that would need to do that. So the land lord appears to be unambiguously in the wrong here both ethically and legally.
Pets are property under UK law, not sure about US law, but you'd be looking at aggravated larceny I expect. But no amount of money will buy back his friend who has probably been 'disposed of'.
Reminds me of a guy who was in an anger management class with my mom. He was there for angrily calling and showing up at a nurse's house because she stole his cat from him after he asked her to watch it for him while he was hospitalized.
What kind of person do you have to be to steal someone's pet?
I think a sheer lack of empathy ticks most of those boxes.
US Law also classifies owned animals (such as pets) as property. What perplexes me is the fact that common western law can't (or won't) recognize the effects of the close relationship between humans and animals kept as pets, nor the tangible harm done when separation occurs.
Sheer scumbaggery of taking someone's pet aside, it looks like there are enough related charges to press. Hope the landlord has the book thrown at him.
This really pisses me off...
Fuck the book, throw the entire library at this piece of shit.
Holy shit. I hope the cat is ok and he gets him back.
The comments on the article are odd. There's several people defending the landlord saying he's a guy who often does a lot to help out in the community and that the residency wasn't a normal apartment, but rather a place for recovering addicts to stay rent free. Apparently there the landlord can enter the residency though not the occupant's bedroom.
Taking the cat with no explanation is pretty shitty though.
A narcissistic sociopath.
No explanation needed regardless of tenancy agreements. Landlords are not the Police; they don't have a right to confiscate any of a person's property regardless of their status in society. I think the landlord essentially entered his own property and stole something from someone on said property, like a waiter stealing the wallet of a patron at his restaurant.
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