Animal Charity Legal Question

A question about : Animal Charity Legal Question

If this is the wrong place to ask the question I apologise in advance. I have a legal (?) question about an animal sanctuary (properly registered charity) and a cat they have taken in. If anybody can help or point me in the right direction I'd be grateful.

Back in May of this year a family approached our local animal sanctuary and asked if they could take their cat for a while as they were about to be evicted. The sanctuary agreed thinking it was only to be for a couple of weeks, but as you've probably guessed the cat is still there. It has cost them a lot to feed and care for the cat and the family keep saying it'll only be for a couple of weeks more, but that never happens.

They refuse to sign over the cat which is not microchipped, and won't contribute to any of the costs. They have been presented with the bill (very reasonable) but say they have no money. Every now and then they turn up to look at the cat for about 5 mins and then go off.

The people who run the sanctuary are genuinely scared of this family (the sort of people who'd give Jeremy Kyle a run for his money). The family have also sent threatening texts to the sanctuary owners who are scared to go to the police in case this family (3 very large women and 1 very large man) come round and smash up the place or injure the other animals. The sanctuary owners have no idea where these people are currently living either. They would love to rehome the cat as there is someone who would give it a good home and the poor cat itself is suffering.

As they have been looking after the cat for a very long time and have paid for veterinary care as well could they now claim ownership of the cat and rehome the poor little thing?

Any help would be very much appreciated xxxx

Best answers:

• I think you'd have to ask whether there's ever any agreement made when a family hands in a cat in such a situation - and if there is, what does it say can happen if the animal isn't collected within the agreed timeframe? If there isn't, perhaps there should be, ready for next time.
  Then you'd have to ask what the sanctuary owners are prepared to do if they're not willing to report the threats to the police, and fear that damage may be done?
  the sanctuary may not know where this family is living, but I would be prepared to bet money that the police would know where to find them.