Residing in Scotland. 2 weeks ago, I rehomed a cat from a registered shelter/rehoming centre. I paid £85 adoption fee and went off on my merry way with the cat. Cat settled in quickly and was happy and affectionate, but sadly, quickly, it became apparent that my husband and toddler were highly allergic to her, to the point my husband had an asthma attack. We have another cat here and everyone is fine around her, no allergies.
So, fast forward to present day, we rehomed the cat to a family we know well in our street. We did not take any money for this and I decided to let the shelter know because they had not yet transferred the chip details to me for her microchip,
So I explained the situation and advised of the new owners. I then got a call from the owner of the shelter and got grief on the phone. She could hear I was upset, but carried on hounding me. She said we should have given the cat back to the shelter instead, but I didn't want to put her through the experience again and she's already really settled and happy in her new home.
I accept responsibility I may have handled this wrong and I hold my hands up for that, however, the shelter have made contact with the new owners and told them they are going to their house tomorrow to take the cat back!
Where do we stand with this? I thought as money was exchanged with me and the shelter, that a contact was entered and I am now the legal owner of this cat, so it's my choice what to do with her. There's nothing I can see in the paperwork that they can take her back etc, so I just want to see where we stand please! Can she take the cat back or am I actually the legal owner still and can stop this? Insurance is in my name, it's just the chip which was still to be transferred. Their argument is because the chip is in the shelter name, she is still their cat!