Karly Moran-West's dog went missing from a Chicago backyard in January 2020 in what felt like a devastating loss for the city pet owner.
"I was very depressed," she said. "I cried for two weeks."
But much to her surprise, Moran-West's dog was found by Animal Care and Control in Chicago. Despite a red collar embroidered with her phone number, she said she was never contacted.
Intake forms from the agency confirmed Zeus' name.
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"A gross violation of Illinois law by Chicago Animal Care and Control and that interrupted what should have been a reunion," said Enterprise Law Group attorney Jonathan Rosen.
Within five days, Rosen said Zeus was transferred to a Chicago rescue and ultimately adopted out to another family. The rescue did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago's request for comment on the matter.
"CACC failed to contact Karly and failed to hold Zeus for the required seven days," Rosen said. "CACC records show plenty of employees and staff interacted with Zeus before he was wrongly transferred to fetching tails foundation."
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Moran-West has filed a lawsuit in what she said is an attempt to unravel the legal transfers of Zeus and be reunited with him.
"You guys should have a heart and give me back my dog," she said.
She and Rosen are also asking the inspector general to investigate.
Chicago Animal Care and Control told NBC 5 in a statement that it will "review the filed complaint and will have no further comment as the matter is now in litigation."
"Animal control must make every reasonable attempt to contact the owner and there was nothing more reasonable than CACC calling the number on Zeus' collar, but that never happened," Rosen said.
