Estray

Estray

Estray, in law, is any domestic animal found wandering at large or lost, the owner being unknown.

Under early English common law, estrays were forfeited to the king or lord of the manor; under modern statutes, provision is made for taking up stray animals and acquiring either title to them or a lien for the expenses incurred in keeping them. A person taking up an estray has a qualified ownership in it, which becomes absolute if the owner fails to claim the animal within the statutory time limit. Whether the animal escaped through the owner's negligence or through the wrongful act of a third person is immaterial. If the owner reclaims the estray, he is liable for reasonable costs of its upkeep. The use of an estray during the period of qualified ownership, other than for its own preservation or for the benefit of the owner, is not authorized. Some statutes limit the right to take up estrays to certain classes of persons, to certain seasons or places, or to animals requiring care.


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  • Estray — Es*tray , v. i. To stray. [Obs.] Daniel. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Estray — Es*tray n. (Law) Any valuable animal, not wild, found wandering from its owner; a stray. Burrill. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • estray — [ə strā′] n. [Anglo Fr < estraier: see STRAY] 1. any person or thing out of its usual place 2. Law a stray and unclaimed domestic animal vi. Archaic to stray …   English World dictionary

  • estray — 1. noun /ə.streɪ/ a) Animal that has escaped from its owner. A legal term, usually defined in common law, as a wandering animal whose owner is unknown. An animal cannot be an estray when on the range where it was raised, and permitted by its… …   Wiktionary

  • estray — /astrey/ An estray is an animal that has escaped from its owner, and wanders or strays about; usually defined, at common law, as a wandering animal whose owner is unknown. An animal cannot be an estray when on the range where it was raised, and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • estray — /astrey/ An estray is an animal that has escaped from its owner, and wanders or strays about; usually defined, at common law, as a wandering animal whose owner is unknown. An animal cannot be an estray when on the range where it was raised, and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • estray — /i stray /, n. 1. a person or animal that has strayed. 2. Law. a domestic animal, as a horse or a sheep, found wandering or without an owner. v.i. 3. Archaic. to stray. [1250 1300; ME astrai < AF estray, deriv. of OF estraier to STRAY] * * * …   Universalium

  • estray — es•tray [[t]ɪˈstreɪ[/t]] n. 1) a stray 2) law archaic to stray • Etymology: 1250–1300; ME astrai < AF estray, der. of OF estraier to stray …   From formal English to slang

  • estray — I. ə̇ˈstrā, eˈ intransitive verb Etymology: Middle French estraier to roam about without a master more at stray archaic : stray II. noun ( s) …   Useful english dictionary

  • estray — I. noun Date: circa 1523 stray 1 II. intransitive verb Etymology: Middle French estraier Date: 1572 archaic stray …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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