I love the idea. I had...um...
a friend that used to use his cat's first and last name for all sorts of things. After a while, Mr. Glen Willow even began to get mail addressed to him personally.
One letter stated:
due to your excellent credit rating we are making you this exclusive offer...(Glen "Tuna breath" Willow? Excellent credit rating? Now that's one smart and successful cat IMHO.
)
Still, I was curious as to what the ramifications would be if something like that ever hit the fan. I figured everyone would just have a good laugh about it. Unfortunately, I ran this concept past an attorney I know while we were having lunch (thereby avoiding a consultation fee
).
She said that the idea, while very funny, would still constitute an act of fraud on the part of the person sending in the cat's name. In the USA, it's illegal to use a fraudulent name, or the name of anyone not legally qualified, to enter into a contract. That would include minors, fictitious characters, and pets or other non-human entities.
She said that if you ever got hauled into court, and argued that your cat signed the contract instead of you, you'd very probably get you butt handed to you by the judge. And the fact you knowingly used a fraudulent name with the intent to deceive the other party would leave you open to possible criminal charges as well.
When I pointed out that it was only meant to be a joke, she just smiled. "Stunts like that are only funny until you land in court," she said.
Freekin' lawyers are such killjoys...
----
Of course they gotta
catch you first...
