Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Choshen Mishpat/135

Paragraph 1- Notwithstanding the fact that one who has possession of a moveable item is believed to say it belongs to him, he would not be believed on domesticated and non-domesticated animals because given that it walks there is a concern the animal entered his possession on its own or perhaps he took it off the road and obtained possession. Thus, if the protestor has witnesses that the animal belongs to him, he would swear a heses oath and take the animal. If he does not have witnesses, the possessor would swear a heses oath and keep the animal. In a place where the custom is to give animals to the shepherd in the morning and take it back in the evening in a manner that the animal is never walking alone, the status of such an animal would be the same as other movable items and the possessor would be believed with a heses oath to say it belongs to him. If the possessor claims the animal damaged him up to its value or that the owner owed him such amount, he would swear while grasping a holy item. There are those who say that if the possessor had possession for three years, he would have a presumption of ownership in all cases.

Paragraph 2- A gentile slave has the status of an animal, and one does not obtain a presumption of ownership until three years because he walks. The possessor must bring proof that he used him as a master would use a slave for those three years. If the slave is a minor who cannot walk, he would have the status of other movable items and the possessor would gain a presumption immediately, even if the slave has a mother who often comes in and out of the possessor’s home.