How Much is a Pet Dog Worth?

[Artistic Skaters]

Pets have long been defined as material property for the purpose of legal damages. But there is a new case currently at the GA Supreme Court level asking them to reconsider the value of our beloved pets.

*** How much is a pet dog worth? A court will soon decide :

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...dog-worth-a-court-will-soon-decide/?tid=a_inl

Barking Hound Village argues that Lola was property, and the Monyaks are entitled only to her “market value” — which, because she was a free rescue mutt, is nothing. The Monyaks want to recover the $67,000 in veterinary and other expenses they say they spent, and they also want a jury to be able to consider Lola’s “actual value” to their family, such as their feelings for her.

There are two other cases recently in the news. The owners in the WI case tried pursuing it under an unusual law, but ended up with the dog still defined as regular property. However, in the OR case they awarded the owner significant damages for emotional harm, which indicates some courts are open to the idea that dogs are more than just mere property.

*** Couple's dog has no sentimental value in the eyes of the law:

http://lacrossetribune.com/courierl...cle_1a267670-5fef-5a6c-9af3-790195e2d350.html

*** Rancher awarded $246,500 in shooting of three guard dogs :

http://www.capitalpress.com/Livesto...warded-246500-in-shooting-of-three-guard-dogs

The jury awarded Clark $7,500 for the replacement value of the dogs, $100,000 for emotional harm and $139,500 in punitive damages.

 

[Japanfan]

The classification of pets as property can be legally problematic, and as shown by one of the cases above, classifying them as keepsakes is also problematic.

Definitely emotional harm/pain and suffering should be taken into account when a pet is murdered, as occurred in the last case posted.

In the first case, it appears that it has not been determined whether the kennel was in fact actually responsible for Lola's death. If it were, I think payment for emotional harm should definitely be awarded. The Monyaks paid such high vet bills to keep their dog alive as long as possible, and even if the dog had just one year left, that year would have been precious to them and possibly had time to prepare for losing their dog. I know this first-hand, having had a diabetic dog. Knowing we did everything we could to keep her alive until her time came - her end at 14 years was not diabetes related - made her passing so much easier to bear.

As to where the kennel should be responsible for all the medical costs if held responsible, I'm not sure. It seems to me that perhaps it should.

If a child were murdered, and the parents had spent an equal amount of money on healthcare, would that be included in the award? I would think so?

Pets are often no less beloved to their owners than children. It's much much easier to get another pet than it is to get another child, so in that sense the two losses are very different.

Even so, the designation of pets as property remains problematic, as they are so much more than that.