Dog kills cat, court awards owner $45,000
SEATTLE (Reuters) - A woman who sued a neighbor after her cat was mauled by his dog was awarded more than $45,000, the Seattle woman's lawyer said on Monday.
Paula Roemer's cat Yofi was killed after her neighbor's dog broke through a fence in February 2004. The dog's owner, Wallace Gray, had pleaded guilty to animal-control violations in Seattle Municipal Court and admitted negligence.
Seattle District Court Judge Barbara Linde ordered Gray to pay Roemer a little over $45,000 for Yofi's death, including $30,000 for the value of the cat, $15,000 for emotional distress, and other charges.
Roemer's lawyer, Adam Karp, who specializes in animal cases, said that while multimillion-dollar judgments have been awarded over thoroughbred horses, her award was the highest for a pet in the United States that he was aware of. Roemer has said she would donate the money to animal welfare groups.
posted by toodles at 11:08 AM
2 Comments:
Isn't that what dogs do?... kill cats?
Well I think Funky Fresh Freddie is missing the point, but all things considered, its not surprising. The dog was not sued, the owner was. the owner had already pled guilty to violating an animal restraint law. He'd committed a crime. There is no price I can place on the life of my cat - she's like a child to me. I think non-pet owners tend to overlook the fact that people can form close relationships with non-human species. And that an animal with whom you have a close emotional bond has very little protection under the law. My emotional distress over losing my cat would be intense and grievous, and I resent the belittlement of the impact of that loss.
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