The value awarded to pet owners whose animals encounter fatal neglect or wrongdoing has been on the rise in the United States as courts begin to recognize the loss of a pet (legally considered property) is more distressing than the loss of an inanimate object.
A recent article published by the Seattle Times reports that a series of legal settlements providing ever-greater damage awards to pet owners, who have lost animals to accidental or wrongful deaths, has raised the bar when it comes to the actual "value" placed on our four-legged friends.
Adam Karp, a Bellingham WA, attorney has fought, and won, several cases where pet owners were awarded large amounts for wrongful death of their pets. But he told the Times the courts have still not taken the next step - awarding damages for emotional distress in people who lose pets because of the actions of others.
"The discourse has changed," he said. Today courts "recognize that intrinsic value (for a pet) is a real thing, and they need to think outside that earlier box."
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