Groundbreaking Court Ruling Takes Dogs Beyond “Property” Status; Major Pet Industry Groups Not Happy

[idiotgardener]

http://dogblog.dogster.com/2012/01/05/groundbreaking-court-ruling-takes-dogs-beyond-property-status-major-pet-industry-groups-not-happy/

A Texas appellate court has made the bold move of effectively taking dogs out of the “property” category and giving them increased legal status. It provides an updated reinterpretation of the law, which traditionally views pets as worth only their market value — like a table or a car.

The Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth overturned a lower court’s ruling that a couple whose dog was wrongfully euthanized was entitled to damages for only the dog’s monetary worth. The new ruling allows for a dog’s true worth to be considered.

[freshwest]

1. It's about time, for dogs and many other living things!

[idiotgardener]

2. I completely agree, but there's going to be a huge fight

Pet stores, puppy mills, rodeos and all the other industries that depend on the ability to abuse animals when it suits them are going to put up a big stink!

[kristopher]

16. +1

[Raine]

3. GOOD! nt

[baldguy]

4. Orchid is not a table.

She's much cuddlier.

[idiotgardener]

6. Orchid has the second best dogs ears I've ever seen

(after my guy, of course)

[Remember Me]

23. Yeah, those are some serious ears!!

She looks wonderful. Very noble.

[99Forever]

48. Did someone say EARS?

<a href="" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt="Tuffy, Long Tail, Leo, and Pookie"></a>

[Remember Me]

52. ROTFL laughing --

Let's see, I think I see 4 pups and about 12 individual ears. Is that right? They're adorable.

[QED]

7. What an adorable pup!

[AtomicKitten]

13. She's a beauty.

[Liberal_in_LA]

37. beautiful dog

[HillWilliam]

41. Julie isn't a rug, either

She's invaluable assistant. When she's off-duty, she's a great cuddlebuddy and friend.




Love Orchid's ears, too, with the little bent-over tips. That has always charmed me

[guitar man]

43. But sometimes

Olive is a pillow

[baldguy]

44. The nanny dog at work.

[guitar man]

46. Indeed

She is a canine supernanny

[Curmudgeoness]

5. Wow, and this happened in Texas

of all places. I am impressed. This is a long time coming, as all of us pet lovers already know.

[idiotgardener]

9. Please don't ruin the post with Texas-bashing.

[AtomicKitten]

8. Hooray! It's a solid step in the right direction.

Now how about some mercy for animals in factory farming?

[idiotgardener]

10. Did you use the words "mercy for animals" on purpose?

It's the name of the group doing some of the best undercover investigations in that area right now, in case you aren't familiar.

Their latest was Butterball turkeys... anyone who ate one for the holidays should be able to watch the video.

http://www.mercyforanimals.org/

[AtomicKitten]

12. I did.

I cannot watch their videos. Just taking a peek at a still photo and description of the abuse haunts me for weeks, no exaggeration. It seems the industry is a magnet for the most vile people, like moths to a flame.

[idiotgardener]

14. Two thumbs up

And I can't watch those anymore either. I used to watch them all. Back when I thought that if people saw what went on, they would stop buying the "product"...

[freshwest]

19. Alright, I'm dragging out the Thoreau quote again. Some people like it:

"I saw deep in the eyes of the animals the human soul look out upon me. I saw where it was born deep down under feathers and fur, or condemned for a while to roam four-footed among the brambles I caught the clinging mute glance of the prisoner and swore that I would be faithful." -Henry David Thoreau

It always makes me cry.

[flvegan]

30. Good on you for that.

Love those folks.

[Jackpine Radical]

11. Gus the Wonder Dog has a strong sense of his own value.

[idiotgardener]

15. Gus looks like a giant. How big is he?

[Jackpine Radical]

21. Maybe 130 lb, the biggest purebred Golden I know of.

He can walk up to the kitchen table & put his head onto it to stare at the turkey or whatever on the platter--not that he would take anything off the table, even if left alone with it.

Gentle as a lamb, wonderful with kids (except for a tendency to unintentionally knock them over while playing).

[freshwest]

20. Heart and soul of a lion there. Thanks Jackpine.

[Bonhomme Richard]

17. Sorry but these are a couple of my very close friends.

[Remember Me]

24. Beautiful - that's not a Redbone, is it?

I'm a little partial to hounds, it seems. I'm not sure that revelation is very flattering, but ... well, there it is. Hounds and labs and retrievers.

[Bonhomme Richard]

26. He is actually a fox red lab. I never knew they existed until I saw him in the litter with...

yellows, blacks and a chocolate. Eight months old.
They are both rescues. The pups mother was a pregnant rescue.

[Remember Me]

27. well, they're both gorgeous

I rescued a Redbone Hound once -- quite an experience. He was a pistol, and a LOT of fun. Too smart for his own good. We had to re-home him (and I found a wonderful teenager -- and dad, of course -- to send him home with!!) when he got old enough to want to challenge our alpha male lab-chow for dominance. I miss him still. EVERY dog we rescued and rehomed has a special place in my heart.

[1620rock]

18. I could only watch the first few seconds...I feel hatred and lothing for those who abuse any animal.

[SammyWinstonJack]

38. +1

[napi21]

39. I can't watch the video but I really believe there's a reason ALL serial killers have been

found to have abused and tourtured animals when they were young. There's something inately wrong with anyone who abuses animals.

[MoonRiver]

22. Awesome!

All pets should have this status!

[Remember Me]

25. This is wonderful news -- and it reminds me

of some of the changes to disaster and preparedness plans that happened after people REFUSED to leave NOLA before and even after Katrina if their pets couldn't go too, and similar situations elsewhere.

It's always heartening to see a wee little bit of humanity break out, isn't it?

[Joe Shlabotnik]

28. great news! Who knows, maybe the day is comming when we'll be able to euthanize corporations! n/t

[Howler]

32. HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!! PERFECT!!!!!

[Howler]

29. YAY!!!!!! Way past time! I'm with the other poster......

That said its time to do this for feed animals too!

Heres what my girls think of the case!




Quark says "'We are movin up!!!!!"




Thurber says" Hmmmp Absolutely worth more then any property!"








E. Rigby Says "Surely you don't mean for cats too!"

[flvegan]

31. In Defense of Animals has been promoting "The Guardian Campaign" for some time

for this very reason.

http://www.guardiancampaign.com/

[Avis]

33. This might be a careful what you wish for situation

I've already heard vets are concerned about liability over treatment and plan on doing more defensive medicine. Of course anyone with a pet already knows that it is enormously expensive
to go to the vet already, so how many more pets will never see a vet when it gets so expensive. My vet is saying he is no longer seeing any puppies come in, it is evident in membership in national breed clubs too, the loss of responsible breeders is evident everywhere. I suppose the people that don't really care about being responsible will always be there. Pet grooming friends are concerned about this situation, as would be boarding kennels etc. How much would a pet be worth if something happened? While all of us that love our pets think they are irreplaceable, this might not be the best way to help all pets. Probably good for insurance companies, but maybe that will be the only ones that come out on this. Certainly sad when innocent creatures die from contaminated pet food, bad humane society practices, veterinary error, etc.. but hopefully there are laws in place to oversee these issues. Hopefully it is not just going to be high premiums for insurance companies to collect as the pet care people get scared of what could happen to them.

[Patiod]

36. You beat me to it. Not an unmitigated blessing.

Vet care is already expensive, and this isn't going to help.

I already have to fight my vet, who recommends constant, expensive tests for my elderly dog at just about every visit. I'm unemployed, and free-lancing, and only periodically running in the black, which they know, but still continue to push for more testing.

(Yes, I know I need a less money-grubbing clinic that's not trying to pay off a huge new building, but the dog is 12 and these folks know him and have his extensive records)

[99Forever]

51. Been there, done that..

.. and then changed vets. Next door neighbors introduced us Dr Stan F. Has an office in his home, 3 blocks from us. His daughter is his receptionist/assistant and he charges literally half of what "clinics" in the area do. Only does needed testing and tries to always look for the least expensive, effective treatment when there is an issue. We got very lucky.

[napi21]

40. I see your point, but remember, there has to have been careloessness and wrong doing

to get money from someone.

[amyrose2712]

47. I know it is a shame that a thing like this will probalby be taken advantage of. My worry too.nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Now time to include parrots

neither of my kids are a table either... though they might chew on one.

[G_j]

35. good news

K&R

[Douglas Carpenter]

42. I say: Let's replace corporate personhood with dog personhood

[treestar]

45. Now there's a good idea!

Dogs have more personality than corporations do!

[99Forever]

49. Besides..

.. we only thought we owned them, when the exact opposite is true.

Seriously though. It's about time.

[theAntiRand]

50. Why do they hate humans??/?