When Stephanie G. got hit with a dog-custody lawsuit, she called a lawyer. \u201cWe contacted an attorney to defend her. She didn\u2019t have a voice legally of her own. We had to speak for her,\u201d Stephanie says.<\/p>\n
When Casey B.\u2019s dog died at dog daycare, she called a lawyer. \u201cWe never in our wildest dreams thought we\u2019d ever have to hire an attorney for something related to our dog,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
When Cheryl H. faced a fight over her emotional support dog, she called a lawyer. \u201cSomeone said, \u2018Look around, there\u2019s got to be someone who represents dogs,\u2019\u201d Cheryl says.<\/p>\n
They were right. The number of attorneys specializing in canine cases is growing and so is animal law.<\/p>\n
There is even an entire firm dedicated to protecting pooches and their owners: Boston Dog Lawyers<\/a>, founded by attorney Jeremy Cohen. \u201cOur motto is: It\u2019s time to bark back,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Jeremy opened his firm in 2015. \u201cThe first six months the phone never rang,\u201d he says. \u201cBut once it started to ring, I had to develop a staff to handle the volume.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo: DebbiSmirnoff | Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Stephanie, Casey and Cheryl all hired Jeremy to represent them in dogged legal battles.<\/p>\n When Stephanie took in a family member\u2019s dog after a disagreement about rehoming and training practices, the relative sued to get the pooch back. \u201cI was just stunned,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n The judge ruled the dog could stay with Stephanie. \u201cTo have something that\u2019s completely out of your hands and to just wait while someone else decides the fate of this animal and your future, it was a very stressful time,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Casey says another dog killed her dog, Zuri, at daycare. She filed a lawsuit, settled, and is now pushing for more regulation.<\/p>\n \u201cAll we cared about was justice for Zuri and hoped that legal action makes other daycares think twice about their policies and actions,\u201d Casey says. \u201cWe loved Zuri more than life itself.\u201d<\/p>\n Cheryl needed representation when a condo association wanted to give her dog the boot.<\/p>\n \u201cI need my dog, (my) emotional support animal, and I had paperwork to say such,\u201d Cheryl says. \u201cI was like, \u2018I\u2019m not giving up the dog. He means everything to me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Cheryl says hiring an attorney who specialized in animal law helped her settle her case, get a new place and keep her dog. \u201cWe have rights. I didn\u2019t know that,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n From dogs who bite the neighbor to pet custody battles, animal-related lawsuits are now appearing in courtrooms across the country. And new breeds of attorneys are being trained to take on tough cases.<\/p>\n \u201cThe growth has been exponential, especially in the last decade,\u201d says Professor Kathy Hessler, director of the Animal Law Clinic at Lewis & Clark Law School<\/a>. \u201cIn 2008, we were the only animal program at a law school, and now there\u2019s maybe a dozen in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n Experts say the expansion is also fueled by people\u2019s immense love for their pets; owners are willing to fight for them and pay attorney\u2019s fees.<\/p>\n One of the gravest legal battles owners can face is having their dog end up on death row; government officials deem them dangerous and demand they be euthanized.<\/p>\n That\u2019s what happened to Susan V. from Michigan. Her family dogs darted out of the yard, were accused of killing three goats and were ordered to be put down. \u201cI was horrified,\u201d Susan says.<\/p>\n She needed a good lawyer, stat. Susan hired attorney Celeste Dunn<\/a> who went all CSI on the case.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was no blood on any of these dogs, but there was blood all over the crime scene,\u201d Celeste says.<\/p>\n In an 11-hour-straight trial, Celeste brought in forensic experts, and their testimony helped prove coyotes, not dogs, killed the goats.<\/p>\n \u201cWe won. It was my greatest moment,\u201d Celeste says. \u201cWith any case like that, you need somebody who\u2019s willing to stand up for their rights under enormous pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan was thrilled. \u201cWe were so happy. I was bawling in the courtroom. We were all sitting on a bench just crying our eyes out,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n A law firm that\u2019s gone to the dogs.\u201cOur motto is: It\u2019s time to bark back,\u201d says attorney Jeremy Cohen, who founded Boston Dog Lawyers and specializes in helping animals and their owners. Photo: Steven King, Clark University<\/p>\n<\/div>\n To prevent legal disputes, some couples write up \u201cpetnups,\u201d arranging how they\u2019d handle dog custody if they break up.<\/p>\n \u201cMore couples realize this is an option as more are cohabitating, but not getting married, and pet adoptions are on the rise,\u201d says Cristina Stella, an attorney with the Animal Legal Defense Fund<\/a>.<\/p>\n In some states, dogs aren\u2019t always considered mere property. If there\u2019s a dispute, judges may look at who paid for the dog and their care but sometimes apply similar considerations as they would in child custody battles.<\/p>\n Related: <\/strong>Fighting for Your Dog in a Divorce<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe see trends in the law toward recognizing animals as members of the family,\u201d Cristina says. \u201cSome courts are looking at which of the two partners has a relationship with the animal, who is closer, who provides for their overall well-being and who can provide for them in a way that makes their life happy and good.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2016, Connecticut passed groundbreaking legislation that allows courts to appoint attorneys to be pro bono advocates for animals, usually dogs and cats, in abuse cases.<\/p>\n It\u2019s known as \u201cDesmond\u2019s Law,\u201d named after a dog, Desmond, who was brutally killed by his owner. Many Connecticut voters felt the judge in the case did not properly assess the seriousness of the crime because there was no one in court to advocate for the victim. The state\u2019s legislature agreed. Abused animals now have a voice in legal proceedings.<\/p>\n Attorney Ken Bernhard<\/a> has served as an advocate in four cruelty cases. After each defendant was found guilty, Ken assisted the court in assessing an appropriate sentence.<\/p>\n \u201cAbuse in any form should be discouraged, criminalized and punished,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople who perpetrate cruelty are criminals. Their victims deserve to be heard, even those who cannot speak for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Many trailblazing animal attorneys love helping clients but have to pay their bills, too. Some do charge less for animal cases; others take on compelling pro bono cases. It\u2019s litigation lawyers put their hearts into.<\/p>\n \u201cNo animal will die on my watch because an owner couldn\u2019t afford a legal defense,\u201d Celeste says. \u201cI can\u2019t look away from that beating heart when I know the law protects him or her. I am about justice and what is right.\u201d<\/p>\n Check out this list of resources to find you and your dog legal help:<\/p>\n Animal Legal Defense Fund<\/a> Featured Photo: vgajic | Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The post Does \u00a5our Dog Need a Lawyer?<\/a> by Mary Schwager<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n The post Does \u00a5our Dog Need a Lawyer?<\/a> by Mary Schwager<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n When Stephanie G. got hit with a dog-custody lawsuit, she called a lawyer. \u201cWe contacted an attorney to defend her. She didn\u2019t have a voice legally of her own. We had to speak for her,\u201d Stephanie says.<\/p>\n When Casey B.\u2019s dog died at dog daycare, she called a lawyer. \u201cWe never in our wildest dreams thought we\u2019d ever have to hire an attorney for something related to our dog,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n When Cheryl H. faced a fight over her emotional support dog, she called a lawyer. \u201cSomeone said, \u2018Look around, there\u2019s got to be someone who represents dogs,\u2019\u201d Cheryl says.<\/p>\n They were right. The number of attorneys specializing in canine cases is growing and so is animal law.<\/p>\n There is even an entire firm dedicated to protecting pooches and their owners: Boston Dog Lawyers<\/a>, founded by attorney Jeremy Cohen. \u201cOur motto is: It\u2019s time to bark back,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Jeremy opened his firm in 2015. \u201cThe first six months the phone never rang,\u201d he says. \u201cBut once it started to ring, I had to develop a staff to handle the volume.\u201d<\/p>\n Photo: DebbiSmirnoff | Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Stephanie, Casey and Cheryl all hired Jeremy to represent them in dogged legal battles.<\/p>\n When Stephanie took in a family member\u2019s dog after a disagreement about rehoming and training practices, the relative sued to get the pooch back. \u201cI was just stunned,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n The judge ruled the dog could stay with Stephanie. \u201cTo have something that\u2019s completely out of your hands and to just wait while someone else decides the fate of this animal and your future, it was a very stressful time,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Casey says another dog killed her dog, Zuri, at daycare. She filed a lawsuit, settled, and is now pushing for more regulation.<\/p>\n \u201cAll we cared about was justice for Zuri and hoped that legal action makes other daycares think twice about their policies and actions,\u201d Casey says. \u201cWe loved Zuri more than life itself.\u201d<\/p>\n Cheryl needed representation when a condo association wanted to give her dog the boot.<\/p>\n \u201cI need my dog, (my) emotional support animal, and I had paperwork to say such,\u201d Cheryl says. \u201cI was like, \u2018I\u2019m not giving up the dog. He means everything to me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Cheryl says hiring an attorney who specialized in animal law helped her settle her case, get a new place and keep her dog. \u201cWe have rights. I didn\u2019t know that,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n From dogs who bite the neighbor to pet custody battles, animal-related lawsuits are now appearing in courtrooms across the country. And new breeds of attorneys are being trained to take on tough cases.<\/p>\n \u201cThe growth has been exponential, especially in the last decade,\u201d says Professor Kathy Hessler, director of the Animal Law Clinic at Lewis & Clark Law School<\/a>. \u201cIn 2008, we were the only animal program at a law school, and now there\u2019s maybe a dozen in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n Experts say the expansion is also fueled by people\u2019s immense love for their pets; owners are willing to fight for them and pay attorney\u2019s fees.<\/p>\n One of the gravest legal battles owners can face is having their dog end up on death row; government officials deem them dangerous and demand they be euthanized.<\/p>\n That\u2019s what happened to Susan V. from Michigan. Her family dogs darted out of the yard, were accused of killing three goats and were ordered to be put down. \u201cI was horrified,\u201d Susan says.<\/p>\n She needed a good lawyer, stat. Susan hired attorney Celeste Dunn<\/a> who went all CSI on the case.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was no blood on any of these dogs, but there was blood all over the crime scene,\u201d Celeste says.<\/p>\n In an 11-hour-straight trial, Celeste brought in forensic experts, and their testimony helped prove coyotes, not dogs, killed the goats.<\/p>\n \u201cWe won. It was my greatest moment,\u201d Celeste says. \u201cWith any case like that, you need somebody who\u2019s willing to stand up for their rights under enormous pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n Susan was thrilled. \u201cWe were so happy. I was bawling in the courtroom. We were all sitting on a bench just crying our eyes out,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n A law firm that\u2019s gone to the dogs.\u201cOur motto is: It\u2019s time to bark back,\u201d says attorney Jeremy Cohen, who founded Boston Dog Lawyers and specializes in helping animals and their owners. Photo: Steven King, Clark University<\/p>\n<\/div>\n To prevent legal disputes, some couples write up \u201cpetnups,\u201d arranging how they\u2019d handle dog custody if they break up.<\/p>\n \u201cMore couples realize this is an option as more are cohabitating, but not getting married, and pet adoptions are on the rise,\u201d says Cristina Stella, an attorney with the Animal Legal Defense Fund<\/a>.<\/p>\n In some states, dogs aren\u2019t always considered mere property. If there\u2019s a dispute, judges may look at who paid for the dog and their care but sometimes apply similar considerations as they would in child custody battles.<\/p>\n Related: <\/strong>Fighting for Your Dog in a Divorce<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe see trends in the law toward recognizing animals as members of the family,\u201d Cristina says. \u201cSome courts are looking at which of the two partners has a relationship with the animal, who is closer, who provides for their overall well-being and who can provide for them in a way that makes their life happy and good.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2016, Connecticut passed groundbreaking legislation that allows courts to appoint attorneys to be pro bono advocates for animals, usually dogs and cats, in abuse cases.<\/p>\n It\u2019s known as \u201cDesmond\u2019s Law,\u201d named after a dog, Desmond, who was brutally killed by his owner. Many Connecticut voters felt the judge in the case did not properly assess the seriousness of the crime because there was no one in court to advocate for the victim. The state\u2019s legislature agreed. Abused animals now have a voice in legal proceedings.<\/p>\n Attorney Ken Bernhard<\/a> has served as an advocate in four cruelty cases. After each defendant was found guilty, Ken assisted the court in assessing an appropriate sentence.<\/p>\n \u201cAbuse in any form should be discouraged, criminalized and punished,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople who perpetrate cruelty are criminals. Their victims deserve to be heard, even those who cannot speak for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Many trailblazing animal attorneys love helping clients but have to pay their bills, too. Some do charge less for animal cases; others take on compelling pro bono cases. It\u2019s litigation lawyers put their hearts into.<\/p>\n \u201cNo animal will die on my watch because an owner couldn\u2019t afford a legal defense,\u201d Celeste says. \u201cI can\u2019t look away from that beating heart when I know the law protects him or her. I am about justice and what is right.\u201d<\/p>\n Check out this list of resources to find you and your dog legal help:<\/p>\n Animal Legal Defense Fund<\/a> Featured Photo: vgajic | Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The post Does \u00a5our Dog Need a Lawyer?<\/a> by Mary Schwager<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"does](\"http:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2102_LawyerFeat_JailDog_GettyImages-173195478-482x600.png\")
<\/p>\nCanine court battles<\/h3>\n
Growth of animal law<\/h3>\n
Death row dogs<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2102_LawyerFeat_2019-Jeremy-Cohen-038.png\")
<\/p>\nPetnups<\/h3>\n
Canine court-appointed attorneys<\/h3>\n
Costs and finding an attorney<\/h3>\n
Need a lawyer?<\/h3>\n
\nAmerican Bar Association<\/a>
\nAttorneys for Animals<\/a>
\nBoston Dog Lawyers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\nCanine court battles<\/h3>\n
Growth of animal law<\/h3>\n
Death row dogs<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nPetnups<\/h3>\n
Canine court-appointed attorneys<\/h3>\n
Costs and finding an attorney<\/h3>\n
Need a lawyer?<\/h3>\n
\nAmerican Bar Association<\/a>
\nAttorneys for Animals<\/a>
\nBoston Dog Lawyers<\/a><\/p>\n