There is a bill before the legislature which would increase the amount of damages a pet owner can recover if their pet is attacked.
Currently, pet owners are limited in terms of the money they can recover. Often pet owners can only recover the cost of the replacement value of the pet. The new bill would include additional recovery for economic damages such as reimbursement for veterinary bills and burial expenses.
The bill may also include a provision for non-econmic damages. For example, compensation for pain and suffering as well as emotional distress. This type of compensation has traditionally been barred since courts have treated companion animals as property thereby precluding recovery for non-econmic damages. If the bill permits these types of awards it would allow pet owners the potential for compensation for the true loss of their pet rather than merely reducing recovery to the amount the ower paid to a vet or a breeder.
This is one of most important pieces of legislation in the area of pet law in a long time. If it is passed, the new law will greatly improve the amount of monetary recovery for pet owners.
Feedback is welcomed.
Here is an article about the proposed bill:
http://www.ctlawtribune.com/getarticle.aspx?ID=40084