Vets Oppose Non-Economic Damages in Dog Shooting

Vets Oppose Non-Economic Damages in Dog Shooting

by Maeve Flanagan





At first glance, it seems that veterinarian groups would be advocates for the legal rights of animals, but this is not the case. These groups do not want the legal status of animals to change because they would have to get more expensive insurance policies to protect against potential lawsuits such as the case above. In response, pet care costs would rise. In an articled titled “Non-Economic Damages in Pet Lawsuits,” authors Cook and Hochstadt state: “We believe that extending available remedies beyond economic damages would be inappropriate and ultimately harm animals.”

Non-economic damages will drive veterinarians to pursue a higher standard of care, like the standard of care that is used by regular medical professionals. The article states that there would be an increase in lawsuits, which would mean that veterinarians would be forced to partake in court proceedings, taking away from their time treating animals. This is not necessarily true. If legal reforms allow for non-economic damages in claims against veterinarians for negligence, these veterinarians will simply be held to a higher standard of care, which is not a bad thing. When the damages in litigating claims against veterinarians are low, it becomes easier for the vets to just pay the fine than to actually fix the behavior that caused the problem. The $607,500 award here is high enough so that veterinarians are deterred from simply paying the fine and moving on. They will have to fix what is wrong or it will cost them.




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