That Bites, Man: Dog Sues Pet Store
by Alex Alvarez | 1:06 pm, January 5th, 2012
One New York City lawyer is taking a unique approach to filing a lawsuit on behalf of a client. Attorney Susan Chana Lask, fast becoming the Gloria Allred of dog lawyers, has filed a suit on behalf of Umka, a Brussels Griffon puppy in need of costly surgery to remedy the myriad hip and knee problems she has as a result of a congenital defect.
The lawsuit seeks damages from the owners of Raising Rover, the Upper East Side pet store where Umka was purchased. Lask hopes that, by positioning the pup as a “living soul” rather than her owner’s property, the store will pay for the dog’s pain and suffering. Under the law as it currently stands, however, pets are considered property and can not sue for pain and suffering damages. As such, Umka’s owner has filed another suit listing the dog as “property.”
