If you have a dog, then you surely already think of them as an official part of the family. Now, though, you have legal standing to say so.
As Gothamist reports, Justice Aaron Maslow of New York City ruled that a pet dog can be considered a family member.
The ruling stems from a rather sad case in which a Dachshund named Duke was hit and killed by a car. Duke’s pet mom, Nan DeBlase, and her son, Trevor DeBlase, sued the driver. The driver in turn argued that the dog is considered property, and thus they only owed the DeBlases the animal’s dollar value.
However, the judge disagreed and felt that Nan DeBlase, who witnessed the incident, is entitled to compensation that in the past was reserved for those who see parents, children, spouses, grandparents and grandchildren die or get injured.
“Our clients are grateful for the court’s decision, which will enable them to obtain justice for their damages,” the DeBlase family lawyer says.
We salute Duke and his noble sacrifice.