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Doggone it!

Pet malpractice awards? It's happening already

Date published: 3/22/2005

APPARENTLY, it's not enough that billions of dollars are paid out every year as a result of medical malpractice lawsuits in America. Now, Fido has to get in on the act, as well. The owners of a sheepdog (named Lucky) who died after dental surgery have filed a several-hundred-thousand-dollar lawsuit against the veterinarian who treated the Florida canine, alleging negligence. Lucky, his owner said in a USA Today report, was "like my son, my little boy," hence the "pain and suffering" component to his legal action.

And Lucky's owners aren't the only pet lovers taking their grief to court. An Orange County, Calif., jury awarded $39,000 to the owner of a mutt who died of misdiagnosed liver failure, and a Costa Mesa, Calif., woman whose Rottweiler had to have his teeth capped after failed dental surgery sued her vet and won $28,000.

Where will it end?

It's very sad when a beloved pet dies. It's true, they can become like children to the humans who love them. But if malpractice awards proliferate and compensation for pain and suffering from the deaths of pets increases, veterinarians' malpractice insurance will skyrocket. Then, their fees will go up, and voilà--many lower-income people will no longer be able to afford any treatment for their pets--bringing potential widespread pain and suffering.

It's a vicious cycle that needs muzzling from the get-go.

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Date published: 3/22/2005