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A new area of law is emerging as animals increasingly gain legal standing as plaintiffs, beneficiaries, defendants, and trustees.
In 2007, Leona Helmsley left her Maltese $12 million of her estate. Helmsley is not alone in her pet affection, however. More and more Americans are spending thousands of dollars on their animals for healthcare, daycare, therapy and grooming, among other things.
Laws Adapting
As animals gain prominence in human lives, they do in the legal arena as well and the law is forced to adapt. The majority of American Bar Association-approved law schools in the country now offer classes on animal law.
“You’re seeing this real snowball effect,” said Pamela Alexander of the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Uncharted Territory
A number of attorneys across the U.S. are set on pioneering this uncharted territory of law, where long-standing questions about the inherent rights of animals must be addressed.
“Everyone says you can’t make a living doing it. But I decided, well, I’m going to try,” said North Carolina attorney Calley Gerber who abandoned corporate law to focus on animal law.
Legal practitioners like Gerber are finding their expertise is needed in pet custody disputes, animal cruelty and abuse cases, and other issues involving animals and their owners.
(Source: USA Today)
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