Courts across the country are less likely to dismiss pet-related lawsuits, and state legislatures have been reforming animal-protection laws. In 2000 Tennessee became the first to pass a civil statute giving a pet owner the right to suffering and punitive damages. A version of the Tennessee law passed in Illinois last year, and West Virginia has removed damage caps. Other statutes are pending in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. “For many years, animal-law attorneys were laughed at,” says Joyce Tischler, executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. “Things are finally changing.” But the question remains: how do you put a price on your pet’s love?
