Should people be able to sue for the "emotional value" of their pet? One Texas couple thinks so, and they have taken their case to the Texas Supreme Court after their lab named Avery was mistakenly euthanized by a Fort Worth shelter in 2009.
Under Texas law, dogs are property. But Jeremy and Kathryn Medlen, Avery's owners, believe dogs deserve the same standing the law gives to truly irreplaceable objects.
Many veterinarians oppose this. According to The Huffington Post, they say "letting juries somehow calculate sentimental payouts would set a costly precedent that would ripple nationwide." Justices "appeared skeptical, too, at times of whether dogs should be granted an emotional price tag that humans in many scenarios aren't even afforded under state law."
The court isn't expected to issue a ruling for several weeks.
What do you think? Should people be able to sue for the "emotional value" of their pet?
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