Cat owner awarded $45,480

The owner of a dog who killed a cat in Seattle last year was found guilty and the district judge has order him to pay $45,480.00 in restitution to the cat owner. This may be the largest amount in US history for such a case ever awarded. Very interesting story on how the woman rescued the cat while on vaction in Israel 13 years ago and btought it home and raised it for all these years.

www.seattletimes.com for complete story.

 

I have to say I think it's a bit over the top. Offcourse he should have to pay for this womans loss, if dog owners can't control their dogs they shouldn't let them go loose. In his case: he shouldn't have left his dog in someone elses care unless he was 110% sure that this person could take care of, and controll, it. But I do think $45,480.00 is too much...

 

I agree, that's an insane amount of money. I love my cats dearly, but if something like that happened, I wouldn't dream of asking $45,000.

What the heck kind of cat was it that the replacement value is $30,000? It was a stray kitten. It's not like it was some ultra rare, purebred cat. And even if it may have been, it was a stray so she has absolutely no way of proving it. I think $50 to go down to the local shelter to adopt another one plus medical expenses and maybe a little for emotional distress would be plenty.

-Chelle

 

:shock: :shock: :shock: Thats, alot of money :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

i cant read the article. what did the judge say to the owner of the dog? 'i hearby sentence you to pay x amount of money to mrs x because your dog was following its natural instinct.' ??

 

that is kinda excessive IMO....last I thought spayed/neutered mixes (or even purebreds) had no montary value. Personally I don't think any amount of $$ could replace any of my furkids and it certainly wouldn't make me feel better about losing one like this woman did.
BUT...I do think the dog's owner should, rather than give the money to this woman, perhaps be made to donate it to a shelter.
Yes the dog is acting on instinct...but if the owner is unable to control his dog other people's pets should suffer because of it.
We had a case in our town where a neighbor poisoned another neighbor's dogs when they continued to get into his garden. The garden man never ever complained about the dogs to either the owners or the police, instead he poisoned them.
The owner of the dogs won a monetary settlement in court - he turned it all over to the shelter to be used for vet care for animals. He simply said this isn't going to make me feel better about my dog's being poisoned.

 

poor kittie.

 

Even though the amount is excessive, it's nice to see that the law is beginning to look out for pets....
Maybe the judge thought he could make an example out of this case and bring some attention to the people that let their animals run out of control

 

I did read that article. The lady said that she never expected to collect that money, she just wanted justice for her beloved cat.