Pet Law

Animal lawyers are now having their jobs taken seriously. In 2007, when Michael Vick caused a ruckus with his "operation dogfight", people became outraged from the animal cruelty. In a stand against animal cruelty, law firms have been establishing niche areas of expertise in animal law, and solos are building whole practices based on it. While in 2000 only 9 law schools offered courses in animal law, now over 110 do.

Now, serious consideration is taken in determining the custody of the pets in divorce cases, estate planning for pets, and even pets are becoming heirs as billionaire Leona Helmsley's left her white Maltese $12 million in her will. Also, the Menu Foods recall resulted in a slew of class action suits filed on behalf of pet owners whose dogs or cats became ill or died as a result of tainted pet food manufactured by the Canadian based company.

The Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act is in Congress, and if it makes it out, the IRS code would be amended to allow a deduction for pet-related expenses. Just as there's an IRS code that allows a deduction for child-related expenses.

Animals are becoming not only part of the family, as 80% of those with pets believe, but they are becoming comparable to humans in the eyes of the law.
How far is this going to go? Where does the boundary between pets and people as one family, subjective of species, separate back to human and dog?

It's not that I know from personal experience, considering the only pets I've ever had were goldfish that lived for all of three days, but I do know, that pets can be to people, what people can't be to people. They love unconditionally and can be a great family companion, however, pets aren't at the same intellectual level as people, and people need to remember that. Because at this rate, a law's going to be passed where you have to be a vegetarian, and that would end to the down fall of human civilizations. What would the pets be able to do about that?