Owners of dead pets eligible for little reward

ALBANY, N.Y. – Pet owners are not likely to get much compensation if they individually sue pet food-maker Menu Foods over the death of a dog or cat, though they might fare better if they joined forces in a class-action suit, legal experts say.

Most state laws consider animals – even beloved pets – to be only personal property. That means that even for the loss of a faithful family companion, a successful civil lawsuit would not likely produce much reward, said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond.

“With animals, all you get is the value of the property,” he said. “There are no emotional damages.”

In early March, Menu Foods recalled 60 million containers of its “cuts and gravy” style wet pet foods, sold under nearly 100 store labels and major brands across North America. It did so after cats fell sick and died during routine company taste tests.

It is not clear how many pets may have been poisoned by the contaminated food, though anecdotal reports suggest hundreds if not thousands have died.

Numerous pet owners around the country have sued or are considering legal action against Menu Foods. Some are seeking class-action status.