ANIMAL CRUELTY AND
NEGLECT DEFENSE
At Boston Dog Lawyers we represent responsible pet owners and pet business owners.
In Massachusetts, both can easily be charged with animal neglect and animal cruelty. Our particular law is very broad and very subjective.Being charged means you have to deal with a felony allegation here as there is no lesser (misdemeanor) charge. Not only is your liberty at stake but also your ability to work with pets and to even have them.
We defend responsible pet people and we expect the responsible enforcement of this very flawed statute. We are so pleased with the protections in place for the safekeeping of pets but they have at times been irresponsibly pursued against people who had nothing but the best intentions in the care of their pets.
We never represent someone accused of the physical abuse or harm of an animal. That runs counter to our mission. We will, however, represent someone who is a historically good pet owner or pet industry worker who simply made a mistake. Perhaps you overfed your dog or under-exercised your pet. Maybe you left the car for a brief moment with them in it or even failed to get them groomed.
As with everything we work on in the pet world, we just want the authorities to get to the right decision the right way.
Did you get a letter from a lawyer representing a dog bite victim who is claiming your dog bit them?
Did you present the claim to your homeowner or rental insurer? Is there coverage?
You don't have insurance but were sued in court and served by a sheriff for a minor dog bite?
Were you told that when it comes to owning a dog who bit there is strict liability and you must pay and there are no defenses (not true)?
Did your insurer deny coverage or tell you that the loss amount will exceed your policy limits?
Was the alleged dog bite victim even supposed to be on your property?
Had you warned the dog bite victim not to pet your dog or not to come near your dog?
Are you being asked to pay for vet bills or "out-of-pocket" medical expenses because of a dog bite? Did you get a release of all other claims before you paid?
Contact Boston Dog Lawyers to see if we can help. We offer flexible office hours to accommodate the needs of our clients, scheduling evening and weekend appointments upon request.