Recently, Pennsylvania State Representative Kristine Howard introduced a bill that would significantly change Pennsylvania law by allowing courts to award non-economic damages of up to $15,000 when a companion animal is injured or killed due to another person’s actions.
These non-economic damages would compensate an owner for the loss of the expected society, companionship, love, and affection of a pet, in addition to any recovery of economic damage such as veterinary costs.
Under current law, recovery is limited to economic damages. HB 2387 expands civil liability beyond that framework by introducing subjective emotional damages that are difficult to predict, insure against, or clearly define. The bill is pending before the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee. While no hearing is currently scheduled, Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to contact the sponsor and committee to oppose HB 2387 as introduced (Scroll down for more information).
AKC Concerns With HB 2387:
While pets are beloved family members, HB 2387 would create broad unintended consequences for animal owners, veterinarians, shelters, rescues, and small pet-related businesses across the Commonwealth without improving outcomes for animals.
Supporters often cite troubling individual cases. Those situations deserve serious attention. However, existing Pennsylvania law already allows recovery of economic damages as well as professional discipline and administrative or civil remedies. Isolated cases should not be used to justify sweeping changes to long-standing tort and property law that would affect every pet owner and animal care provider statewide.
While bills seeking non-economic damages for an owner may seem to provide a benefit, such damages provide no direct benefit to the animal itself. Instead, they are harmful to pets as they result in such things as:
- Higher veterinary and animal care costs passed on to all pet owners;
- Reduced willingness of providers to perform complex or high-risk care;
- Increased litigation against veterinarians, shelters, rescues, pet businesses, and individual owners; and
- Expanded and unpredictable liability from subjective emotional damages.
Read more about AKC’s concerns about this issue in our Legislative Action Center.
What You Can Do:
Contact the bill’s sponsor, State Representative Kristine Howard and members of the House Judiciary Committee (click on link then on members name) and urge them to oppose HB 2387. Emphasize that any bill allowing for non-economic damages increases costs and liability, risks reducing access to veterinary care, and does not improve animal welfare.
For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at email doglaw@akc.org.
AKC GR along with the Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs, will continue to monitor this and other legislation that impact the rights of dog owners and the dogs they love.