Legal Question in Consumer Law in Pennsylvania

The family dog passed away recently. My wife and I suspected the dog food because he was in good health prior to eating the food my wife bought from Costco. Our suspicions were confirmed today after getting a recall letter from Costco. Its the brand thats been in the news lately. Im a union Boilermaker and a hard worker but unfortunately the past year has been terrible. I've been laid off for quite some time now and when our dog became ill we didn't take him to the vet. At no point did we think he was going to die! He couldn't control his bouls and went all over the house but he was drinking water and it seemed as though he'd be back to normal at any time. When he passed I buried him in the back yard. I have the dog food and his pet bowl in my basement. I read today that my twelve year old could have gotten sick as well as my wife. Would a lawyer take my case? Do I have a case?


Asked on 5/14/12, 8:06 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Andrew Solomon Law Office of Andrew A. Solomon

Unfortunately, a lawyer probably would not take the case. First, under the law, no matter how much you loved your dog, the law treats animals as objects, and as a result, even if you won, you would only be entitled to the replacement cost of a new dog. Additionally, to win such a case, you would need expert testimony from a vet or other scientific expert. Simply because the dog food was recalled does not make the seller liable. Also you cannot receive damages for what might have happened to your wife and son, if it didn't happen.

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Answered on 5/16/12, 11:21 am


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