Bill would allow suits over tainted pet food

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

TRENTON — New Jersey will consider giving pet owners the right to sue for emotional pain and suffering if an animal gets sick or dies from eating contaminated pet food.

Joyce Tischler, founding director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund, said New Jersey would become one of the few states to allow such lawsuits.

She said Tennessee allows pet owners to sue for up to $5,000 in damages. New Jersey's proposal includes no damage limit.

New Jersey Assemblyman Neil Cohen, D-Union, said his bill would change the legal standard that generally regards pets as property.

Veterinarians have opposed similar proposals in other states, arguing that such laws would increase consumer costs and encourage frivolous lawsuits.

Cohen's bill is set to be considered Monday by an Assembly committee.

He said he wrote it following March's nationwide pet food recall.

More than 150 brands of pet food were recalled because they were contaminated with an industrial chemical. The contamination caused the deaths of an unknown number of dogs and cats.

Information from: www.app.com