Fort Worth Star Telegram by Anna M. Tinsley
FORT WORTH -- Avery was part of the family.
The 8-year-old Labrador mixed breed loved to sleep on the couch, swim in lakes and rivers, and pretty much go everywhere possible with his family, Jeremy and Katherine Medlen and their children.
But two years ago, spooked by a late-night thunderstorm, Avery escaped from his family's back yard in Fort Worth and was picked up by the city's animal control.
The Medlens found him at the shelter the next day, but through a series of slip-ups and errors -- from not having enough cash on hand to pick him up that day to having to wait until the vet could install a microchip in Avery's ear -- their dog was added to the euthanasia list and put to sleep.
"It was a horrible time for us," said Katherine Medlen, who got Avery years ago from a homeless man giving away puppies. "I've never lost a family member or a pet before."
They took their case to court, saying they hoped to prevent something like this from happening to anyone else's pet, and landed a groundbreaking court ruling this month.
A state appeals court in Fort Worth ruled for the first time that a pet's value is greater than its price tag.
It has sentimental value as well.
Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/11/12/3521252/fort-worth-court-says-pets-worth.html#ixzz1ddlK8jd9
Comments