US judge awards 45,000 dollars to owner of mauled cat

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2005

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — A woman whose cat was mauled to death by a neighbour's dog has been awarded 45,000 dollars by a US judge in Seattle, including 15,000 dollars for emotional distress, hew lawyer said.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in November last year by Paula Roemer, whose 12-year-old cat, Yofi, was attacked and killed in her back yard in by her neighbour's black chow chow.

In a sworn court deposition, Roemer said she was so upset by the incident that she began having panic attacks, sank into a deep depression and started smoking heavily.

Judge Barbara Linde awarded Roemer 30,000 dollars in compensation and a further 15,000 dollars for her emotional distress.

"For a companion animal, this is the largest sum of money I've heard of," said...