http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17899884/
Experts: Best shot is joining class action case; another brand recalling food
ALBANY, N.Y. - Pet owners are not likely to get much compensation if they individually sue pet food-maker Menu Foods over the death of a dog or cat, although they might fare better if they joined forces in a class action suit, legal experts say.
Most state laws consider animals — even beloved pets — to be only personal property. That means that even for the loss of a faithful family companion, a successful civil lawsuit would not likely produce much reward, said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond.
“With animals, all you get is the value of the property,â€