Services

Practice Areas Animal Law

Our pets are our passion! Passion can become heated, when animal owners have opposite perspectives. Breeders, animal buyers, family members, partners, owners, handlers, and municipal authorities can quickly become adversarial, when asserting what is “best” for the animal. What is “best” can escalate into a costly civil action demanding return of the animal, damages for breach of contract, litigation over the animal as family property or estate property, damages for reimbursement of veterinary bills, by-law enforcement fines and seizure of property (the animal). When animal owners turn to the “court of social media”, the risk of a very costly defamation claim escalates. Dr. Forsythe has extensive experience with animals, their owners, animal organizations and animal regulatory bodies. She assists to avoid animal disputes by drafting contracts and cohabitation or settlement agreements that can minimize misunderstandings and avoid costly litigation. If a family or partnership break up, a contract is broken, or a by-law is unfairly enforced, Dr. Forsythe is there for animal owners, breeders, professional handlers, family members, not for profit groups and property owners to vigorously advocate in court, the contractual, property and administrative laws and rights that relate to the animal.