Conflicts over a pet can be just as serious to divorcing spouses or separating couples as any other issue. Many couples consider their pet to be a family member or child and it can be difficult to come to a mutual agreement about which person should keep the pet. Unlike real children, for which specific…
State v. Jesse Fry, a case we prosecuted for the Medina County SPCA. Fry’s dog “Chronos,” now known as “Brutus,” was kept in a crate too small to stand up in, forcing the dog to lay in his own excrement. He suffered a urine scald and brown urine and feces stains were visible on his…
Attorney Janis Zachman recently attended a class on psychiatric disorders in children. The curriculum included information on internalizing/emotional disorders (such as anxiety or mood disturbances), externalizing/behavioral disorders (such as disruptive disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and trauma based disorders (such as reactive attachment), along with proven treatments. The class was in fulfillment of her…
Have you ever been concerned about what would happen to your pet if something unexpected happened to you? Ohio law now allows pet owners to create a trust to provide for the care and maintenance of pets if the owner can no longer care for them, be it due to death or other incapacitation. This…
One of our attorneys, Janis Zachman, was a guest on Mary Kovach’s Family Forum last month. The discussion centered on Guardian ad Litem work. Janis has acted as a Guardian ad Litem for over 18 years. She has also been selected to participate in the Ohio Supreme Court’s Domestic Relations Summit initiative in 2013-14. Areas…
In Ohio, there are two means of recovery for those who have suffered from a dog bite, attack, mauling, or other injury to themselves or their property (including their pets!). (1) State Statute Under Ohio’s state statutes, specifically Section 955.28(B) of the Ohio Revised Code, a dog’s owner, keeper, and/or harborer is strictly liable for…