[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]A Chicago woman whose cat was mauled to death by a Rottweiler at an animal hospital is entitled to damages for the pain and suffering she's felt since her cat was killed, a state court ruled Monday.[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Mary Ann Anzalone, 45, wants more than $100,000 from Kragness Animal Hospital, the Far South Side clinic where her 4-year-old cat, "Blackie," was killed.[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Though Cook County Judge Barbara Disko dismissed Anzalone's claim for "intentional infliction of emotional distress," the Illinois Court of Appeals reversed that decision, saying that while the amount might have seemed excessive, Anzalone provided a good argument for the pain she's felt since her cat was killed.[/font]
<!--startsubhead-->[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Nightmares and crying[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Anzalone said she's "cried constantly following Blackie's violent death and continues to cry every time she thinks about it to this date," adding she's "lost sleep" and has "recurring waking thoughts and nightmares in which she envisions Blackie, a declawed cat, ripped apart by a Rottweiler."[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Anzalone, who is unmarried and has no children, said the cat was like her child and said the loss has caused her stress, headaches and a weight gain of about 40 pounds.[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]She said she "cherished Blackie for the unconditional love and companionship she provided."[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]"Nothing is going to bring a loved one back -- not people or companion animals," said Anzalone's attorney, Amy Breyer, who specializes in animal law.[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]"The point of trying to recover monetary damages is to establish for the whole world to see that this relationship had value," she added. "This shows it's not OK to say 'it's just a cat -- get it out of my face'."
[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-cat08.html
[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Mary Ann Anzalone, 45, wants more than $100,000 from Kragness Animal Hospital, the Far South Side clinic where her 4-year-old cat, "Blackie," was killed.[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Though Cook County Judge Barbara Disko dismissed Anzalone's claim for "intentional infliction of emotional distress," the Illinois Court of Appeals reversed that decision, saying that while the amount might have seemed excessive, Anzalone provided a good argument for the pain she's felt since her cat was killed.[/font]
<!--startsubhead-->[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Nightmares and crying[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Anzalone said she's "cried constantly following Blackie's violent death and continues to cry every time she thinks about it to this date," adding she's "lost sleep" and has "recurring waking thoughts and nightmares in which she envisions Blackie, a declawed cat, ripped apart by a Rottweiler."[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Anzalone, who is unmarried and has no children, said the cat was like her child and said the loss has caused her stress, headaches and a weight gain of about 40 pounds.[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]She said she "cherished Blackie for the unconditional love and companionship she provided."[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]"Nothing is going to bring a loved one back -- not people or companion animals," said Anzalone's attorney, Amy Breyer, who specializes in animal law.[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]"The point of trying to recover monetary damages is to establish for the whole world to see that this relationship had value," she added. "This shows it's not OK to say 'it's just a cat -- get it out of my face'."
[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-cat08.html
[/font]