Cat Law vs. Dog Law

A really dear friend just had a dog kill her 19 year old cat. She is heart broken and bitched about animal control in her area not being able to do anything about the killing. She is right. Her cat was not an indoor cat, her neighbor's dog is not an indoor/fenced dog. Crap happens and this time it is bad. In looking for resources to help her find a way vent her anguish, I looked on line for laws that pertain to cats and to dogs. Here is some of what I have found....

A. There really are very few resources on laws that govern cats. Here is a link to a lighthearted history of cats in the law. http://www.llrx.com/features/catlaw.htm

B. Dog Law is much better covered. http://doglaw.hugpug.com/ and http://www.nolo.com/ have books and articles about various laws for the protection of and from dogs. But cats are ... shy. It seems much more common to find humane societies and shelters getting involved in crazy cat lady suits than in writing laws and books about protection of and from cats. My theory of the day for this phenomena is that dog owners and cat owners are breeds apart. I say this because of my experiences at shelters and on the rescue runs. Dog owners are forthright, control oriented people. Wonderful for dogs. Cat owners are also forthright, control oriented people. Wonderful for cats.

C. But the object of their controls differ. Dog owners tend to control others as well as their dogs. Cat owners cluster their cats into cars and carriers and make sure no one else bothers them ... Just a first thought. I am sure cat owners will yowl and dog owners will growl at the shallowness of my view. But give me time to develop it as I write and think more. Meanwhile, peace....and please keep your animals safe.