Favorable Rulings

Illinois Animal Law: Welcome to The Law Offices of Amy A. Breyer, LLC

Animal-Related Cases

* 2007 Settlement - $27,000 settlement by City of Chicago and Chicago Police Officer Jeffrey Edwards. Suit alleged that Edwards, while apparently in pursuit of an unknown suspect, ran through Plaintiff's backyard, fatally shot Plaintiff's 10-yr-old, spayed dog (who had no biting history) and kept running.

* 2007 Arbitration Award - DuPage arbitration panel awards $7,014.51 to owners of dog seriously injured by another dog, where injuries ultimately led to dog's death.

* 2006 Bench Ruling - Cook County judge grants ex parte Order of Replevin, returning a dog to a Katrina victim who had been trying to locate and retrieve her companion from various foster placements for more than a year.

*2006 Representation of dog owner - Ruling by a Kane County judge allowing a claim for fraud to proceed in a veterinary malpractice lawsuit.

*2006 Settlement - Kane County claim for veterinary malpractice settled for $16,000.

* 2006 Administrative Finding - Reversal of determination of "dangerousness" and euthanasia order by Chicago Animal Care and Control in favor of owner of family dog.

*2006 Settlement - claim for veterinary malpractice settled for what appears to be the largest amount in a small animal claim in Illinois, and among the largest in the country; terms confidential by agreement of the parties.

* 2005 Administrative Finding - Reversal of determination of "dangerousness" by Cook County Animal Control in favor of owners of family dog.

* 2005 Bench Trial Verdict - Representation of owners whose dog was injured at a boarding facility; Will County trial award of full $5,000 + costs recoverable in small claims court.

* 2005 Appellate Decision - Ruling by Illinois Appellate Court that a woman, whose cat was ripped apart by a rottweiler while being boarded at her vet's clinic, may sue for damages including her pain and suffering over loss of companion animal. Anzalone v. Kragness, et al., 04-1647 (1st Dist., Mar. 7, 2005)

* 2005 Representation of dog owner - Ruling by a Cook County judge allowing a claim for fraud to proceed in a veterinary malpractice lawsuit. There are no previously reported decisions in Illinois allowing a claim for fraud in this context.

* 2004 Representation of dog owner - Settlement in favor of purchaser of pure-breed dog with congenital defect to cover cost of corrective surgeries.

* 2003 Representation of cat owner - Ruling by a Cook County judge allowing a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress to proceed in a veterinary malpractice lawsuit. There are no previously reported decisions in Illinois allowing a claim for intentional infliction in this context.

* 2003 Representation of dog owner - Ruling by a Lake County judge refusing to state as a matter of law that dog was worth less than $5,000 for purposes of denying the defendants’ motion to transfer a veterinary malpractice case to small claims court. The dog’s purchase price, or “market value,” was about $1,000.

* 2003 Representation of a local animal shelter - Ruling by a Lake County judge dismissing case against shelter by an individual who sued the shelter after being turned down as a potential adopter for failing to meet shelter criteria.

* 2003 Representation of a nationally known animal rights organization - Ruling by a Cook County criminal judge dropping the charges against a scantily-clad protester during a public event.

* 2002 Representation of two animal-related businesses - Investigation pursuant to subpoena by the Attorney General’s office closed after one meeting.

Ms. Breyer has also received favorable rulings in cases involving:

* breach of contract