A “Tail” of Two Animal Lawyers
“The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.” – George Graham Vest
In 1869, a beloved hunting dog named Old Drum was killed by his owner’s brother-in-law, a sheep farmer who supposedly had a vengeance for any dog caught on his land. Missouri attorney George Graham Vest represented Old Drum’s owner in a suit to recover the maximum amount of damages allowed ($50) for the wrongful death. In a moving closing argument that made legal history, Vest delivered the impassioned "Eulogy on the Dog" to win the case and affirm the status of animals in the law.
“The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog,” Vest declared. More than 150 years after Old Drum's case, those words are as meaningful as the day they were spoken.
In 2012, with both my children grown and recently out of the house, my husband and I were feeling the emptiness of our nest. We lived in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, and every day on my walk to work, I noticed dogs outside cafés, content to watch the world go by while their owners sipped their morning lattes. I fell in love with a beautiful Blenheim-colored Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and began researching the breed’s temperament and general wellness needs. The breed (known as “the love sponge of dogs”) was the right fit for our lifestyle, and four years ago today, we adopted Nick. Those brown eyes just melted my heart. One month later, we added Jack to our family.
I never knew a dog could bring so much love, companionship, and happiness into one’s life. From the beginning, Nick and Jack came to work with me almost every day. Their lighthearted and playful spirits were contagious. But even when I worked late, they stayed by my side. When I had a bad day, they sat on my lap and sighed along with me. I began to understand why George Vest was so fervent in his defense of Old Drum.
In 2014, I was part of a collective effort that rescued and re-homed 98 Cavaliers that were being sold in a dog auction where commercial breeders regularly buy and sell animals for high-volume breeding. As I learned about the estimated 10,000 puppy mills in the U.S. and the frequency of inhumane breeding practices, it stirred a passion in me to expand my 20-year legal practice to include animal law. Perhaps George Vest experienced a similar feeling when he declared that he would “win (Old Drum’s) case or apologize to every dog in Missouri.”
In January 2016, we opened this law practice to focus on all areas of animal law and multifamily (landlord-tenant) client services. Our legal blog, Paw Review, is an educational resource for those who share in our love for animals. We hope to provide information and offer discussion about issues that are important to pet owners and to those in the legal profession.
Maybe your life--or law practice--changed forever when you became guardian to a pet. Those patient brown eyes are what brought me here. I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to seeing you here at Paw Review.
-- Angie H. Ingram
"(N)o matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death."
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