Photo by Megs Harrison on Unsplash
Kristine Howard (D – Chester County) has introduced a bill that would allow pet parents to seek damages of up to $15,000 for the wrongful death of their pet.
The legislation was inspired by an elderly dog named Gigi, who was euthanized without her family’s knowledge after she escaped from her yard. An individual found the lost dog and took her to the vet, where Gigi was diagnosed with a heart condition. Among the options for care the vet presented was euthanasia.
“Despite knowing this stranger was not the owner, the veterinarian allowed this stranger to make an elective euthanasia decision for Gigi based on the assessment of her quality of life,” Howard said in a memo published on April 1, 2026.
Although Gigi’s family sued in small claims court, they were not able to recoup the noneconomic costs of her loss as the defense insisted her life was worth just $5.
House Bill 2387 would allow pet parents to seek compensation, of up to $15,000, in noneconomic damages, if their pet is killed, either intentionally or through negligence, by another individual or animal.
The noneconomic damages would serve “as compensation for the loss of the reasonably expected society, companionship, love and affection of the companion animal, in addition to the assessed market value of the companion animal.”
Should the bill pass, pet parents would also be eligible for noneconomic damages of up to $5,000 if their pet is wrongfully injured.
The house bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee on April 16, 2026.
Keep track of the bill’s progress.
