We are lawyers who are pet parents and we represent pet owners in custody disputes, dangerous dog hearings and wrongful pet injury or death cases.
I am Jeremy Cohen and have been practicing law for over 20 years. During the last 7 years I have represented dog owners when their right to have a pet has been restricted by local authorities.
One night in early 2008 I appeared before the board of selectmen in Marblehead to represent Jesse, a friend’s German Shepherd who had allegedly bit someone. Having never handed a dog case before, I called ahead and was assured by a board member that nothing bad would happen and it would be a quick hearing. What I witnessed that night was a complete disregard for constitutional rights and what a dangerous influence loud voices can have on elected officials. One person actually accused the dog of being like an Al-Qaeda cell that would plan ahead on how to terrorize the neighborhood. That night the loudest voices won – temporarily.
Since that victory, I have handled dozens of dog defense cases. Many of them start off with an owner who made a mistake. Somehow the dog got loose. Maybe a leash was dropped or a gate left open. Too often town officials make dumb decisions about our dogs. Dumb because they do not consider the facts and circumstances of a particular situation. With minimal investigation local police or government officials hand out punishment orders against the dog.
Why is it that we spend months hearing evidence to determine whether a convicted murderer should be sentenced to death yet just a ten minute hearing about whether a dog should be killed? One reason is that a lot of dog owners are not aware that there are lawyers who can mount a defense for them. We believe that every dog, and owner is entitled to be heard by an impartial decision maker where they can defend against allegations and fight for a dog’s life.
I have been expanding our firm’s coverage of dog defense cases because there is such a strong need for legal representation for our pets. I hear far too often from people who learn what I do that they wish they’d known me earlier, before the town took their dog and killed it. We are far too smart as a society to not consider all remedies that do not include euthanizing a pet.
Boston Dog Lawyers represents dog owners nationwide who have been informed that their dogs must be euthanized to preserve the safety of others. We understand how important pets are to you and your family. We have a proven track record of saving that friendship.
Dog Liability Defense Law
Dog Bite Defense Law
