Scandinavian countries are moving to suspend the mandated use of Bovaer, a methane-reducing additive designed to reduce bovine flatulence. A contributor to methane pollution, cow farts were supposed to be reduced by the additive to reduce climate-harming pollutant. However, there are widespread reports of collapse, lethargy, reduced feed intake, fever, diarrhea, and significant drops in milk production. There are also reports of cow miscarriages and deaths, though most involve discomfort and farmers reported that the cows improved after cessation of the supplement. What could follow is a colossal product liability lawsuit.
Category: Animals
Next time your dog begs for a treat, you might want to give it to him. In Pennsylvania, a dog reportedly wounded his owner with a shotgun left on the bed, while in North Carolina, a dog was caught on camera setting a house (of the assistant fire chief no less) on fire with a damaged lithium battery. Since I just finished teaching my torts students about animal liability, these cases offer a teachable moment for humans and canines alike.
Continue reading “The Canine Menace: Dog Shoots Man in Pennsylvania”
I am returning today after speaking at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs about my book, “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.” Last night, I was approached by a student named Andrew who asked whether he should just remain quiet at his college, where professors routinely slam conservatives and teach highly ideological views as gospel. I went on a walk this morning around dawn and spotted this swan. I immediately thought of the young man who came up to me after my talk.
Peanut the Squirrel is back . . . at least in court.
The rodent has achieved fame in the last couple of months, which few animals short of Rin Tin Tin have reached. He is certainly the most famous of his genus since Rocket “Rocky” J. Squirrel. After Mark Longo and Daniela Bittner posted cute pictures of Peanut on social media as their companion and friend, New York officials from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) raided their home on Oct. 30 and seized both Peanut and a raccoon pet named Fred. They proceeded to euthanize both animals. Now the family is lawyering up. Continue reading “In Re Peanut: New York Family Moves to Sue State Over the Killing of Beloved Squirrel”
Four Californians this week have learned a critical lesson in the bear necessities of life and larceny. Ruben Tamrazian, 26, of Glendale, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, of Glendale, Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, of Glendale, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, of Valley Village are accused of a novel fraudulent scheme in which a compatriot donned a bear outfit and pretended to be a wild animal trashing their luxury cars, including a 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost, a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350. Continue reading “The Bear Necessities of Larceny: Californians Arrested for Fraudulently Staging Bear Rampage”
We have been writing about the alarming record of the Biden dogs attacking staff and Secret Service agents through the years. At first, the story was a humorous distraction as some of us wondered if the First Family had a vicious dog. It then became more alarming as each of the dogs were found to be attacking staff and had to be eventually removed. Even more worrisome was the response of the White House and President Joe Biden, who dismissed a Secret Service agent’s account and brushed off the incidents. Now, a report indicates that Commander is responsible for at least 24 attacks. The record shows not only a lack of concern by the Bidens for staff, but a bizarre litany of vicious German Shepherds in their care. Continue reading “Master and Commander: The Biden Dogs Accused of Dozens of Additional Attacks at White House”
For years, we have been following the bizarre murder-for-hire case involving the fatal shooting of Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel. All of the evidence pointed toward the family of Markel’s estranged wife Wendi Adelson. Now, her mother, Donna Adelson, 73, has been arrested trying to get on a one-way flight to Vietnam, a country without an extradition treaty with the United States. Continue reading “The Markel Murder: Donna Adelson Arrested at Miami International Airport”
I have been writing for years about the deepening legal problems associated with the biting of secret service agents and others at the White House by the Biden dogs. The repeat offender remains Commander who has at least a dozen biting incidents. Under the common law, Commander is now considered a vicious animal and the Bidens are now strictly liable for such bites. What is notable is that liability for such bites could fall on the taxpayers. [Commander has become the latest Biden dog sent into exile due to biting people].
Continue reading “Master and Commander: The Bidens Are Now Strictly Liable for German Shepherd”
We previously discussed the controversy over President Biden’s prior German shepherd, Major, biting people at the White House. Now it appears that Major’s replacement, Commander, has continued to nosh on Secret Service agents. The question is not the responsibility of Commander but his master in this pattern of dog attacks. Continue reading “Master and Commander: What is the Liability for President Biden in the Latest Dog Attacks”
We often follow academics in the criminal justice system, but few are likely to be as memorable as Penn State Professor Themis Matsoukas, 64. The Penn State chemical engineering professor was arrested in a parking lot near Rothrock State Forest for allegedly having sex with a collie. He later told police “I do it to blow off steam.” What is notable (beyond the obvious) is the overlap and lack of severity of the charges.
Continue reading “Penn State Professor Arrested for Alleged Sex Crimes with Dog”
Yesterday, I co-taught my torts class with leading authority Luna Turley, Professor of Animal Welfare (PAW). Professor Luna has spent her life working on animal liability questions and taught both my day and evening classes on the common law rules governing dogs and other animals. Continue reading “Professor Luna Teaches Animal Liability at George Washington University”
The 24-9 blowout of the Rams by the 49ers captured a number of missed tackles and plays by the Rams. However, one successful tackle occurred on the sideline when a protester wearing a shirt reading “righttorescue.com” and carrying a smoke flare jumped a security fence and ran down the field. Linebacker Bobby Wagner (with the help of fellow linebacker Takkarist McKinley) forced the protester to the ground. Now, the activist with Direct Action Everywhere has filed a police report and is threatening legal action. However, not only is another court likely to find that there was no right to rescue in a case involving the theft of pigs by animal activists, this activist is likely to establish that the players had a right to tackle.
There is a bizarre case in Minnesota where Levi Arneberg, 27, is accused of killing his roommates four emotional support ferrets with a BB gun. The case raises an issue for sentencing that could present a problem for the defense. Continue reading “Minnesota Man Kills Roommate’s Four Emotional Support Ferrets”
We had just finished discussing animal liability in my torts class when a bizarre case from Halloween surfaced involving the girlfriend of Texas special teams coach Jeff Banks. The account involves a stripper known as Pole Assassin, a monkey used in her act, and a wandering child at the house of horror she created for Halloween . . . and they say my torts exams are unrealistic. Continue reading ““No One is Allowed to Touch Her!”: Child Bitten By Pet Monkey in Halloween House of Horrors”
There is an interesting lawsuit filed in Washington against the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over censorship. The lawsuit was brought by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and the Animal Legal Defense Fund after the government blocked comments on opposing animal testing on the agencies’ social media sites. The lawsuit has ample support in the case law. Notably, it also comes at a time when the Administration and many Democratic leaders, like President Joe Biden, have called on private companies to engage in massive censorship programs on social media. The lawsuit was filed in People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals v. Collins, No. 1:21-cv-02380 (D.D.C.).
Continue reading “Animal Rights Groups Sue The NIH Over Censorship”