Animal Attorney's
"Goomba" is not only Amy's best friend-- "He means the world to me."
Goomba is also Amy's emotional support animal. She said when her landlord gave her a hard time about the dog, she called a lawyer.
"I didn't know my rights as an owner of an emotional support animal, so I knew that I needed outside help, someone who was familiar with those laws."
Attorney Michelle Hubbard focuses on helping animals.
"Animal law is growing very quickly, and the need is growing equally as fast."
The Animal Legal Defense Fund said, "Animal law is a relatively new, and growing, specialty."
The American Bar Association now has a committee on it and hosts a symposium about animal shelter law. Some law schools even offer classes and we found entire law firms going not only to the dogs.
"I get calls about cats, dogs, squirrels, rabbits, things that people are keeping as pets," said Jeremy Cohen, Animal Rights Attorney.
Cohen's firm devotes itself to representing animals and their owners.
"Our motto is it's time to bark back. I'm just one small piece in a national movement to recognize that our pets are special."
Why else would a pet need an attorney? Cohen's clients, "Duke" and "Diesel", were at the center of dog custody disputes. And when an English bulldog nipped someone, its life was on the line. The town was considering euthanizing the dog.
"Animals get themselves in all sorts of predicaments. I mean I've had calls ranging from 'My dog ate my neighbor's flowers' and 'My dog bit someone,'" said Hubbard.
But can an animal lawyer really make a difference? Well, Amy credits Hubbard for winning her case-- Goomba got to stay.
"It would not have not had the same outcome if I didn't have her."
For more information on animal law or how to find an attorney, you can check out the animal defense fund website. There's also the American Bar Association for animal law.
