Did you know that under the law pets are seen as replaceable property? That’s right, the law essentially treats losing a pet the same way as losing a table. In honor of Chloe the Mini Frenchie, Loni Edwards’ beloved dog who passed away due to medical error, PetInsider will be featuring a story every Wednesday about pets being family, not property. Please join us by reading the stories and signing the pledge we created with the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) to push for change.
We met Chloe the Mini Frenchie while visiting New York City with our Dachshund, Reese in October 2016. We had been following Chloe’s adventures on Instagram for some time and when Chloe’s human, Loni invited us to a dog friendly video shoot, we jumped at the opportunity to meet the two of them. Chloe was adorable! She was also extremely sweet and made our shy little Reese feel right at home.
Aside from how well Reese and Chloe got along, what we remember most about that day was how much Chloe and Loni adored each other. They were definitely a bonded pair and throughout the day, they were always together. Chloe was not just property that belonged to Loni. She was her family.
We love our five pets, Harlow, Indiana, Reese, Ezra and Malcolm more than anything. They are our whole world and we do everything we can to keep them safe, happy and comfortable. In return, they provide us with endless joy and unconditional love. They are our family.
Each one of our pets has their own unique personality. Harlow is silly and goofy and loves everyone. Indiana is sensitive but very bossy- she might be the smallest of our dogs but she definitely keeps everyone in line. Ezra is our only boy dog and while he is the youngest of the pack, he is the most protective of his sisters. He is also the peacekeeper. Reese is our baby dog and she loves to be the center of attention. Malcolm is our mischievous cat but he thinks he is one of the dogs.
Animals have feelings and emotions. They are individuals and not just pieces of property akin to a table or a chair that belong to us. Unfortunately, at this time, companion animals are classified as property under our legal system and lack certain fundamental legal protections. We feel that must change.
Our hearts were broken for Loni when Chloe passed away in October 2017 due to a medical error. She was perfectly healthy and only four years old- the same age as our dog, Indiana. Through the law, Chloe was seen as property.
Our pets are not property, they are members of our family and in honor of our friend Chloe, we are hoping to help make a difference and raise awareness. Animals should not be classified as just property under the law. They deserve so much more than that.
Please join us in pushing for much needed change by signing and sharing the pledge (https://aldf.org/animalsnotproperty). Follow along every Wednesday for a new story, and sign up for our newsletter to receive it in your inbox.
Become an Insider
