As discussed in this prior post, Chapter 87 of the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code now includes as “Farm Animal Professionals” the following categories of service providers, provided that their services are provided for compensation:
1) A person who rents to a participant a farm animal for the purpose of riding, driving
As a follow-up to last Thursday’s post, Tips for Equine Pre-Purchase Exams, the following is a guest post by veteran Kentucky equine lawyer, Joel B. Turner, with valuable information concerning pre-purchase exams and other steps buyers can take to protect their interests in a horse sale transaction.
"As a ‘horse lawyer’, people usually do
Having a thorough pre-purchase veterinary examination done prior to a horse sale is one of the best ways parties to a horse sale can prevent disputes and lawsuits.
Dr. Camille Knopf, an equine veterinarian in Northern California, offered some excellent advice this week on the blog Ribbons and Red Tape:
Always, always, always have
As of June 17, 2011, the Texas Equine Activity Limitation of Liability Act was amended to include most common farm and livestock animals. The new Act will now be called the “Texas Farm Animal Limitation of Liability Act.”
In short, the immunities related to damages arising from horse activities found in Chapter 87 of the Texas
Nearly half of the United States is battling extreme temperatures. Surprisingly, the occurrence of a simple heat wave can expose boarding facilities and trainers to complaints and even lawsuits should a customer’s horse become ill due to extreme heat.
The Horse.com has published some good advice from veterinarians on caring for horses in extreme heat. The full
Beginning September 1, 2009, all large animal veterinarians in the state of Texas will have a lien on treated animals to secure payment of vet bills. This lien will be effective both before and after the animal is released to the owner.
Veterinarians may have several legal defenses to claims of malpractice. One of the most important 
procedural defenses is that of the statute of limitations. A statute of limitations is a state law that puts a limit on the amount of time a plaintiff has to file a lawsuit, usually from the time the injury occurred
Several people have asked me if I thought there would be litigation over the death of Eight Belles after her second place finish at the 2008 Kentucky Derby on May 3. Although animal rights activists staged a protest at the office of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority after the filly’s death, I don’t think there
Someone recently asked me if he had a case against an equine surgery clinic that told his local vet during a telephone conversation to not send them the mare because they did not have room for her at the clinic. The mare died 4 hours later of colic complications, and the owner stated that she would have lived if the vet clinic had admitted her and performed colic surgery. The mare in that case was not a current patient of the clinic. The owner would not have a valid claim against the clinic in that case.
The decision of whether to accept an animal as a patient is at the sole discretion of a veterinarian. This rule is set forth in Article II.E. of the the Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics of the American Veterinary Medical Association, which applies to all veterinarians in the United States. The Texas Rules of Professional Conduct for veterinarians codifies that rule for vets practicing in Texas. Therefore, even in emergency situations, vets do not have to take your horse if, for example, you cannot pay for the treatment or they simply do not have time to treat your horse.
For a vet to be potentially liable to a horse owner for injury or death of their horse, a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) must first exist. The VCPR is established when all of the following conditions are met:Continue Reading Does a Veterinarian Have to Treat Your Horse in an Emergency?
In many cases, the proceeds from a stock breeder’s or stable keeper’s lien foreclosure sale will not be enough to satisfy your debt. In those cases, you may sue the owner for the deficiency, if any.
The law suit may not be worth it, however, as you could end up spending more on legal fees