News Pet hospital ordered to pay ¥6.6m over rabbit's death

[thomas]

A court in Kyoto Prefecture ruled that a veterinary clinic must compensate a couple with 660,000 JPY (around $4,400) after their rabbit, Shiro, passed away during a medical procedure. The couple initially sought 6.6 million JPY (about USD44,000), claiming the surgery was conducted without adequate explanation, leading to Shiro's death. The Kyoto District Court's decision on 26 March, disclosed at a 5 April press conference by the owners, highlighted the discrepancy in damage awards for pets compared to humans, often deterring individuals from pursuing legal action.

In the court ruling, a judge recognized that the animal had not needed immediate surgical treatment and stated that "continuation of medical treatment was an option." He concluded that the hospital "breached its duty of care to check with the owners" because the consent form did not mention the risks of surgery. At the 5 April news conference, Yoshiaki Kii, 54, owner of the pet, said, "We're not focusing on the amount of money. The most important thing is that the veterinarian's and others' negligence has been recognized." In her 50s, his wife recalled their life with Shiro, who used to run to them when they came home, and commented, "Animals can't speak. We hope to see an end to improper medical treatment of animals."

Kyoto Pref. animal hospital ordered to pay $4,400 over rabbit's death during surgery - The Mainichi

KYOTO -- A veterinary hospital in Kyoto Prefecture has been ordered to pay 660,000 yen (about $4,400) in compensation to a couple in a lawsuit over th

mainichi.jp

Lawsuits against vet clinics are not that uncommon:

Couple files suit against Nagoya vet hospital over dog's death - The Mainichi

NAGOYA -- A couple in this central Japan city filed a suit for damages of about 3.39 million yen (nearly $31,000) with the Nagoya District Court again

mainichi.jp

Animal hospital operator ordered to pay 430,000 yen over death of rabbit - The Mainichi

The Tokyo District Court on June 16 ordered the operator of an animal hospital to pay 430,000 yen to a woman who had filed a damage suit arguing that

mainichi.jp