Pet dogs aren’t just property — they’re family, a Brooklyn judge ruled this week.
The decision centers on a dachshund named Duke, who was hit by a car and killed two years ago in Mill Basin on July 4. Justice Aaron Maslow ruled Duke’s connection with his human family was so deep that they should be eligible for a type of compensation previously limited to people who witness a human family member being injured or killed.
Legal experts say the decision could pave the way for more New Yorkers to seek compensation by claiming their pet dogs as family members, not just property, when they are hurt or killed…