As I sit here on my porch after a summer thunderstorm, surrounded by my dogs, my thoughts turn to the dog days of summer and how my practice, of providing alternative conflict resolution for people in conflict over animals, picks up during this time of year.  As...

Today was a very special day for me. I conducted a mediation I had worked on with my Mastermind Group the week before.  I brought it to my Mastermind Group in order to get a better handle on my own emotions and better serve the clients in this mediation.Let me...

This is the title of a new HBOseries about a dog’s place in our life.It covered puppy mills, rescue organizations, individual owners of vicious dogs and euthanasia.Initially, I was not sure I wanted to watch the program.  After years of raising Irish Setters and...

In my world, ‘Business as Usual’ is why I am in business.  People don’t address small issues when they arise, they just go along,  ‘Business as Usual’ until a little disagreement becomes too big to handle alone.  I’m called in to bridge the conflict and...

Scheduling SNAFU? – Look to Transpetation!If you have a pet, chances are it will need to go to the vet, groomer, kennel or trainer sometime soon and that ‘time’ may not be one conducive to anyone in the family’s schedule.  Conflicts can arise while discussing...

In my mediation practice I am often asked the following question. Should you mediate first or start litigation proceedings and then mediate?It is an interesting question because there are many ways to answer it. People sometimes feel if they ask to mediate first it...

“Take A Deep Breath”In the work I do, Helping People Resolve Conflicts Involving Animals, I begin each mediation with one simple act.   As I do it, I ask the parties to do it as well.  It is, “Take A Deep Breath”. (TADB)This simple activity. …breathing...

For years I practiced in the litigation arena.  It never ceased to amaze me how many people wrote unenforceable contracts or never read the contracts they signed.A Contract, as defined by The American Heritage Dictionary, is an agreement between two or more...

It occurred to me, during one of my more contentious meditations, that having a roll of duck-tape on the table might be an effective prop to encourage the parties to ‘stop talking and start listening’.As we all know duck tape can fix anything.  A leaky pipe, a...

This week I was reminded in spades of my mother’s admonition, “If you cant say anything nice don’t say anything at all.” It’s a good tip to live by, one the attorneys interviewed for this article should have considered before commenting on their animal law cases.In...

Rock Star RumraisinsToday’s blog is close to my heart.  And it probably will be to you as well.As an attorney, I cannot list myself as an expert in any field (unless I am an IP or Patent attorney…but I digress).  We can focus, concentrate and center our...

The Pet Dispute MediatorOr how an attorney found a great new career as an animal conflicts mediator, solving problems involving barking dogs, unruly horses and pesky cats.Read more... 

I received several emails from colleagues, who know what I do, asking me to comment on what may have been done to avoid the tragedy of Rocco and NickIf you have not read the story of Nick & Rocco, I attached the link below.  Here is a short synopsisA...

It is without doubt; the best and worst of a person is brought out when an animal is involved in their conflict.  The worst of these dichotomies happens when such a conflict is played out in the media.  Who knows why the media is brought into the...