When my children were young, Dr. Seuss’ books were a must read at my house each night.  My children were treated to his uniquely developed ‘characters’ and easy to understand perspective on how to be kind, stay true to yourself and be loyal.These stories were a...

The roles we see today in conflicts between people about animals are exemplified in the cult classic, The Wizard of Oz.  The action in the story is driven by the emotions surrounding the dog, both good and bad.Yet…in lieu of litigation even Dorothy decided to...

I have a vision of people working peacefully alongside each other to better the plight of all animals.  They mutually respect each other’s similarities in opinion, as well as their differences.  Their respect of the differences can move mountains. It may...

It is always a challenge for me to explain to people what I do.  It’snot because I don't know what I do; rather it is because what I do isso simple to comprehend.  It mystifies people.  The usual retort is either; people pay you to do that? or boy could...

Today we will read my good friend Julie Fershtman's Equine Law Blog Update.  It speaks about common Equine Disputes.  I would add an addendum to her blog.http://www.equinelawblog.com/Avoid-Common-Equine-Breeding-DisputesIf the contract included a mediation...

Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton & Temple GrandinI have always been in awe of Temple Grandin.  I saw the movie depicting her life, staring Clare Danes, several times.  She just seems so passionate about her love of animals but so practical in the application of...

This week I was incredibly fortunate to connect with Jenn T. Grace, a business coach and facilitator to the LGBTQ community in the New Hampshire area and surrounds.  As we niche practitioners are one to do, we meet people authentically and connect around these...

In the 21st century US pet owning household,  48.2 percent recognize their pets as companions and 49.7 % as family members.  (Phil Arkow & Anna Melbin, Practical Strategies for Serving with pets NCADV Conference July 24, 2012 -...

 Illustration-Alan -NordstromThis past week, NCIS & The Good Wife (TGW), centered their entire episode, including one dramatic final scene, on the value a pet in a person’s life. In NCIS, a marine was killed by friendly fire and his bomb-sniffing dog helped...

I am often amazed at things dog owner’s sign that they never read or if they read don’t care what’s said.  They ask no questions and worse yet, enter into verbal understandings at the time of the exchange that countermand what the document they are signing...

Avoid the Conflict-Keep the ClientDr. Hayley Schafer examines Cabo,who is owned by Brittany LaMarche and her son Gage, at Caring Hearts Animal Clinic in Gilbert, Ariz In the New York Times, Sunday Business section for February 23, 2013, two and a half pages of...

In early May, I received a heads up from a dog show colleague that I'd been mentioned in the gossip column of a favorite dog periodical.  Dog News is the weekly bible of the Sport of Dogs.  Being mentioned in the gossip column of Dog News, by Gene Z, is a...

Team Up For a Day of HuntingBy Karolynne McAteer —Photos by Callander Turner Last Saturday, The Sandhills Pointing Breeds Club (SPBC) hosted a day of hunting, with guests from the Wounded Warrior Project at Fort Bragg.    The Wounded Warrior Project...

As we closed out 2012, amid fears the country would fall off the financial ‘fiscal cliff,’ a ‘fiscal cliff’ of another kind was created for a usually irreproachable non-profit organization, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as a result of...

Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton Today I am fortunate to have a guest blogger, Phyllis Harbinger of DCI Interiors who will give us all tips on how to Design a home for Animal Lovers. This article will surely solve several conflicts that may arise when owning pets,...

In the wake of what happened in Newtown Connecticut last week, I thought I would write about something near and dear to my heart.  The comfort pets bring to humans, especially at times like these.  It is simply amazing. In my mediation practice, I often see...

You say tomato and I say tomahto Pet laws interpreted. An adaptation of the song, "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off.” by George and Ira Gershwin, from 1937. On November 30, 2012, Liz Beavers, a reporter for the News Tribune of Mineral County West Virginia, wrote about...

An article in the Sunday, December 2nd New York Times hit me quite close to home.  Jessica Pierce’s column on page C3 spoke about the loss of a pet, the changing attitudes of people in such situations, how they respond and how others treat them for that...

Herding cats is difficult.  We often use this term colloquially whenever we are trying to pull difficult people or things together.  I’ve used it to describe my efforts to encourage colleagues to provide documents or articles in support of the presentation they are...

I am going to make a huge confession today; I read People Magazine each week.It is the junk I thumb through to keep abreast of what is going on out there in the world.  Otherwise, my single-minded focus on helping people in conflict about animals would make for...

This quote, of unknown origin, speaks volumes to anyone struggling to be heard.  As a mediator, who helps people resolve conflicts about animals, it speaks to how my clients would like to feel while working through a disagreement. By using mediation or...

A comment by Debra Hamilton on the book by Richard CohenIn the past week I have had 5 colleagues and 8 friends forward information about this book to my inbox.  I get it!  I am supposed to comment, so here it goes.Richard Cohen, Emmy Award winning author and...

Most of us have seen the movie Top Gun.  It was a 1986 movie with Tom Cruise about the Naval flight school in Mira Mar, Ca.  This school was where ‘The Best of the Best’ Navy pilots went to train and hone their skills for combat.  It was created to...

In today’s post I am addressing the ability to speak, during litigation vs. mediation.  My accountant, Catherine Wilson, prompts this post.  She reminds me that to litigate means effectively giving up your first amendment right to free speech!  What in...

This week a few memorable articles struck my fancy and so I bring them to you as illustrative of how important our pets are to us. The articles describe how animals’ have/can change people’s lives or how people can change the circumstances in which they find these...

In this weeks blog I am pulling a case out of my ABA Tips Law Journal for Fall 2011(47:1).The Journal contained a survey entitled “Recent Developments in Animal Tort and Insurance Law” written by Adam P Karp, Yvonne C. Ocrant and Steven R Bonanno, that follows some of...

After reading my Google alerts for Animal Law Issues today, I decided to write this week’s blog on the Consequences of Kneejerk Reactions to animals or their protectors behavior.  I am only covering three here today. (I could cover ten!)They are:...