Pet Court Cracks Down on Furry Delinquents

Every dog has its day, sometimes its day in court. At least in San Antonio, where the city has set up a unique legal enterprise: a court just for pets, where transgressions of the law involving dogs, cats, and other animals are tried, reports the Wall Street Journal. The 10-month-old special court has levied more than $250,000 in fines to pet owners for everything from bites to failure to vaccinate their furry friends.

The pet court represents a greater trend in the judicial systems of cities in which tailor-made courts are being set up to deal with specific populations such as drug addicts and the mentally ill. The objective is to educate judges about a distinct type of offense so they can hand down more suitable punishments.