Suing a dead dog, The Paris Hilton Bill

A Minnesota man who struck and killed a dog while driving is suing the animal’s owners for damaging his car. Jeffery Ely says he has nothing but compassion for the Munthe family, whose 13-pound miniature pinscher, Fester, was killed instantly in the collision. But Ely claims that the impact drove pieces of his Honda Civic’s fender into its radiator and that he should be reimbursed the $1,100 cost of repairs. “I love dogs,” said Ely. “But once you get them, they are your responsibility.”

California’s state Assembly has passed the so-called Paris Hilton Bill, banning motorists from driving with dogs in their laps. Despite opposition from libertarians, who say the state has no right to regulate who can sit on whose lap, the assembly voted 44–11 to send the bill to the state Senate. Violators would be fined up to $150. “Anybody with common sense has to know that they shouldn’t be driving with an animal on their lap,” said Assemblyman Dave Jones, a bill supporter. “But if there are some people who think it’s acceptable, I suppose the bill will send a clear signal.”

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