Nipped in the Bud,,,Not in the Butt: Animal Conflicts

As mediators we understand that it is the emotional nature of conflict that mediation is uniquely able to address and value.  This is especially true in conflicts between people involving animals in neighbor disputes, divorce, trust and estates, criminal and civil matters.

 

The emotion surrounding the conflict, both those of the owner of the animal and the party wanting to censor or destroy the animal, are unaddressable in court because animals are property.  In the eyes of the law, property has no feelings nor do the humans who care for this property.

 

Mediation is uniquely designed to assist in conflicts of this kind because the parties can work out personal resolutions that fit their needs and the pets best interest.

 

Mediators have not yet embraced the vast field of animal conflicts in their practice, especially if they can remain neutral and help parties feel supported and understood even if their position is not in line with the mediators own.  This presentation outlines the cases that come up and the best practices for handling personal conflicts involving animals.