Vermont's Supreme Court will soon hear a case about whether a pet owner has the right to compensation for the emotional pain and loss of companionship when the animal dies as a result of negligence, reports the American Veterinary Medical Association's Web site (www.avma.org).

Although the ruling will not change anything outside of that state, the court's decision may influence laws in other jurisdictions.

The key issue is whether a pet owner can ask for more than the "property value" of an animal when suing. Currently, laws in most states allow owners to recover an animal's "market value," associated medical expenses and, at times, other economic damages, such as breeding status, pedigree and special training, but not any monetary compensation for emotional distress to the owner.