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Lawsuits aren't reserved just for people—animals and even inanimate objects like puppets have also found themselves in legal battles. Over time, there have been cases where animals and nonhuman objects have taken legal action against people as well.
While animals and objects can’t technically file lawsuits, these unusual cases are brought to court by individuals or groups. The following examples, both strange and comedic, illustrate just how far people will go in pursuit of justice.
10. Musician Loses Legal Battle to Puppet
South African musician Steve Hofmeyr has the rare distinction of losing a lawsuit to a puppet. The puppet, named Chester Missing, is controlled by South African ventriloquist and comedian Conrad Koch (pictured with Chester).
Hofmeyr sought a protection order against Koch and Missing, claiming they had made threats and harassed him. However, the court ruled that neither Koch nor Missing had done anything wrong and were free to tweet about Hofmeyr. The court also ordered Hofmeyr to cover Koch and Missing’s legal fees.
Undeterred, Koch resumed tweeting about Hofmeyr, even calling him “Racistboy.” Hofmeyr, unimpressed, accused the court of supporting the comedian and his puppet.
9. Kansas Sues a Toyota Pickup and Loses
In 2018, the state of Kansas lost a lawsuit against a Toyota truck. Sergeant Christopher Ricard of the Geary County Sheriff’s Department had stopped the vehicle over a partially obscured license plate. Upon inspection, his police dog Scooby found 11.9 grams of marijuana hidden in the truck, along with $84,000 in cash.
The state attempted to seize the vehicle and cash. Since this was a civil forfeiture case, the state listed the truck, money, and marijuana as the defendants rather than the two men driving the vehicle. However, the court ruled that the state could not legally take the truck or money, as Sergeant Ricard had unlawfully extended the stop to allow his police dog, Scooby, to sniff the vehicle.
8. Police Dog Wins Lawsuit Filed by the Burglar It Bit
On July 6, 2013, Randall Kevin Jones, a Georgia man, broke into his ex-girlfriend’s house and stole several items, including a television, a camera, and a game console. After seeing him leave her home, the ex called the police. Officers from the Gwinnett County Police Department quickly arrived at the scene.
The police found Jones and ordered him to surrender, but he ran. Even after an officer threatened to release a police dog, Jones kept fleeing. The officer eventually unleashed Draco, the dog, who bit Jones, causing him to fall into a ravine. Jones required stitches to treat his injuries.
Two years after the incident, Jones filed a lawsuit against the police department for 'excessive use of force.' He named three officers and the dog as defendants, with the dog listed as 'Officer K-9 Draco of the Gwinnett County Police Department in his individual capacity.' Jones claimed that Draco bit him 'for what felt like forever' and argued that the officers stood by without intervening to stop the dog.
Gwinnett County attempted to have the lawsuit thrown out, but a federal judge dismissed this request. The county then appealed, only for Judge Robin Rosenbaum of the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals to ultimately rule against the case. She stated, 'We hold that a dog may not be sued individually for negligence since a dog is not a person.' She further emphasized that dogs cannot be subpoenaed, represented by an attorney, or ordered to pay damages if found guilty.
7. Judge Prevents Horse From Suing Its Owner
In 2018, a horse in Oregon filed a lawsuit against its owner for neglect, demanding $100,000 in damages. However, a judge dismissed the case, explaining that horses cannot sue anyone, including their owners. While the horse itself did not file the suit, the Animal Legal Defense Fund took legal action on its behalf.
Justice, a horse owned by Gwendolyn Vercher, was left out in the cold. When rescued, the horse was severely underweight, missing 136 kilograms (300 lb), thirsty, hungry, and suffering from frostbite. Vercher faced charges for animal neglect and covered the costs of Justice’s treatment.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund took legal action, arguing that Justice might require further medical care. However, the court ruled that animals could not file lawsuits, fearing it would lead to a flood of animals suing their owners. Vercher called the lawsuit 'outrageous.'
6. Unborn Child Sues Abortion Clinic
In March 2019, Ryan Magers filed a lawsuit against the Alabama Women’s Center for Reproductive Alternatives in Huntsville, Alabama, for the abortion of his unborn child. The lawsuit also named the company that manufactured the abortion pill, the doctor who performed the procedure, and every organization the doctor worked with as defendants.
Ryan Magers referred to the fetus as Baby Roe and claimed that his girlfriend went ahead with the abortion in February 2017, even though she was only six weeks pregnant. Despite Magers’ objections, she proceeded with the procedure. He stated that he filed the lawsuit to advocate for legal protection for fathers of unborn children.
Currently, the law permits the mother to proceed with an abortion without the father's consent or input. This lawsuit has sparked significant discussion, especially among feminists and pro-choice activists. The case remains ongoing.
5. Monkey Selfie Results in Photographer's Victory
In 2008, photographer David Slater was photographing a troop of crested black macaques at an Indonesian wildlife park. While he was focused on some of the monkeys, a few others snuck up to his camera, which was set on a tripod, and began taking pictures by pressing the shutter button.
The monkeys took hundreds of photos, including some featuring Slater himself. However, the most famous image was a selfie snapped by a monkey named Naruto, who pressed the shutter button. This led to an unusual legal dispute over copyright ownership between Slater and the monkey.
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) argued that Naruto, the monkey, should own the copyright to the selfie. Slater, however, maintained that he held the rights to the image. In 2015, PETA filed a lawsuit on Naruto’s behalf. In 2017, PETA agreed to drop the lawsuit, with the condition that Slater would give them 25 percent of the royalties from the photos.
In 2018, a court intervened and halted PETA’s efforts to settle the lawsuit. The court wanted to establish a legal precedent for similar cases in the future. It ruled that animals do not have the legal standing to own copyrights, thus granting copyright ownership to Slater.
4. Wheelchair Thief Sues Police Dog
On April 23, 2015, 55-year-old Stanley McQuery broke into the home of 79-year-old William Ballard in Hillcrest, San Diego. McQuery attacked Ballard, stole his phone and electric wheelchair, and demanded money. The authorities were alerted to the crime.
Officers located McQuery nearby, but in an unexpected twist, his escape vehicle was none other than Ballard’s wheelchair, which could barely reach a speed of 3.2 kilometers per hour (2 mph). After McQuery refused to comply with orders to stop, the police released a dog to apprehend him. McQuery was eventually sentenced to 16 years in prison due to his previous felony convictions.
In 2016, while in prison, McQuery filed a lawsuit against the police dog, claiming it had used “excessive force, assault, and battery” against him. He sought $7 million in damages. McQuery argued that he was already on the ground when the officer sent the dog after him, and he even quoted the officer telling the dog to, “Eat him up, eat him up.”
McQuery later admitted to making a mistake by naming the dog as a defendant. He expressed his love for dogs and claimed he never intended to sue one. However, his actions remained confusing as he had named the dog twice in his lawsuit.
3. Man Sues Police Dog After He Was Bitten
In 2018, 66-year-old Joseph Carr from Oregon filed a lawsuit against a police dog named Rolo and its handler, Deputy Jason Bernards of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. The lawsuit stemmed from an incident on September 18, 2016, when Rolo bit Carr during a visit to a store opening.
Carr encountered Deputy Bernards and Rolo at the store entrance. Bernards instructed Rolo to “say hi,” which Carr interpreted as an invitation to pet the dog. However, when Carr touched the dog’s ear and head, Rolo bit him in the abdomen. Carr then sued for $50,000 in damages.
Deputy Bernards defended the incident by claiming that Carr had grabbed the dog’s snout. However, Carr’s attorney, Brian Hefner, pointed to surveillance footage that clearly showed Carr only touching the dog’s head and ear. Carr later stated that the scar from the bite serves as a constant reminder of the “horrific and unnecessary event.”
2. Woman Attempts To Get Monkeys Charged With Sexual Assault
In 2015, 23-year-old Melissa Hart attempted to have two monkeys arrested and charged with sexual assault during her visit to Gibraltar. While observing the Barbary macaques, two of them attacked her without warning.
The monkeys scratched her with their paws, tugged at her clothes and hair, and even removed her bikini top. She screamed for help, but nearby tourists merely laughed. It wasn’t until a warden intervened and chased the monkeys away that she was saved.
Flustered, embarrassed, and angry, Ms. Hart reported the incident to the police, seeking to file charges against the monkeys. However, the officers refused her request, explaining that wild animals cannot be charged. One officer even jokingly asked if she could identify the monkeys in a police lineup.
1. Monkey Gets Charged With Assault For Attacking Woman
On November 29, 1877, The New York Times reported that Ms. Mary Shea lost a lawsuit against Jimmy Dillio, a monkey owned by Mr. Casslo Dillio. Trouble began when Mr. Dillio brought Jimmy to Ms. Shea’s shop. Shea offered Jimmy a piece of candy, which he accepted with a chatter of gratitude.
However, Jimmy became aggressive and bit Ms. Shea’s finger when she tried to playfully take back the candy. Mrs. Shea had Mr. Dillio and Jimmy arrested, and they were brought to court. Judge Flammer dismissed the case, stating that monkeys could not be charged in court. After the decision, Jimmy reportedly showed some manners by tipping his hat in acknowledgment.
