Food stamps and dogs Yes or No?
April 06, 2010 • Most Popular
We all have the same basic requirements to life a happy, fruitful life: Water to nourish, entertainment to satisfy, shelter to protect, and food to satisfy hunger. The same holds true for Fido.
Not for one Pennsylvania man’s pooch.
Today a Pennsylvania appeals court ruled against a resident of Newton, a suburb in the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania. James Douris, a 55-year-old disabled veteran, relies on his dog to pull his wheelchair and retrieve various items for him.
In what has become a year-long battle to feed his dog, a Boxer,Douris considers the dog a dependent family member in calculating his food stamp allotment.
The Pennsylvania state welfare agency original denied the request so Douris appealed. For Douris, the dog provides a necessary function and extending the benefit meets a basic need. Not so to the Appeals Court.
Pennsylvania law is written such that food stamp benefits are for the intent of humans only. Douris argues denial of food stamps is an act of cruelty since his dog could die without food.
Question: Should dogs be legally granted food stamps on a case-by-case basis?
