The need for pet lawyers is on the rise during the pandemic

In 2020 criminal and bankruptcy lawyers took a big hit. According to a report from U.S. Courts, criminal and bankruptcy cases were down about 11% because of the pandemic. But, lawyers handling divorces and pets have been busy. “People were at home,” said lawyer April Goodwin. Goodwin owns the Goodwin Law Firm in Largo. She owned her own firm back in 2015 and primarily handled employment and civil rights cases. Sometime after, she decided to add pet law to the list. “I added it to the website, and slowly started getting cases,” she said. “But in 2020, it really took off.” “People were having more opportunities to fight with their significant other, soon-to-be ex-significant other, or family members, and neighbors over pets. Those are our biggest cases.” About a year ago, Charles Perkins reached out to Goodwin for help with an issue involving his family’s pet duck, named “Fat Duck Perkins.”