Hodgins Kennels, Inc v. Durbin

Defendants appeal as of right from a jury verdict of $233,700 in favor of plaintiffs on their claims of defamation, tortious interference with business relations, and conspiracy to defame and to tortiously interfere. We reverse and remand for a new trial.

Plaintiffs are state and federally licensed dealers who receive or purchase unwanted animals from municipal and county dog pounds, specifically Garden City and Monroe and Livingston Counties. These animals are those which have not been adopted, are unclaimed, or about to be put to death. The animals then undergo certain conditioning which…