Gary Shockey, the attorney for the Cardenas family, argued because the dogs were killed illegally, the Cardenas family should receive damages for emotional harm.
Wyoming Supreme Court Justice John Fenn said awarding damages for emotional pain from a traumatic event such as the survivor of a car crash could open a floodgate of litigation.
The owner of the traps that killed a family's three St. Bernard dogs in the past week was stunned and saddened to learn of their deaths, a spokesman for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department said Thursday.
Three three-year-old St. Bernard dogs -- Brooklynn, Barkley and Jax -- shared naps, camping trips, hugs and hikes with the Cardenas family on South Ridgecrest Drive at the base of Casper Mountain.