Westchester and Hudson Valley pet owners who may've lost their beloved dogs and cats to tainted pet food are barking up the wrong tree with lawsuits, according to an expert.

According to attorney and News 12 commentator Mike Edelman, New York State considers pets to be property. Edelman says, "A pet is only worth basically the amount that you paid for the pet, under the law." That means plaintiffs will face an uphill legal battle.

Menu Foods has recalled about 60 million cans and pouches of pet food after tainted wheat gluten was found in products. Hundreds and possibly thousands of pets are believed to have died nationwide as a result. While some attorneys believe the scope of the recall is sufficient for class-action legal status, Edelman believes otherwise.

He says pet owners' best recourse is to write Menu Foods for individual compensation.