PING Shelter workers (OT, more or less)

I need to ask all of you that are active in working at your local
shelters, does the shelter have a lawyer? We have gotten a couple of
calls recently from Humane Society people in neighboring counties,
saying they'd heard that my DH is someone who *WILL* aggressively
prosecute animal cruelty cases, which is apparently not so much the
case in their counties, and wanting to know if he can *do something*.
Sadly, no; he doesn't have any authority where we've been getting the
calls from. All he's been able to do, really, is advise them about
documentation and publicity.

But now some people from the HS in one of these other counties have
made an appointment for tomorrow, and want to talk to DH about putting
him on retainer to represent them. I have to wonder, what is there to
do? All I can think of is to help with setting up trusts or something,
but it's not like that happens every day.

I guess I am just looking for an idea of what to expect from this; any
ideas?

------
Krista

My shelter has two lawyers that work for it both volunteer also. The
county shelter have their own lawyers provide by the county or state.

It is like any time you set up a lawyer be ready to ask question what and
how are they willing to work? will they volunteer some services? how much
are these service? how is there track record?

Krista wrote:
I need to ask all of you that are active in working at your local
shelters, does the shelter have a lawyer?

The larger ones I worked for had legal staff working for them pro bono
- some of the smaller ones do not have anyone.

We have gotten a couple of
calls recently from Humane Society people in neighboring counties,
saying they'd heard that my DH is someone who *WILL* aggressively
prosecute animal cruelty cases, which is apparently not so much the
case in their counties, and wanting to know if he can *do something*.
Sadly, no; he doesn't have any authority where we've been getting the
calls from. All he's been able to do, really, is advise them about
documentation and publicity.

But now some people from the HS in one of these other counties have
made an appointment for tomorrow, and want to talk to DH about putting
him on retainer to represent them. I have to wonder, what is there to
do? All I can think of is to help with setting up trusts or something,
but it's not like that happens every day.

There's always the nutcase who thinks they can win a case against a
shelter for not returning their animal, or for "discrimination" when
they are denied placement of an animal. There are also cases of
shelters being sued for liability in placing animals that bite or
injure someone. Liability is a big issue. These cases rarely go to
court. There are also legal issues with employees and stuff like that,
which any business has to deal with.

-L.

Krista wrote:
I need to ask all of you that are active in working at your local
shelters, does the shelter have a lawyer? We have gotten a couple of
calls recently from Humane Society people in neighboring counties,
saying they'd heard that my DH is someone who *WILL* aggressively
prosecute animal cruelty cases, which is apparently not so much the
case in their counties, and wanting to know if he can *do something*.
Sadly, no; he doesn't have any authority where we've been getting the
calls from. All he's been able to do, really, is advise them about
documentation and publicity.

But now some people from the HS in one of these other counties have
made an appointment for tomorrow, and want to talk to DH about putting
him on retainer to represent them. I have to wonder, what is there to
do? All I can think of is to help with setting up trusts or something,
but it's not like that happens every day.

I guess I am just looking for an idea of what to expect from this; any
ideas?

------
Krista

We have a board member who is an attorney. She reviews contracts,
advises us on liability issues. When some nutjob threatens to sue, she
writes letters and so far that issue has never gone any further. It is
amazing how much more clout a letter on attorney letterhead has. She
just generally puts out little fires and keeps us out of trouble.
We did have a big abuse case/puppy mill case that received national
media attention. She felt it was beyond her capabilities to handle
alone, and at that time we hired another attorney. He charged us a
reduced fee, but didn't do it for free.

Sherry

We got 15 cases against us right now from older cats being taken from abuse
homes after multiple offense. Maybe we ought to get Judge Judy to tech them
a lesson.

Maybe I ought to get our shelter manager to sue them for the cost of pet
care would not that be a slap in the face. :-)

No More Retail wrote:
We got 15 cases against us right now from older cats being taken from abuse
homes after multiple offense. Maybe we ought to get Judge Judy to tech them
a lesson.

Are they suing the shelter or the animal control divison? Or are all
animal control duties done by the shelter?


Maybe I ought to get our shelter manager to sue them for the cost of pet
care would not that be a slap in the face. :-)

It's a tactic that has worked before.

-L.

No More Retail wrote:
We got 15 cases against us right now from older cats being taken from abuse
homes after multiple offense. Maybe we ought to get Judge Judy to tech them
a lesson.

Maybe I ought to get our shelter manager to sue them for the cost of pet
care would not that be a slap in the face. :-)

soapbox on
What *really* ****es me off is when animal(s) were seized due to
abuse/neglect. The shelter steps up to the plate and provides shelter,
vet care, (not cheap. they're usually in very poor conditon), food.
Said animals are "evidence", and cannot be adopted out until either the
owner relinquishes ownership, or the case goes to trial and the judge
legally removes ownership. During that time, again, *legally*, the
owner is responsible for reimbursement of all monies spent on
care/upkeep. Again, the JUDGE decides "how much". We had absolute,
concrete receipts totalling nearly $40,000 for the care of over 200
puppy mill stock dogs. The "owner" refused to relinquish on the grounds
that he was an asshole, for ELEVEN MONTHS. They kept calling for
continuances, and postponing the trial. Meanwhile, the dogs stayed at
the shelter.
The judge, in his wisdom, decided we were due $1100.00. That's eleven
hundred, payable to the shelter by the defendant at $100 per month. The
judge had a well-known reputation for NOT being compassionate toward
animal issues. I still get mad about that every time I think about it,
and it was nearly three years ago.
The law was changed last year. Now, shelters have the power to assume
ownership of seized animals, and begin adopting the animals out as soon
as they are healthy enough.

Sherry

What happens is all a lot of the shelters only keep older cats 10 days after
that you know what happens. The shelters in the surrounding counties
contact us and we pick up the cats and find them good homes. As for the
legal actions we are either named in them for having the cat or the main
person in the case. All of the case have been older cats taken for multiple
incident abusive homes. Some want their cats back but under law it will
never happen We have done our own investigation on each such as if it was
the husband or wife doing the abusing and the other wants their beloved
back. We had one case where it was the grand father doing the torturing of
the cat. We returned the firball to the son and that cat is fine till this
day. the old man got 2 years in jail for felony animal abuse.

The best one is that a person who hung his cat upside down by each leg
spread eagle to teach his children a lesson. He got fined the cat taken
away and case to required him to got to classes for it. Well he did that
his children were taken away from him and his wife she saw the whole thing
and did nothing. The day he got the cat back he hung it by it tail for "
causing him the pain of loosing his children". He did this in front of his
wife who did nothing again and several family members who called 911. It
made the media he got 3 years for felony animal abuse his wife 1 year
probation for endangerment of an animal. Luckily the children will not come
back to them. Part of the judgment against him and her is that the never
are allowed to own an animal againor to be around an animal without
supervision. To make a long story shorter he and her are suing us to get
the cat back or compensation. The cat was placed a week after are required
observation ( 30 days ) and is doing fine with a loving family. The judge
has ordered our shelter to give them the name of family. The shelter
manager refused under legal guidance; I know she will destroy the
information before it happens only 3 of us know her me and my wife none of
the workers working there no were there than. The judge ain't happy and
has refused to acknowledge the past judgment against the person; he got his
filed sealed.
When she told me this I got my lawyer involved and he is got the motion to
by pass this judge( who is under investigation for making racial comments )
and go to the state courts if necessary. Along with unsealing his file and
giving him almost he same classification as a thrid time felon. Almost like
a soap opera gone bad

No More Retail wrote:
We got 15 cases against us right now from older cats being taken from abuse
homes after multiple offense.

We've been threatened with lawsuits for the same reason. Most recently
was when we got a cat in as a stray, in terrible shape. No collar,
just another stray. A few weeks later the owner turned up, and was
furious because we had spayed her and was going to sue.
Lots of people yell "sue" when you turn them down for adoption.
Another woman who'd adopted from us brought her beautiful, little
golden-haired daughter in. She had giant ringworms all in her scalp and
her hair was falling out. The cat she got showed no signs of ringworm,
but she was going to sue us too. We did end up accepting responsibility
for all her daughter's medical bills, the cats vet bills, and the
attorney did a wonderful job groveling and smoothing feathers and
convicing her that bankrupting the shelter was only going to make the
animals suffer. Everyone felt bad about it.
Sherry

wrote:
Krista wrote:

We have a board member who is an attorney. She reviews contracts,
advises us on liability issues. When some nutjob threatens to sue, she
writes letters and so far that issue has never gone any further. It is
amazing how much more clout a letter on attorney letterhead has. She
just generally puts out little fires and keeps us out of trouble.
We did have a big abuse case/puppy mill case that received national
media attention. She felt it was beyond her capabilities to handle
alone, and at that time we hired another attorney. He charged us a
reduced fee, but didn't do it for free.

Sherry


Ah, I hadn't thought about liability. Is there no insurance? I know
shelters operate on very slim budgets, but I have only a very general
idea of what's involved, and am otherwise completely ignorant. I've
never been involved with a shelter. We don't even *have* a shelter
here.

And I know my DH won't charge them much, if anything; in fact, we will
probably end up making a donation. ;-)

------
Krista