There’s no punishment harsh enough…

Posted on August 19, 2016 by alexb2448

This vintage typwriter is our featured image.

I’d like to think that I’m a fairly tolerant person. But there are some things for which I have absolutely no tolerance whatsoever.

I have no tolerance for bullies. I have no tolerance for ignorance. I have no tolerance for anyone who preys upon or otherwise exploits, children, the elderly or animals. Especially animals.

Eli, the In Brief Legal Writing Services mascot. — In Brief Legal Writing Services mascot Eli catching up on the latest news. Photo by Alexandra Bogdanovic

As far as I’m concerned there’s no punishment harsh enough for the owner of an animal shelter in Monroe, Connecticut, who was recently convicted of animal cruelty. Especially because he’s got prior convictions.

According to one news account, Frederick Acker “was convicted of 11 counts of animal cruelty in Ansonia-Milford Superior Court on July 26 and faces up to 11 years in prison at sentencing on Sept. 6.”

To make matters worse, Acker was reportedly convicted on 15 counts of animal cruelty in Litchfield Superior Court last year. He got off with a slap on the wrist.

The good news is that Connecticut politicians — some of whom have been aware of Acker’s exploits for sometime — are now planning on joining forces to close the legal loopholes that have allowed Acker to continue operating an animal shelter.

“We need to change our laws and our regulations to make sure that not only they are strict enough, but to make sure our judicial system is enforcing them,” said Connecticut State Rep. Themis Kalrdies, who learned about Acker’s exploits after she tried to adopt a kitten from the shelter. “We don’t want to stop anybody who is a good and caring person from taking care of animals, we want to make sure people who are clearly taking advantage of the system are not allowed to.”

Speaking as someone who loves animals and as someone who has devoted a considerable amount of time and energy to volunteering at a local animal shelter for the past few years, I hope Connecticut lawmakers follow through on this.

Allowing Acker and those like him to continue working with animals is a slap in the face to everyone who works tirelessly to help unwanted cats and dogs find forever homes.

More importantly, it is unfair to all of the animals who count on people for help.

In the worst of times, animals bring out the best in us

Posted on August 17, 2016August 17, 2016 by alexb2448

The stories coming out of Louisiana are heartbreaking. Epic flooding stemming from torrential rainfall reportedly claimed six lives and forced thousands from their homes.

As reported on foxnews.com Monday, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said more than 20,000 people had been rescued across South Louisiana as of Sunday night, and more than 10,000 people were in shelters.

On Tuesday, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries provided an additional update on the number of people and animals rescued from flood-ravaged areas.

“Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement agents have currently rescued a total of 3,139 people and 603 animals to date due to the flooding in Louisiana,” the agency said. “Agents began search and rescue missions around 4 a.m. on Aug. 12 and have ran search and rescue missions around the clock ever since.”

Agency spokesman Adam Einck told foxnews.com that the vast majority of animals rescued early on were pets.

“It does present a lot of challenges, but our agents have been trained for this,” Einck said. “What our guys do is very heroic – they are going into these neighborhoods, the terrain is very treacherous, they work throughout the night.”

The next challenge will be reuniting animals and owners separated due to the disaster — and the Companion Animal Alliance (CAA) of Baton Rouge is already on the job.

In a message posted on its website, the CAA says it had taken in 90 animals as of Sunday night, and offers advice for people who have lost and found pets.

“Lost pet owners and finders should put the information on Lost Pets of Baton Rouge on Facebook. Look at Visitor Posts for recent activity,” the agency’s message says. “There are also Lost Pet pages for Zachary and Central. Learn more about reuniting pets and families on our Lost and Found Pet page.”

The CAA says it is also in desperate need of “temporary fosters” for rescued animals waiting to be reunited with their owners. Interested parties should contact foster@caabr.org or call 225 774 7701.

For more information about how to help animals affected by the flood, click here.

New animal ambulance comes to the rescue

Posted on August 12, 2016August 14, 2016 by alexb2448

The First Connecticut Animal Ambulance

As a pet parent, it’s music to my ‘EARS’

Those of you who follow me on Twitter (@InBriefLegalWS) have already the links to the articles I posted about this. But it’s such a cool issue I felt compelled to share it here, too.

According to its website, a Shelton Connecticut-based group is now offering an ambulance service devoted specifically to animals. Its something I hope we never need, but I am happy it exists.

“In April our team was presented with an amazing opportunity to acquire a former ambulance to modify in to a fully outfitted animal ambulance – the first in Connecticut,” the Emergency Animal Response Service (EARS) says. “Through a major month-long fundraising effort with contributions from animal hospitals, veterinarians, other rescue groups, and public support, we were able to exceed our goal and we are extremely proud to announce that ‘Rescue 2’ has arrived and is now 100% operational!”

Once used to transport people, the rig is now fully stocked with everything needed to treat animals in distress. The crews that man it are “are certified in pet first aid, life support, and undergo special training involving the safe and compassionate transportation of animals in need.”

If you live in Connecticut, you can learn more about the animal ambulance at various events. The next one is at an EARS fundraiser in Orange tomorrow. If you can’t make it, there is another one on August 21.

In addition to providing the animal ambulance and “rapid response” service, EARS engages in community outreach programs. The programs include demonstrations, workshops and classes.

“Each program we present is individually designed based on the needs of who we are working with. The programs can be altered depending on the type of program, age of participants, size of location, main interest of the group, and many other aspects,” the organization says.

Clearly providing such comprehensive services requires a lot of manpower. EARS encourages anyone interested in volunteering to visit the volunteer page on its website. You can find even more information about how to get involved here.

It sounds like such a cool organization that I definitely encourage you to get involved if you can. And to be honest, I’m already thinking about joining,myself.

On Another Note…

Speaking of animals, I am happy to report that Eli is much better. We took him off the pain killers on Sunday morning, but he was still feeling out of sorts and hid in the basement until Wednesday morning, when I convinced him to come upstairs for breakfast. Since then he’s been back to his old self.

Now let’s hope he stays that way!

Another day, another crisis

Posted on August 1, 2016August 1, 2016 by alexb2448

“No matter what happens, remember it’s not your fault. Animals are difficult to understand sometimes.” — S.A. Witten (Grandpa)

As I write this, Eli is at the vet — again. And I’m worried sick.

Those of you who have been following this blog since the beginning know that he had a serious health scare earlier this year. He emerged from that (relatively) unscathed and I thought the worst was behind us.

Everything was fine until Friday, when he started coughing. Those of you who have cats know that sound … that cringe worthy sound that usually means Fluffy or Princess is trying to hack up a hair ball. Yes, it sounded like poor old Eli had a really bad one — but he didn’t puke.

On Saturday morning he jumped on my bed at the crack of dawn. In and of itself that is not unusual. The fact that he yowled, hissed and took off for no apparent reason is highly unusual. The fact that he curled up in a little ball and refused to eat all day was also highly unusual.

Over the last couple of days, he’s eaten a little bit of kibble — and that’s it. And that’s highly unusual as well.

This morning, I had the unenviable task of corralling him and putting him in his carrier for the five-minute drive to the veterinarian’s office. Needless to say, he was not very happy. That’s par for the course.

At the office, the vet listened while I gave a detailed description of Eli’s symptoms. She then recommended blood work, an x-ray and exam. I agreed and headed for home.

As I opened the door and came up the stairs, I realized how quiet the house is when Eli’s not around. And I thought about something my 101-year-old grandfather told me on Saturday night.

“No matter what happens, remember it’s not your fault,” he said. “Animals are difficult to understand sometimes.”

So is life.

Life is complicated

Posted on July 25, 2016July 25, 2016 by alexb2448

That does it. In my next life, I’m coming back as my own cat. Seriously.

I’ve officially decided that human beings are definitely overrated. Just look at everything that’s happened lately. We’ve had cop killings, terrorism, mall shootings, nightclub shootings, and train attacks carried out by ax-wielding maniacs. And then there’s the collective insanity otherwise known as presidential politics.

Yes, humans are overrated. We think we’re so special because we have opposable thumbs and souls. We also think our ability to reason sets us apart from other animals. Well, for such an intellectually and technologically advanced species, we sure are screwing things up a lot. And for some strange reason, we seem completely incapable of learning from our mistakes.

Yes, people are overrated. And life is complicated.

Don’t get me wrong. Life isn’t necessarily easy for American dogs and cats, either. As much as we love our pets, the sad reality is that there are millions of unwanted animals in the United States. According to The Humane Society of the United States, more than 2 million “healthy, adoptable” dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters every year. The organization estimates that is roughly one every 13 seconds.

Yes, you can chalk that up to human stupidity, too.

But my cats were lucky. We got Tiger from family friends when they moved to Saudi Arabia; if we hadn’t taken her, she would have been left outside to fend for herself. Heals was a stray. A co-worker found her wandering in the neighborhood and took her in, but couldn’t keep her. If I hadn’t taken her, she would have ended up in the local pound. And Eli — my sweet baby boy — my “pit bull in a cat costume”– he was a pound cat with an attitude when I adopted him. I hate to think what would have happened if I hadn’t chosen him.

Today, I don’t think there’s a cat on the face of the earth that has it better than Eli. Eli is spoiled rotten — and he knows it. His chief concerns are when he’ll get breakfast and dinner. Beyond that, his only worries are whether he’s got enough kibble and whether his litter boxes are clean (yes, he has more than one). Oh… I suppose he also worries about being hauled off to the vet, having his claws clipped and how long it will take one of us to figure out that he wants to go out on the deck.

He does not have to worry about being abused or being abandoned. He’ll never have to worry about being neglected. In other words, he’s got a pretty good life — and he knows it.

After Dallas, Baton Rouge and Nice, I surrender

Posted on July 20, 2016July 20, 2016 by alexb2448

Phew! The s–t storm that the landscapers were creating in my yard just ended and I can finally hear myself think. More importantly, Eli feels safe enough to come out of hiding.

To me, the tree shredding machine in use for the better part of an hour sounded like a jet engine on steroids. I can only imagine what it sounded like to my cat. All I know is, the second that racket started, he tried to dive under the bed. When he discovered there wasn’t any room there, he sought refuge elsewhere.

Lately I’ve been wishing I could hide under the bed. Not that it would solve anything. But given recent events in Dallas and Nice and Baton Rouge — and current events in Cleveland — I just need a break from all of the madness.

My faith in humanity is taking a beating. My moral outrage is almost spent. I can’t cry anymore. I’ve had it. I’m pooped.

Fortunately, I found some stories that have nothing to do with cop killing, terrorism, or presidential politics. Since I’m exceedingly generous — and since we can all use some good news at this point, I’ve decided to share links to my favorites. In no particular order, here they are:

In California, Ventura County Animal Service just got a big grant from the Petco Foundation. According to published reports, the agency will use it to fund a program that helps people keep their pets. You can read more here.
A new study just identified some really cool pets for people who want something other than a dog or cat. Of course, getting one might be a little tricky. Find out why here.
Eli hates going to the vet. And to be honest, I hate taking him there. If you and your pet feel the same way, “mobile pet care” could be the solution. Read this to learn more.
A large donation will allow a New York State humane society to help people who can’t afford to feed their pets. Read more here.

I hope this lifts your spirits or makes you smile. Maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem, after all.

Law eliminates liability threat for medics, firefighters who treat injured pets

Posted on June 27, 2016 by alexb2448

We’ve all seen the heartbreaking pictures and news footage of pets rescued from house fires or natural disasters. And we’ve all seen the heartwarming images of firefighters, paramedics and EMTs rendering First Aid to those hurt and scared cats and dogs.

What you may not know is that in most states, the pet owners can — and do — sue the first responders if their pets die. That’s because the laws in those states prohibit anyone except for licensed veterinarians from treating sick and injured animals.

That’s about to change in Ohio. According to published reports, a law that takes effect there later this summer allows firefighters, paramedics and EMTs to treat injured pets without fear of legal retaliation.

The new law also applies to the treatment of police dogs and companion animals.

“It’s another layer of protection for the good guys,” Cory Smith, director of public policy for companion animals at The Humane Society of the United States, told the Associated Press.

While lawmakers in Ohio –and elsewhere — take steps to protect the first responders who choose to treat injured pets as well as people, another group wants to make sure they are well equipped to do so.

According to an article on iheartdogs.com, the group — Project Breathe — provides fire departments and other first responders with oxygen masks designed specifically for pets. To date, the non-profit organization has donated almost 14,000 masks to U.S. and Canadian fire departments. Training is also provided.

Use of the masks has reportedly saved more than 100 pets.

Sadly, that number is dwarfed by other statistics, however. Some estimates indicate that half a million pets are affected by house fires each year, and 40,000 die.

For information about how to keep your pet safe, visit:

Finding help for Pulse Orlando shooting victims’ pets

Posted on June 15, 2016 by alexb2448

Here’s a surprise. Politicians across the country — including both presumptive presidential nominees — have spent the better part of this week exploiting a national tragedy in order to advance their own agendas.

I don’t know about you, but frankly I find that sickening. I’m not kidding. It makes me want to puke.

On the other hand, there are plenty of people whose selflessness and generosity in the aftermath of the Pulse Orlando nightclub shooting is almost enough to restore my faith in humanity.

Judy Charuhas is one of them.

Helping The Pulse Orlando Shooting Victims’ Pets

According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel, Charuhas is in charge of a “local lost pets group.” In the wake of the mass shooting that reportedly left 49 dead and more than 50 injured early Sunday morning, she launched an effort to help the victims’ pets.

The Sentinel article details how she began by posting a message on the Winter Park Lost Pets page on Facebook. In it, she informed followers that the organization is “compiling a list of rescuers/services/people willing to hold/foster/adopt pets for victims and survivors of the Pulse Orlando shooting,” and encouraged people interested in helping to comment.

Not surprisingly, tons of people responded.

“I’ve got a huge list of resources,” Charuhas told the Sentinel. “We’re basically vetting them out and making sure these people can do what they say they can do. If anyone is willing to step forward, I’ll add them to my list.”

If you live in the Orlando area and you are interested in helping, click the link to the story above to find out how you can contact Charuhas directly. You can also visit the Winter Park Lost Pets page on Facebook for more information.

Friends and relatives of the shooting victims are also encouraged to contact local authorities, animal welfare and rescue groups about any pets in need.

Something Else To Think About

Whether it is the result of a natural disaster, a catastrophic accident or an horrific act of violence like the one that happened at Pulse Orlando, a tremendous loss of life is something that shakes us to the very core of our being. When it is sudden and unexpected, it is a stark reminder of both our vulnerability and our mortality. Anyway you look at it, it is something most of us would rather not think about, much less confront.

Nevertheless, most of us do make provisions for our loved ones in the event that something happens to us. We get life insurance policies. We make wills.

On the other hand, making provisions to ensure that our pets are cared for if we are critically injured or killed is something that may not cross our minds. That doesn’t mean that it’s something we shouldn’t think about, or that there’s nothing we can do. You can learn more about the issue here.

As you can see, there are plenty of options. So whatever you do, please plan ahead. We owe it to ourselves — and our pets.

Kasich inks new Good Samaritan bill

Posted on June 1, 2016June 2, 2016 by alexb2448

Last week I urged you not to leave your pets — or your kids alone in the car this summer.

Founder/owner of In Brief Legal Writing Services, Alexandra Bogdanovic. Photo by N. Bogdanovic

But I didn’t tell you what you should do if you see an unsupervised child or animal in a hot car.

To be honest, there are a couple of reasons for that. First, and most importantly, I don’t want anything I write to be construed as legal advice. For one thing, I am not a lawyer so I am not qualified to dispense it. As a paralegal I can’t dispense it. And aside from all that, we live in an extremely litigious society and I would really rather not get sued.

If I could tell you what to do, here’s what I’d say. “It depends.”

It’s The Law… In Ohio

In Ohio, citizens will soon be able to take immediate action in order to “rescue” an unsupervised child or animal from a hot car. Specifically, the new law that reportedly takes effect later this summer allows a civilian to break into a vehicle in order to free a companion animal or child without fear of reprisal — but only in very specific and very limited circumstances.

The language in Ohio SB215 regarding the removal of a child and the removal of an animal is similar. So for brevity’s sake I’ll share the information regarding pets.

The new law recently inked by Ohio Gov. John Kasich stipulates that a vehicle owner can not sue someone who breaks into their car to remove an animal for damages if the person who does so:

has checked to see if the door is locked before forcing his or her way into the vehicle
has reason to believe the animal is in grave and immediate danger
has made a legitimate effort to alert authorities before breaking into the car or alerts them as soon as possible afterwards
has made a legitimate effort to inform the vehicle owner of what has transpired in writing after forcing his or her way into the car
has stayed with the animal in a “safe location” until authorities arrived
and has not used unnecessary force to break into the vehicle

Anyone who uses excessive force or tries to aid the animal in a manner not specified by the law automatically loses the protection otherwise afforded by it.

You can read more here.

Other State Laws

As of last year, laws in other states, such as Arizona and California allow certain authorities to use “reasonable” force to remove or rescue animals from motor vehicles. Similar provisions were in place in the following states in 2015:

Delaware
Illinois
Maine
Maryland
Minnesota
Nevada
New Hampshire
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Vermont
Washington

The New York law also prevents qualified individuals from being sued. In Tennessee, anyone who acts within the scope of the law is also protected.

For more information on the applicable laws in your state, visit your state legislature’s website.

Whatever you do, do not leave your pets in the car this summer

Posted on May 26, 2016 by alexb2448

Yes, it’s hot outside. At least, that’s the case here in the northeast. So as we get ready for the Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer, I am begging you guys to do me a huge favor. Please, whatever you do, do not leave your pets — or your kids — in the car by themselves.

I don’t care if you’ll “only be gone for a couple of minutes.” I don’t care if you leave the windows open. It doesn’t even matter if you parked in the shade.

Leaving your pet in a parked car by itself is a recipe for disaster — and in some states it’s also against the law.

Yes, It’s Criminal

For people in my line of work, certain websites are invaluable. In fact, animallaw.info is the first place I check when I’ve got an especially challenging assignment. With just a few clicks of a mouse I can find just about anything I need — which often saves a lot of time. So naturally that’s the first place I checked when I wanted to find out more about state laws prohibiting people from leaving their animals in parked cars.

According to an article by Rebecca F. Wisch that I found there, leaving an animal in a parked car was illegal in 19 states as of 2015.

“Most of these laws provide that the animals must be confined or unattended in a parked or stationary vehicle,” Wisch says. “Further, the laws add that in order for a person to violate the law, the conditions have to endanger the animal’s life. Some of the statutes specifically state that extreme hot or cold temperatures, lack of adequate ventilation, or failing to provide food and drink meet this definition. Other laws are more vague and just require that the conditions are such that physical injury or death is likely to result.”

In other words, don’t push your luck if you live in one of the following states:

Arizona
California
Delaware
Illinois
Maine
Maryland
Minnesota
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia

A Closer Look

In at least seven of the states with existing laws, leaving an animal in a parked car is a misdemeanor. This typically means punishment upon conviction includes fines, up to a year in jail, or both. In other states, it is a petty misdemeanor, violation or infraction carrying lesser penalties upon conviction. A noticeable exception is New Hampshire, where a “second or subsequent offense” is a Class B felony.

“Even without a local or state law, this action could still constitute cruelty under some circumstances,” Wisch says.

If all of that’s not enough to make you think twice, consider this. How would you like it if someone locked you in a boiling hot car against your will?