Good to see you on the forum, Dr. Sara! I know the 7-day hold has been a concern of yours. Tom shared a link with our current work/legislative priorities. Though I do not believe we are working on hold times directly, we do accept legal assistance requests from the public that may have the effect of mitigating such hold times. In other words, we accept requests from those with companion animals who are in jeopardy of being subject to unnecessary impoundment (and by extension, stray holds) due to difficult circumstances they are facing (i.e. illness, domestic violence, and other life disruptions). Here's one example of how these issues can wind up in an unnecessary strayhold:
A few years ago, I knew of a case where a friend of mine who lived in a state with a very low live release rate had to be in the hospital for an extended period of time. Though she had chronic health issues, this particular stay was unexpected. Having no money for boarding and no family nearby, the only option she saw was to leave the dog (whom she had cared for, for 13 years) in the care of an elderly neighbor, who accidentally let the dog out without the ability to pursue the dog, and without transportation to get to the shelter, which I believe had a five-day hold. The friend put out an appeal on social media and within 48 hours we were able to get her alternative care at no cost. There is a misconception that estate planning is only for those who are wealthy and of advanced age. But in this case, had she known about our services, we might have been able to connect her with a volunteer attorney to go over a plan of care that would have avoided impoundment altogether. Here is a link to that form:
https://aldf.org/article/legal-assistance-request/ (note: while we do our best and have had many successful placements, we cannot always guarantee a response from a volunteer attorney).
This is only one of many scenarios where I see our pro bono program working to advance lifesaving in the context of a strayhold. Glad for the questions and dialogue to keep the wheels turning!
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Akisha Townsend Eaton
Animal Legal Defense Fund
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-14-2021 12:37 PM
From: alison gibson
Subject: Maddie's Candid Conversation with Akisha Townsend Eaton - September 14th @ 12n Pacific
What a GREAT program!!
We will post the on-demand recording here later today. Meanwhile, we didn't get to a couple of questions/comments during the live show:
From Sara Pizano
Hi Akisha-so great to see you! I know the ALDF does a lot of work outside of sheltering but is anyone working to make responsible state laws on behalf of shelter pets? One serious issue is those states with a 7 day stray hold for dogs that negatively impacts shelters.
From Tom Linney
Great questions and information Akisha! To save Akisha from having to type it in the chat room while speaking, you can also learn more about federal and state animal protection laws at https://aldf.org/article/laws-that-protect-animals/.
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alison gibson
Original Message:
Sent: 08-17-2021 12:03 PM
From: alison gibson
Subject: Maddie's Candid Conversation with Akisha Townsend Eaton - September 14th @ 12n Pacific
Join us on Tuesday, September 14th at 12n Pacific / 3p Eastern for an open, informal 30-minute conversation and Q+A with Akisha Townsend Eaton, Attorney.
A former legislative attorney for Best Friends Animal Society and for the Humane Society of the United States, Akisha's current work involves supporting groundbreaking advancements for animals through Animal Legal Defense Fund's litigation, legislative and criminal justice initiatives as well as for members of the public seeking legal assistance for animal-related matters.
In this discussion with Maddie's Fund Executive Leadership Team member Mary Ippoliti-Smith, Akisha shares her story from multiple angles. She'll speak of how the work of animal lifesaving and animal protection policy are interwoven and how ultimately all social policy can work together - especially in removing barriers created by systemic bias.
You may even hear from her newly adopted rabbit, Tiger!
#Diversity,Equity,InclusionandJustice
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alison gibson
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