Houston Humane Society (HHS)
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I received the DA’s statement below and appreciate his concern to pursue stiff penalties for our most vulnerable victims. I certainly believe that extensive investigations should be conducted and the maximum penalties sought for all victims of crime and abuse be they human (especially children and the elderly) or animal.
I still have concerns that I feel are commonsense and practical. If there is a “growing caseload of animal cruelty offenses” would it not make better use of county resources and be more efficient to leave the Animal Cruelty Section intact, utilizing the already highly trained and experienced law enforcement team and supplement them with the three volunteers who have agreed to be cross-trained? How can replacing a knowledgeable team with temporary trainees handle the growing caseload of animal cruelty offenses plus adding cases from the Special Victims’ Bureau to the Animal Cruelty Specialist’s heavy caseload?
A significant and integral part of the work done by the Animal Cruelty Section was training law enforcement officers, animal control officers, law school students and other animal advocates dedicated to ending animal abuse. Volunteers from prosecutorial or any county department could easily be included in those comprehensive trainings.
I do thank DA Anderson for not giving creditability to the rumor that the ACS handled only 2 cases in the past year. The HHS alone sent over 100 cases to the Section. Large puppy mill busts, dog fighting gangs, crush video rings and other large investigations take months and years to settle. However the numerous everyday offenses of cruelty and abuse entail time consuming research and investigations on each one. While we have all been discouraged that many of the cases plead out before they get to court, advocates are aware that animal cruelty cases are often not considered important on a docket behind murderers, rapists, child abusers etc. and certainly don’t want to try the courts’ patience. So by accepting pleas, many cases are kept out of overcrowded courtrooms and punishment can often be assigned. This is another area that the Animal Cruelty Section team’s experience and knowledge has come into play many times.
A highly important and more perceptible component of the disbandment is the message that Harris County sends that animal cruelty is not important enough to have a section and a title, but demonstrates an even lower status by dissolving an established, highly effective, and well respected community supported division.
This situation has caused great turmoil and emotional distress for me personally and as the Executive Director of the Houston Humane Society. I am not an eloquent writer, but feel the need to put my views down hoping to share how I feel about this situation with the many people that have contacted me and the disruptions that will be caused for our investigators and the potential for gaps in the protection for the animals we care about. My most sincere hope is that DA Anderson will reconsider his decision and put Harris County back on the map as the example for others we once were and clear away the prevailing fear that animal cruelty investigations will fade away behind other priorities.
Sherry Ferguson
Executive Director
HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
MIKE ANDERSON
January 24, 2013
Well respected Animal Cruelty prosecutor, Belinda Smith has been named Animal Cruelty Specialist and will now be part of the Special Victims’ Bureau of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
“This is a well deserved honor. Belinda has done an excellent job working with animal rights groups, the media, and the public in raising awareness of this important issue in our criminal justice system. We will provide additional support for investigations of animal abusers and help with the growing caseload of animal cruelty offenses. Building on the efforts of Belinda Smith and working in concert with her as point person we hope to pursue stiff punishments on behalf of some of our most vulnerable victims” Mike Anderson said.
This bureau includes the Family Criminal Law Division which has three full-time investigators, and nine other attorneys, three of whom have volunteered to be cross-trained in animal cruelty cases. The goal is to offer more support for these cases so that we can grow this area and maximize Smith’s leadership.
Belinda Smith offers, “I look forward to working with the investigators, new administration and additional prosecutors to build on our accomplishments and grow this area of our office in furtherance of our strong commitment to victims of animal abuse.”
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Sara Marie Kinney
Harris County District Attorney's Office
Public Relations
It is a sad day for animals in Harris County and around Texas and is the result of Mike Anderson, Houston’s new District of Attorney, dissolving the Animal Cruelty Section in the Harris Co. HC set the example by establishing the first animal cruelty division in the state. Dallas and Austin have shown interest in following that example by calling on Belinda Smith, ADA in charge of the division, for information. Belinda Smith has a proven record of dedication fighting animal cruelty and abuse and exhausting all legal avenues to find ways to punish abusers and get justice for the abused. These are traits that are rare and critical. HHS has had a lot of experience working with different jurisdictions and even if animal cruelty is against the law the interpretations of abuse are widely diverse. If a DA, judge, police or anyone in charge of the situation is not sympathetic to the plight of the animal(s) the issue is easily (there are many excuses) discounted and nothing is done.
Unless WE SPEAK UP the animal abusers will not be taken seriously and animal abuse, which we all know leads to violence against humans, will increase. Everyone needs to write District Attorney Mike Anderson, 1201 Franklin Street, Suite 600, Houston, Texas 77002-1923 (713.755.5800) and let him know that animal cruelty is an issue that is very important to the people of Harris County and we need to continue and expand the standard that has been set. Belinda Smith’s experience, talents and dedication need to be used to the best advantage of the county and not relegated elsewhere.
Please share, cross post or whatever the term is to get this message out to as many people as you can. thank you very much.experience, talents and dedication to the best advantage of the county and not relegated elsewhere.
Please share, cross post or whatever the term is to get this message out to as many people as you can. thank you very much.
Please share, cross post or whatever the term is to get this message out to as many people as you can. thank you very much.
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