Remember the good animal rescuers of Altus, who rescued a family of dogs from beneath a house slated for demolition and were jailed overnight for their good deed?
They had a court date today, and are now cleared of criminal trespass charges.
Here’s a release from The Animal Activist Legal Defense Fund, a group that represented the rescuers in a Franklin County court. As they note, there are still some questions and lingering resentment over heavy-handed law enforcement. Is arresting good samaritans for rescuing puppies really necessary?
August 9, 2024, Ozark, AR – Today, a Franklin County District Court judge found three animal rescuers not guilty of criminal trespass for having rescued three dogs from beneath an abandoned house, in Altus, AR, which was slated for demolition. The three defendants rescued a stray mother dog, who was paralyzed with a broken back, and two of her puppies in order to save the dogs from injury and death when the house was demolished. They were also concerned that the puppies may have run into the road or starved to death, since their mother was unable to feed them. The case garnered widespread coverage and galvanized local residents, who rallied in support of the defendants.
“From the unlawful arrest and detention of certain defendants, to criminally charging people who saved lives, this prosecution has long been fraught with problems. Ultimately, these defendants should be praised, not punished,” said Steffen Seitz, Litigation Fellow with the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project. “
Questions still surround the whereabouts of additional puppies who were unable to be rescued–including whether they were ever removed from under the house, which the owner has since burned down. Law enforcement initially refused to release photos of the puppies to establish that they were safe. Only after resounding calls to #showusthepuppies, a demand embraced by the Mayor of Altus, did law enforcement release photos of two dogs. However, advocates say they look nothing like the puppies that were under the house and are too old to be puppies.
In finding the defendants not guilty, the judge concluded that they were charged with trespassing on unincorporated land, whereas the abandoned house under which the dogs lived was incorporated land.
The Animal Activist Legal Defense Project at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law works to empower and defend animal advocates through activist defense, affirmative litigation, and training law students to join and transform the field of Animal Law. Learn more at AALDP.com and follow us on Twitter/X and Instagram at @AALDP_DU.