From the minute you step into the puppy mill, it is important to capture the images and the cacophony of the living conditions. Large Scale seizures all have the same thing in common; numerous animals. How to document the scene at a puppy mill to make sure you tell the story. As a prosecutor, how do you make it come alive for the judge or jury. There will be tips on how to make the story come alive in Court and making sure you don’t lost your case. Innovative strategies to bring the puppy mill owner to justice will be explored.
** This webinar has been certified by the National Sheriffs’ Association and may be eligible for Continuing Education Units through your POST. Please consult your local certification processes for additional details. Paid subscribers that attend will be able to download a jointly issued attendance certificate that includes the National Sheriffs’ Association logo.
Presenters:
Michelle Welch is a Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. She is the Director of the Animal Law Unit at the Attorney General’s Office. She is charged with taking all animal law questions in Virginia. She is called on by agencies all over the Commonwealth to act as a special prosecutor in animal cruelty and animal fighting cases. Ms. Welch has also been appointed a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia to aid in animal fighting prosecutions.
Ms. Welch frequently gives advice to law enforcement authorities and prosecutors all over Virginia, the nation and internationally. She trains prosecutors, animal control and law enforcement officers on the state of Virginia animal law and testified before a U.S. Congressional Caucus examining the enforcement of animal laws and the cooperation between state and federal partners. She is a speaker at many conferences including Virginia Animal Control Association and the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys’ National Animal Cruelty Conference.
