Animal Hoarding affects every city in America. Rescue Hoarders can be especially challenging for jurisdictions to address. The community often formulates an opinion about these “Rescuers” before response agencies are even allowed to assess the situation. How often have you heard that,”Their heart is too big, or they’re doing the best they can, or the animals are loved what more can you want?” This session will explore some tactics agencies charged with addressing rescue hoarders can employ in their community. Whether you choose to address the issue now or not, the problem does not go away. In fact, allowing rescue hoarders to operate without checks and balances only compounds an already complex problem. If you’ve ever struggled to deal with a rescue hoarder in your community, you won’t want to miss this session!
Presenter
Based out of Daytona Beach, Florida, Adam Leath is the Director of Volusia County Animal Services. He investigates and responds to situations involving animal victims of natural disasters and animal cruelty cases in Volusia County. Leath was formerly a Regional Director of the Field Investigations and Response Team at the ASPCA where he led one of the largest operations in ASPCA history with the seizure of over 1,000 animals in August of 2016. Leath has responded to multiple dogfighting operations throughout his time at the ASPCA, including the second-largest dogfighting bust in U.S. history in 2013, resulting in the seizure of more than 400 dogs.
Leath holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Tennessee and a Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Forensic Science from the University of Florida. He is a courtesy Assistant Professor for the Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a Director on the Board of Directors for the National Animal Care and Control Association. Leath is a Past President of the International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association and is a Certified National Animal Cruelty Investigator through the University of Missouri. He has also been certified in Equine Cruelty Investigation through the University of Colorado. Leath has been certified as an expert witness in animal fighting and animal cruelty in the states of Florida and New York.
Responses