When a low-income client presents a severely neglected animal to a veterinarian for treatment, the doctor faces a difficult conundrum: is it their duty to protect the animal from continued neglect, or is it their duty to help the person who may be struggling financially to care for their animal? In states where veterinary reporting of animal cruelty is mandatory, the stress this ethical dilemma can put on a veterinarian is significant. Throughout this webinar, the presenters will discuss the veterinarian’s role in both preserving the human-animal bond and addressing animal cruelty resulting from poverty.
Webinars in this Series with the ALDF include:
- The Status of Animals in Criminal Animal Cruelty Cases
- Oct 29: Understanding Wildlife Animal Cruelty
- Jan 21, 2021: Preserving the Bond: the Veterinarian’s Role in Pre-Empting Animal Cruelty (this webinar)
- April 1: When the Evidence Needs a Home: Pre-Conviction Forfeiture
- July 15: Prosecuting Farmed Animal Cruelty
Or click here to view and register for other upcoming NACA webinars on the JCH Platform.
The National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA) was formed in 1978 for the express purpose of assisting its members to perform their duties in a professional manner. We believe only carefully selected and properly trained animal control personnel can correct community problems resulting from irresponsible animal ownership. NACA’s purpose is to preserve the Human/Animal Bond by insisting on responsible animal ownership.
Founded in 1979, the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s mission is to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. The Animal Legal Defense Fund accomplishes this mission by filing high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm, providing free legal assistance and training to prosecutors to assure that animal abusers are held accountable for their crimes, supporting tough animal protection legislation and fighting legislation harmful to animals, and providing resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law.
Presenters:
Dr. Kris Otteman brings 34 years of veterinary and leadership experience to her current role as Senior Advisor to the Oregon Humane Society and Veterinary Leadership and Forensics Expert. She is also a courtesy faculty member for Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine and a board-certified specialist, ABVP Shelter Medicine, and a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator.
As a member of the senior leadership team at OHS for 14 years, she lead the development of the Shelter Medical Services including the teaching program for Oregon State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, and for Veterinary Forensics Services.
The OHS Animal Medical Learning Center, the nation’s first shelter teaching hospital, cares for over 12,000 shelter pets annually, provides over 5,000 low-income spay-neuter, and wellness services, and houses a comprehensive veterinary forensic team posed to provide onsite or field services.
As co-founder of Banfield, The Pet Hospital, her background also includes seven years in a mixed animal practice in southern Oregon. Her broad experience at Banfield included executive leadership and management as well as a strategic partnership with PetSmart Charities on national fundraising and adoption initiatives. She has served on the board for Cat Adoption Team, as a trustee of Banfield Charitable Trust, and has been a member of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Licensing Board. Dr. Otteman is a Charter Member of the International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association, served on the National Shelter Medicine Organizing committee, and most recently was awarded the OSU/CVM Alumni Fellow award for her work in the profession that has advanced and improved veterinary education and the partnerships between animal welfare and veterinary professionals.
Linda Fielder has over 20 years of experience as an animal welfare specialist, 15 of which were spent at the Oregon Humane Society. As Director of Shelter Medicine and Humane Investigations there, Linda oversaw every aspect of animal cruelty cases from the point they were first reported through the victim animals’ recovery and rehoming. A Certified Animal Welfare Administrator and a Certified Property and Evidence Specialist, Linda’s expertise in veterinary medicine and humane care and treatment of animals combined with her understanding of evidence collection and handling, resulted in successful large scale criminal seizures involving livestock, dog breeders, fighting animals and animal hoarding scenarios. She has extensive experience in developing and implementing procedures that preserve both the wellbeing of the animals and the integrity of the criminal case.
In addition to supervising a fully operational 12,000 square foot veterinary teaching hospital and a law enforcement division with statewide jurisdiction, Linda also conceptualized and oversaw OHS’ Emergency Animal Sheltering certification program, one of the first in the country, which enabled staff and volunteers to respond nationwide to natural disasters and large scale cruelty cases. She created the annual Victim to Verdict conference which was the first in the region to bring together multi-disciplinary players in animal cruelty cases for training.
Linda has trained veterinarians, prosecutors, and law enforcement professionals from across the globe in crime scene processing, large-scale seizures, and link between animal cruelty and human violence.
Senior Staff Attorney Emily Lewis works directly with law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and rescue groups providing direction and support for all aspects of criminal animal cruelty investigation and prosecution. She supports front-line responders by training and consulting on search warrant drafting, evidence collection and scene processing best practices.
Emily joined the Animal Legal Defense Fund after serving as staff attorney for the Oregon Humane Society Humane Law Enforcement Division, where she directly participated in hundreds of animal cruelty investigations, including the raid of a massive animal-fighting compound, cases involving large-scale neglect of livestock, and all manner of puppy mill and animal hoarder scenarios. It is this firsthand experience that has given her such a deep understanding of animal cruelty casework and prosecution. At the Capital, Emily was integral in the passage of a number of important animal protection bills including stricter laws prohibiting animal fighting, oversight of animal rescue entities, the Humane Agent Bill, increased cross reporting, and strengthening of pre-trial remedies available to animal care agencies or individuals. Emily’s work on these bills — along with her implementation of the first legal internship program at the humane society and her support and training of agency officers, staff and veterinarians — contributed to the rise of the Oregon Humane Society as a national leader in the field of animal cruelty investigation and veterinary forensics, in particular. She has presented nationally and internationally on the importance of the veterinarian’s role in recognizing, reporting and responding to animal neglect and abuse.
Emily holds a JD and Master of Studies in Environmental Law (MSEL) from Vermont Law School, where she graduated with honors and was awarded the Academic Excellence Award in both Torts and Environmental Ethics. She earned a B.A. in Environmental Ethics & Policy and was awarded the Arthur Schoenfeldt Environmental Ethics and Policy Award from the University of Portland. She is a two time winner of Spot Magazine’s “Top Dog: Attorney” award (2014 and 2016).
Emily is passionate about her role as a voice for animals and aiding in the pursuit of justice on their behalf.
Based in Portland, Ore., Emily lives with her rescued Great Dane, Whiskey. She enjoys running, live music, visiting the Pacific Ocean coastline, and spends time on her weekends volunteering at the Family Dogs New Life Shelter.
