November 2, 2009
Resources for Prosecutors
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Sherry Ramsey is The HSUS' manager of animal cruelty prosecutions. The HSUS
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APA members, including Sherry Ramsey, John Goodwin, Tio Hardiman, and Dr. Mary Lou Randour, met in Washington D.C. to discuss prosecutor trainings in animal cruelty cases. The HSUS
The HSUS has a long history of collaborating with and training prosecutors around the country in achieving effective results in animal cruelty cases.
Prosecutors are the key to ensuring that the laws to protect animals are enforced and that the defendants who abuse animals are punished. Thank you for your hard work.
Please browse this page and take special notice of our training offerings and other resources. We can help you win your case!
—Sherry Ramsey, Esq.
Animal Cruelty Prosecutions Mgr
Please click the links below to find out more about:
Training Opportunities
Help with Cruelty Cases
Prosecutor Recognition
Publications
Guides and Manuals
Other Legal Resources
Training Opportunities
The HSUS provides prosecutor training in many different forms. We work with prosecutor training organizations to provide expert legal training on prosecuting cruelty cases. For example, we offer:
Contact us to set up training for your office or group.
Update: First APA Advisory Committee meeting: The Association of Prosecuting Attorneys recently received a grant from the U.S. Dept. of Justice to train prosecutors on animal cruelty issues.
On Sept. 24-25, 2009, The APA hosted its first Animal Cruelty/Animal Fighting Training Conference for prosecutors and law enforcement at the George Washington Law School. The HSUS' Sherry Ramsey and Mary Lou Randour were featured speakers at the event.
On Jan. 25, 2010, the newly formed animal cruelty advisory committee met in Washington, D.C., to discuss two further prosecutor trainings forthcoming in 2010. Members of the advisory committee include prosecutors, attorneys general, and leaders in the animal welfare community, including The HSUS' Sherry Ramsey, Dr. Mary Lou Randour, and John Goodwin.
Help with Cruelty Cases
Request assistance from our cruelty prosecution experts to help your office put together a successful case. We can provide:
In conjunction with the Animals and Society Institute, we also maintain a list of psychologists and counselors trained to provide targeted treatment to animal abusers.
Prosecutor Recognition
We praise Virginia Commonwealth Attorney Robert Adams, Jr., for a successful prosecution against a defendant who cruelly chased down and kicked to death an innocuous opossum.
Publications
» A Common Bond [PDF]: Maltreated Children and Animals in the Home, Guidelines for Practice and Policy
» The Empathy Connection [PDF]: Creating Caring Communities through the Human-Animal Relationship
» First Strike [PDF]: The Violence Connection
» We also offer Illegal Animal Fighting: A Law Enforcement Primer for the Investigation of Cockfighting and Dogfighting (for law enforcement only). Please email jgoodwin@humanesociety.org for access, and be prepared to verify your status as a law enforcement officer or officer of the court.
Guides and Manuals
The following investigation and prosecution guides are linked by permission and are for informational purposes only. They are the work of experts in the states specified, and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The HSUS. Nevertheless, they are excellent resources for cruelty investigators and prosecutors.
Other Legal Resources
Also, Humane Society University, the training arm of The HSUS, offers both online and live training on subjects like Animal Cruelty and Fighting Investigations, First Strike: Human/Animal Cruelty, Animal Cruelty for Non-investigators and Dog Bite Prevention for Law Enforcement and First Responders. For scheduling and other inquiries, contact hsu@humanesociety.org.