What other options are available to help a shelter limit and recover costs?
- In animal cruelty cases, a civil suit can be filed under G.S. Chapter 19A, Article 1in order to allow a judge to issue an injunction relatively quickly to address (1) ownership interest in the animal and (2) cost recovery. This type of civil remedy may allow a judge to step in and decide the fate of the animal more quickly than waiting for a criminal case to work its way through the judicial system.
- Before G.S. 19A-70 was enacted, some judges were ordering defendants to pay
for sheltering and care of animals. It is possible that a judge will still issue such an order outside the context of this new statute. - The shelter operator could try to avoid incurring extensive costs by encouraging
the owner to surrender the animal to the shelter or the county, thus allowing the animal to be euthanized or adopted out. In criminal cases, however, the shelter may not be able to dispose of the animal until the prosecutor is satisfied that she has all of the evidence she needs to proceed with the case.
Topics - Local and State Government
