Fulton County outlines process for court-hold animals; county eyes dedicated court/probation investigator to speed cases
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Summary
Board and staff described follow-up procedures for animals held for court, use of motions to dispose, a prior cost-of-care claim that was complicated by bankruptcy, and plans to add a court/probation investigator to reduce shelter hold times for court-related animals.
Board members asked for a clear explanation of how animals under court hold are handled and for efforts to reduce the time those animals spend in care.
Rebecca Gwen, CEO of Lifeline Animal Project, said she runs weekly reports on court holds, attempts to contact owners to seek owner surrenders and works with foster staff to identify court-hold animals suitable for foster placement. Gwen added that Lifeline explains potential cost-of-care liabilities to owners as one tool to secure relinquishment in neglect cases.
Gwen and Chris Emerson, Lifeline’s field service director, said Fulton County currently has fewer court-hold animals than neighboring counties; Lifeline cited fewer than 30 active court-hold cases at the time of the meeting, and staff described two recent cases involving nine and eight dogs that together could free 17 animals if resolved.
County attorneys and Lifeline described legal paths to release animals when owners are unreachable. Lifeline said it can file a civil cost-of-care claim in some cases; the board discussed a prior case in which a cost-of-care claim was pursued and the defendants later declared bankruptcy, complicating recovery. Staff also described a “motion to dispose,” a court filing intended to obtain possession of animals so they can be placed when owners cannot be located.
Brad Bowman of the Fulton County Office of the County Attorney told the board the attorney’s office is working with Lifeline to prioritize and streamline cases. Bowman said the office is looking to move some responsibilities in-house and to help accelerate prosecution or disposition where appropriate.
As a practical step, staff said they had identified a candidate to serve as a court and probation investigator who would document court proceedings, follow up with probation conditions (for example, ensuring a defendant who is ordered to not have animals complies) and generally help close out cases more quickly.
Public-records limits: The county attorney noted that open criminal cruelty cases cannot be disclosed to the public in some circumstances; staff said case records and availability must be handled within legal constraints.
Ending: Board members pressed for prioritization of long-standing court-hold cases, especially animals whose behavior or health was deteriorating; county attorneys and Lifeline said they would continue to pursue those files and attempt to streamline dispositional actions.
