Irish setters Tessa and Fiona. Courtesy of Midcoast Humane As I write this, the Irish setters that Midcoast Humane had been housing since December are finally settling into their new homes after being adopted. Most people are not aware that many animal shelters in Maine house pets for court cases.
Midcoast Humane does so for the 39 municipalities that feed into our shelters, as well as for the state of Maine Animal Welfare Program (AWP) when we are able. The setters came to us via the AWP, which does not have a holding facility and is reliant on shelters around the state to house pets when they need to remove them. Court cases for animals are much like for humans; warrants must be obtained prior to the removal of the animals and then all proper procedures followed in their execution.
There is a prosecuting attorney on behalf of the state or municipality and a defense attorney on behalf of the owner. Evidence supporting the claims must be presented to the court, which is where we come in. Our veterinary records become part of the record and our findings evidence in the case.
Every detail matters: weight, overall condition and mentation and every inch of the pet is looked at from their eyes to their teeth and feet, all the way down to their genitalia and tails. Shaved mats and hair are preserved and weighed, even their smell is documented. We take pictures of all areas and extra pictures of problems.
For the setters, that included areas of hair loss, masses and infections. The .
