Animal Welfare Court back on track

After a summer of setbacks, Albuquerque’s proposed Animal Welfare Court appears to be back on track, with a targeted opening in 2016.

The specialized tribunal similar to DUI or Drug Court had been a goal of animal advocates for many years, but never gained traction until the idea was revisited by two law students who sparked the interest of former Chief Judge Julie Altwies of Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court. Plans were drawn up, and the court was set to open in July, but the judgeship changed hands and the idea hit a series of snags.

The new chief judge of Metro Court, Henry A. Alaniz, and the court’s chief executive officer, Robert Padilla, have expressed interest in seeing the court open next year as a pilot project, once a number of administrative issues are resolved.

The court, which would offer an alternative to prison time, could sentence defendants to rehabilitative therapy instead. Since animal abuse tends to escalate over time, intervention should help prevent mild cases from becoming more serious. And since studies have shown a strong link between animal abuse and other types of anti-social and violent behavior, the court should also help prevent crimes against humans.

The court could also create added incentives for police and animal control officers to bring cases to court, since they would be more likely to be heard and taken seriously. Under the current system, animal abuse tends to be treated as an afterthought and charges ultimately dismissed.

The court’s presiding judge would be Rosemary Cosgrove-Aguilar, working with Probation Officer Nicole Morgan.

Still to be resolved are how to pay for retraining therapists in the AniCare Model of rehabilitative therapy, and how often the court would meet, since it is not known how many cases would be brought.

An educational effort will also be needed to get attorneys—especially public defenders—briefed on the new process and its advantages.

Spearheading the effort to resolve these issues and get the court rolling are the two former law students, Amber Macias-Mayo and Laura Castille, and a task force of advocates, including two sitting judges, members of Albuquerque Animal Welfare, and police.

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