#JUSTICEFORHANK: A Case Study in Grassroots Animal Advocacy

Hank’s Tragic Story
    In March 2020, Michigan Doodle Rescue Connect (MDRC), a nonprofit dog rescue that specializes in rescuing poodle mixes (commonly referred to as “doodles”), received a phone call about a litter of puppies that were “free to a good home.” MDRC’s team sprang into action and rescued three dirty, matted, and malnourished springer-doodle siblings from an Amish breeder in rural west Michigan. ​

Part of the flyer advertising free dogs, which prompted the call to MDRC.

After a closer examination, MDRC discovered that one of the puppies, Hank, had a leather strap tightly embedded in his mouth between his jaws and knotted at the back of his head. Hank’s breeder had gagged Hank with a leather strap as a young puppy and left it there to rot away into his skin. By the time MDRC rescued Hank, the leather had been cutting into Hank’s cheeks for weeks, leaving one inch of raw, infected flesh on both sides. 
MDRC immediately sought medical care for Hank. It was an arduous process (including sedation, surgery, and a long road to recovery), but MDRC successfully saved Hank.

Hank recovering at the vet after surgery. I intentionally chose a photo that does not depict his graphic injuries.

A Happy Ending
    Hank’s case was so heartbreaking that one of the veterinary technicians who treated him ended up adopting him. He is now happy and thriving in his forever home. But the scars of his injury remain (both emotional and physical) and will require a lifetime of extra attention and care.
    Hank’s breeder was criminally charged and sentenced. On January 27, Judge Drake of the 78th District Court in Newaygo County, Michigan, ordered him to pay approximately $1,500 in fines and restitution and placed on a six-month probation, during which he is legally barred from breeding dogs.

#JusticeforHank
    It would have been all too easy to become so overwhelmed by emotion (anger, sadness, even panic) in the face of such cruelty toward an innocent animal. It would have also been all too easy to succumb to helplessness at the slow pace of the criminal justice system—more than 10 months elapsed between Hank’s rescue and the sentencing of his breeder.

So how did we get justice for Hank? As MDRC’s pro bono attorney, it is my privilege to share several lessons I learned about grassroots animal advocacy from working on Hank’s case: 

1. Report Animal Abuse to Local Law Enforcement. MDRC contacted the police station nearest to the breeder’s property and reported Hank’s injury. In response, the police investigated the breeder’s premises, and created a police report. That report contained several key facts that became part of the record against the breeder when the prosecutor read the report out loud in court. MDRC also provided numerous photos documenting Hank’s injury, which the police placed in the investigative file that was eventually turned over to the judge.
   
2. Work with the Prosecutor. Members of the public cannot directly call a judge’s chambers and ask him to impose a harsh sentence on a criminal defendant. They can, however, call the prosecutor—whose job it is to represent the people—and ask him to make that request. We asked MDRC’s supporters to call, write letters, and email the prosecutor, Ellsworth Stay, to express their outrage about what happened to Hank. Mr. Stay then informed the judge of the community’s response to the crime, saying at the sentencing hearing, “This dog’s treatment has touched a nerve in the community and I think rightfully so.” ​                                                                                      Working with the prosecutor also gave us the unique opportunity to submit a sentencing memorandum to the judge. Our memorandum included a retelling of Hank’s story and a request for a near-maximum sentence for the breeder. I also appended to the memorandum photos of Hank’s injuries and a personal letter from Hank’s adopter
   
3. Start a Social Media Campaign. MDRC has a very active Facebook page with over 30,000 followers. MDRC shared Hank’s story and posted (the less-graphic) photos of his injury to attract public attention. [Author’s note: This is actually how I became involved. I was so swayed by Hank’s story that I offered my legal services pro bono.]
   ​We also started a petition on change.org, which attracted over 3,300 signatures after it was widely shared on social media. (http://chng.it/xcVrNW2H) That petition was ultimately presented to the judge as part of our sentencing memorandum.
4. Attract Local Media Attention. In addition to MDRC’s Facebook page, Hank’s story was shared by FOX 17 Grand Rapids, one of the most prominent local news sources in west Michigan. I reached out to FOX 17 to request a story before the breeder’s indictment, his plea hearing, and his sentencing hearing, and FOX 17 published several articles as a result. The goal was to create awareness: now, if anyone conducts an internet search for the breeder’s name, they will see his criminal record and what he did to Hank and know to stay away. And because many breeders are motivated by financial gain, Hank’s breeder will hopefully be deterred from continuing to breed dogs for profit.

Conclusion
Truthfully, the reactions to the sentencing of Hank’s breeder have been mixed. Due to the seriousness of Hank’s injury and the immense pain he undoubtedly suffered, many passionate animal lovers understandably expected more. I received dozens of disappointed messages and comments along the lines of, “That’s it?! He got away too easy!” But in the words of MDRC’s founder and director, Nana Doodle, “[Such expectations] aren’t realistic. We will count this as a win … Most cases don’t even get this far or even picked up.” 
Ultimately, this positive outcome was the product of a partnership between the rescue, its supporters, the local police, the prosecutor, and the local news. Harnessing those relationships is a useful tool that should not be overlooked by grassroots advocates in the fight against animal cruelty.

About the Author: Valerie Brummel is a litigation attorney at the law firm Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP based in Chicago. In addition to animal law, Valerie also practices commercial litigation. She obtained her law degree from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. 
Valerie is a proud RDMOC supporter, along with her goldendoodle Watson. You can follow their adventures on Instagram at val_and_watson.

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