ALPHARETTA, Ga. (WALB) — Animal cases can move through several hands from animal control and law enforcement to prosecutors, judges and shelters.

Former state prosecutor and attorney Claudine Wilkins says when those groups understand one another’s roles, they are better equipped to handle cases and protect animals.

“There is a disconnect between animal control and police. And after doing this for so many decades, I’m still surprised to see the lack of education,” Wilkins said.

Wilkins started the Animal Protection and Wellness Expo after seeing how often those professionals were disconnected. She says training gaps remain, particularly for animal control officers, who often learn on the job with no mandatory statewide training.

The conference brings these professions together with practical guidance on how to respond to different kinds of cases from general cruelty to hoarding cases with a psychological component.

“When you know how to do something, you then take action. There’s no waiting. There’s no guessing,” Wilkins said. “Here’s a toolkit. We always provide a toolkit on what we teach. Here’s the step-by-step process. Here’s the law. Here’s how it’s interpreted. And here’s what you do.”

Wilkins says training is one piece of the work. She and her team are also working to update state law around animals held as evidence in criminal cases. She says those animals need to be fed, cared for and eventually rehomed, but can end up staying in shelters for months, sometimes a year or longer, while cases move through court.

“We don’t want them languishing in cages,” Wilkins said. “It’s not good for them. It’s not the proper place for them. And it could cause them to actually not be able to be rehomed.”

Wilkins says animals held long-term are kept at taxpayer expense and may ultimately be euthanized. She says the law needs to change so animals aren’t left waiting in cages, and hopes the conference gives the people handling those cases the training and tools to act in the meantime.

How to register:

The 27th annual Animal Protection & Wellness Expo is Oct. 23 for one full day of 15 live courses at The Hotel at Avalon in Alpharetta, Ga. Additional virtual courses will be available in November.

Continuing education credits include:

• 10 NACA (animal control officers)
• 16.5 POST (law enforcement officers)
• 16 CLE (attorneys/judges)
• LEAP (veterinary)

The expo will feature more than 30 experts and more than 100 exhibitors. It is held in partnership with the Georgia Association of Animal Control and the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association’s VetSouth conference.

Sponsorships and exhibit tables are available. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit APAWexpo.org .

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