Why is forfeiture so important in animal abuse cases?
Before the PPA, Oregon law allowed humane societies that cared for abused animals seized in criminal investigations to petition the court and transfer ownership of the animals—if the defendant didn’t post a cost-of-care bond, then the court could order the animals forfeited to the humane society. This preconviction forfeiture process meant that seized animals did not have to be held indefinitely while the underlying criminal case moved through the system (a processes that takes close to a year to complete-longer if an appeal is taken). Rather, animals could be placed in loving homes to live out the balance of their natural lives within weeks after having been rescued. The fix is Ballot Measure 53 Ballot Measure 53 ensures that Oregon’s animals will not languish in the “system” and that humane care providers do not have to hold the animals for months (if not years) while the criminal case drags on and on. Rather, the animals can be adopted into loving homes—a just result in light of wha
