Course Description
This is an intensive-learning class focused on the skills necessary for an animal welfare law practice. It will cover the legal regulation of animals in Georgia and the means of enforcing the various governing statutes. Students will learn to prepare the basic forms used in an animal welfare practice.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate law students will not be doing any extra work beyond
that required of the Juris Doctor students. J.D. students are
post-baccalaureate students and the workload expected of them
is the same workload expected of post-baccalaureate graduate
students. Law students are professional students, not
undergraduate students. Graduate law students are primarily
international lawyers seeking expertise in the American legal
system. This expertise is gained through exposure to Juris
Doctor courses.
Athena Title
Boot Camp in Animal Welfare Sk
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
Course Objectives
Students will learn local, state, and federal laws governing the treatment of animals in Georgia. They will learn the legal constraints on evidence collection as well as proper techniques for investigating crimes against and ordinance violations concerning animals. Moreover, they will learn the basics of prosecuting each type of offense as well as obtain experience drafting the documents necessary in connection with such prosecutions.
Topical Outline
This class is a prerequisite for law students who wish to participate in the separate Practicum in Animal Welfare Skills. The substantive topics covered will include some or all of the following: 1. Federal laws governing the care of companion animals; 2. Georgia state laws governing the care of companion animals; 3. Local animal control ordinances focused on Athens-Clarke County but including some comparison to surrounding counties, as appropriate; 4. Animal Control procedures and practices; 5. Identifying and investigating potential violations, including 4th Amendment and other legal constraints on evidence collection; 6. Procedural requirements for prosecuting state felonies and misdemeanors, and local ordinance violations; 7. Drafting the primary documents used in connection with prosecutions of violations of animal welfare laws and ordinances. Classroom time will consist of lecture, discussion, and in-class exercises, including practice of relevant skill sets using simulated problems.