Welcome To Our Site!
The Virginia Animal Owners Alliance was recently formed by animal owners for animal owners and is specifically focused on the issues affecting the State of Virginia. If you are a Virginia citizen who owns an animal or have a friend or family member in the State, this information is vital and could be life-changing. Animal owners in Virginia have been targeted and most citizens are completely unaware. The current code has been on the books for years, but is now being eagerly enforced to the detriment of animal owners and their beloved animals. We must make our voices heard and let our representatives and fellow community members know what is at stake.
If you feel your pet is a part of your family and believe you know your animal better than anyone else, please join us. Follow us on Facebook, share this page with your friends, and help us get the word out. As citizens, stakeholders, and voters we have a right to know what our representatives are deciding in Richmond and how it will impact us. Sometimes the affects of legislation are not realized until years after the laws are passed. This is happening in Virginia at this very moment and the State is sliding down a slippery slope.
We need your help to get the word out! We hope you'll use this website and our Facebook page as a resource and join with us to become part of the solution. Together we can make the State a better place for animals and animal owners. It starts with us. The time is now.
WHy are we fighting for reform?
Irina's StoryJanuary 14, 2020 did not turn out how she had planned! Irina dropped everything and rushed her young Doberman to the vet hospital. This was the part of dog life she did not enjoy--the mystery of sickness and the worry that comes along with it. She hoped her veterinarian could help Yeva, who had been a playful puppy only a couple of days ago, but had become depressed and stopped eating.
Irina enjoyed working with animals. She loved their loyalty and intelligence and had been involved in the show world since 1995. Her parents eventually helped establish a professionally built kennel that was licensed and registered. They produced champion Dobermans that had won in shows both nationally and internationally and are in homes around the world. Irina also worked with quality imports from European show bloodlines. 
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But it wasn't all glamorous and it wasn't all fun. At the hospital, they performed X-rays on Yeva which were inconclusive. In surgery, the vet discovered Yeva had swallowed a piece of plastic and it had ruptured her intestines. Part of her intestines had to be removed and her entire abdomen had to be flushed due to peritonitis. Irina kept in contact with the clinic daily, but on the sixth day she got the call she had dreaded and did not believe at first--Yeva did not make it.
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Irina had learned to handle the emotions of loss over the years. She hated to lose any puppy, but life isn't perfect as much as she wanted it to be.
A little over a week later in late January, Irina returned from the store to the shocking sight of a swarm of sheriff and animal control vehicles surrounding her house. The SPCA was also present. People were loading up the dogs and hauling them away! When she got out of the car, an officer handcuffed her and told her she was under arrest for animal cruelty to Yeva. He put her in the backseat of his car. Irina was in shock! Owning and working with dogs is not a crime. She took her puppy TO THE VET for help. Why was she being treated this way? 
While Irina sat in jail wondering what crime she had committed to be put into jail, the Commonwealth promptly gave their version of events to the local newspaper which quickly spread like wildfire. To this day, no one knows what actually happened except Irina, the Commonwealth, the hospital, and the lawyers. But the trauma was far from over. In February, Irina was arrested a SECOND time and charged with more felony cruelty to animals. There was no explanation of what actually happened. There was no proper documentation. There was no evidence or witnesses. Her requests for necropsies were denied and the bodies were allegedly destroyed. Her requests for records and documentation were ignored by the Commonwealth. After enduring months of non-stop virtual bullying, Irina never gave up and refused to surrender the animals that were illegally seized from her home. March brought a decisive blow to the Commonwealth's case. The judge struck the warrant that was used to raid Irina's house and ruled that it was unconstitutional. 
Why is this happening to animal owners in the state of Virginia?
The Commonwealth is the FIRST state in the nation to establish an Animal Law Unit. Prior to the unit itself, the laws were changed to strip animal owners of their rights. There are only TWO groups in the state of Virginia that are held to the very low standard of "reasonable cause" instead of "probable cause" before they can be searched. One is those already in custody and the other is animal owners. In addition, animal rights organizations are working alongside the office of the Attorney General to accomplish their own goals of giving animals personhood. What might sound innocent on the surface is destroying the lives of both people and animals. Citizens are losing their rights and animals are losing the protection of the people who know them best. Multiple animals have been recklessly euthanized or shipped to other states before their owner even goes to trial. There's plenty of awards, fundraising, and publicity, however, as folks pat themselves on the back for a job well done. But there are serious questions that beg to be answered: 
Why do they hold animal owners to the highest standard of conduct, but fail to apply this to themselves? What is the legal recourse for animal owners against police abuse? Why are shelters and rescues allowed to capitalize on pending animal cases? Why is lack of evidence in numerous animal cases substituted by manipulation of people's feelings? Why are animal cases being so sensationalized and animal owners being virtually crucified? What happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? 
Debbie's StorySeptember 11, 2020 is a day Debbie Coley will never forget. Two of her dogs, Gracie and Romeo, had escaped from the house and were nowhere to be found. After searching her property, Debbie and her family started checking the road. She was horrified to find that Gracie had been hit and had not survived. Romeo was not with her. Debbie's son suggested she start calling local vet clinics--maybe someone had taken him in for help. She called her own vet's office first and was relieved to learn they had Romeo. The neighbor had found him and taken him in.
Debbie quickly made the trip to the clinic. Romeo had also been hit by a car and was paralyzed in the back end. The clinic called Virginia Tech for her to see what they could offer, but the starting cost was $10,000.00. Debbie's best friend Melissa was willing to help cover the cost, but the extended travel time back and forth could be hard on Romeo. He was in a very fragile state. The local vet said they had seen good results with laser therapy. There were no guaranteed results with either treatment, but the local vet told Debbie how the laser treatment option could help improve muscle and bone injuries. Debbie was willing to do whatever it took and readily agreed to the laser therapy. The vet also prescribed a combination of Scarlet oil and Furosone--they compounded it right there in their office. 
In mid-October, Debbie's family came down with COVID. One family member would start to feel better and then another would get sick. Thankfully. they weren't all sick at once! Debbie and her family were able to continue to bathe Romeo and apply the antibiotic cream. They were in quarantine for an extended period of time.
Romeo continued to have energy and an appetite, but his condition was not improving. By December, Debbie was wondering if anything more could be done to help him. During one of their conversations, her niece brought up PACC Rescue in Draper, Virginia. She said she had seen stories of how they helped special needs animals. She suggested there might be a chance they could help Romeo. It was a hard decision for Debbie to make and she had her niece make the initial phone call. The woman at the rescue, Catherine Viars, agreed they could take Romeo. After a few days of struggling with the decision, Debbie and her niece made the trip to the rescue. She cried the whole way, but kept telling herself this was for the best. When they arrived, they gave Romeo and his little purple wheelchair to the rescue. She signed the paperwork giving them full legal custody. Catherine told Debbie they had a "miracle" vet who could probably help and told them they could come back and see Romeo in one week. 
She didn't have to wait long. On Christmas Eve, Officer Dauley returned with two police officers and a search warrant. Officer Dauley watched as one of the male officers searched Debbie. Debbie had never felt so humiliated. The officers placed her under arrest for FELONY TORTURE of an animal. Debbie was in complete shock. She had never been arrested before and had no idea why she was being arrested now! She had done NOTHING wrong. Why would anyone think she had TORTURED Romeo? 
Next, Catherine Viars with PACC Rescue was called to the stand. She serves as co-director. She testified that she met Debbie on December 17, 2020 after receiving a call a week prior from someone claiming to be Debbie's niece. She stated that she then got a call from Debbie asking her if they could do anything for Romeo and she told her that they could take him and seek medical treatment. She met Debbie on the same day (12/17) and testified that Debbie signed both Romeo and his wheelchair over to them. She took the photographs that were submitted to the court as evidence.
Mr. Sobey, however, made the point that only photos 2- 8 were submitted to the court. Photograph 1 was of the wheelchair and it was NOT included. Mr. Sobey stated that they would get a picture of the wheelchair to the Judge. Under cross-examination, Mr. Sobey asked Catherine about her "miracle" vet. She stated it was Dr. Brown in Princeton, West Virginia. Mr. Sobey pointed out, however, that she did NOT take Romeo to Dr. Brown. Instead she took him to Dr. Taylor--the same vet who was already caring for Romeo! Mr. Sobey asked Catherine if Debbie brought Romeo to her for help. She answered, "She did." After Catherine Viars, the Commonwealth called Dr. Larry Taylor to the stand. 
Under cross-examination, Dr. Taylor described how a dog wheelchair works. Mr. Sobey asked if PACC rescue had the wheelchair with them. Dr. Taylor testified he did not remember seeing it. Mr. Sobey asked if they mentioned the wheelchair. Dr. Taylor said, "No." Dr. Taylor said the dog was profoundly injured and that mature dogs do not heal as quickly as young dogs. Mr. Kilgore focused on Romeo's lesions. Dr. Taylor testified they were not severe and still had skin left on them. The Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney pressed further and wanted to know if lesions would have occurred with proper care. Dr. Taylor stated, "Yes." He said they noted the lesions were there in October. He said Romeo had received "pretty good care". Animal Control Officer Sharon Dauley was called to the stand next. Officer Dauley testified she did not see Romeo herself--she only saw the report on Romeo. She stated that she did investigate and conducted an interview with Debbie. She also testified that in order to charge Debbie with a felony she had to have deputies, because she was not certified law enforcement. She admitted under cross-examination that she did comment on how well Debbie's other animals were cared for. 
The Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney argued the state met its burden and pointed to the pictures of Romeo and the testimony of their witnesses. Debbie held her breath as the Judge started to speak. He stated he had been expecting to hear that Debbie "fell off the planet", but that he did not hear that. He said she invested time and energy and that he thought she was grasping at straws to try to help her dog. No matter what she did though, it was not enough. He stated the evidence shows the opposite of deprivation and that 63 days is an appropriate time. He said that Debbie tried to find a cure and then sought another avenue. He told Debbie, "That's all the law can ask you to do." He stated he was sorry about Romeo and then dismissed the case. The ruling was a great relief to Debbie--she was completely exonerated! She and her family have been very traumatized by this experience, however, and are still trying to piece their lives back together. Debbie can finally grieve for Romeo without worrying about going back to jail. She still cannot believe that the Commonwealth charged and arrested her for simply having a dog with a disability and reaching out for help! She now views the State, Animal Control, and rescue organizations in a completely different light and wants to see reform in the Commonwealth. Will you help her? 
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The raid team took Irina's dogs as well as those she was boarding and importing for other people. They took her son's pet dog, Pedro, who was a mixed breed that the family had rescued. They seized her daughter's bulldog, Zoey, and her spaniel, Jonni. They even confiscated Irina's pet parakeet, the children's guinea pigs, and her husband's chickens. They stripped her of her vet records, dog records, family laptops, and phone. All of the house doors were busted and broken. The entire 4000 square foot home was turned upside down. Bags of dog food were open and dumped on the floor. The trash bags from the dogs were ripped open and dumped as well. The dog's medicine and dewormers were on the floor. Intimate clothing items had been searched through. Papers, books, and records were strewn throughout the house. The dog beds were empty, their crates were empty, and the house was empty. The day was traumatic, painful, and confusing.
But the Commonwealth appealed the ruling. The new judge sided with the Commonwealth attorney and allowed the case to proceed. Irina was arrested for the THIRD time in October. Three arrests for taking her animal to a veterinarian hospital! Three arrests for her pet's accidental death. Three arrests for owning animals.
Irina is not alone. Animal owners throughout the state can tell horror stories of how their rights have been trampled and their lives ripped apart. Animals have been euthanized, children have been traumatized, and adults with years of animal experience are suddenly being treated as hardened criminals. There is also a pattern of harassment where certain citizens are attacked again and again. Irina had to fight another battle in 2013 when she became the target of a "humane investigator". Many say it's unbelievable, but in 2013 a woman was charged with animal cruelty in Roanoke, Virginia after trying to help a stray dog. In 2015, a father in Stafford, Virginia was charged with cruelty because he did not euthanize his pet dog FAST ENOUGH when it had cancer. He was convicted of cruelty, but his case received global attention. He appealed and his case was dismissed. 
Why was Irina targeted?
Why is there no due process for animal owners? Why do magistrates issue unsubstantiated warrants? Why are civil seizures heard before criminal cases? What if the owner is found innocent, but the animals have already been seized, euthanized, or adopted out? Why are authorities allowed to manipulate the laws and get away with it? Why is law enforcement allowed to cut corners in pursuing animal cases? 
Irina is in the fight of her life. She is the current target, but she will not be the last. If you believe you know what is best for your animal and that you have the right to make decisions on its behalf, please stand with Irina. Share her story. Help us get the word out. We need change in our state. We need your help to make the difference! 
During the course of his laser treatments, Romeo was measured for a back brace. He wore the brace until the bone healed. Later, the vet measured him for a wheelchair. Debbie had never had a dog with a wheelchair before. He could not stay in it all the time, because he would develop pressure sores. Whether he was in his chair or not, however, he was still an active dog. Due to his injury, Romeo had lost control of his bladder and required multiple baths a day. Debbie spent hours doting on him and enjoyed wrapping him up and snuggling with him on the couch. She also had the help and support of her best friend, Melissa Woolridge, and her niece, Ashley Wright. Romeo had three grown women caring for him and eagerly soaked up the attention! 
Debbie hated to say goodbye to Romeo, but kept telling herself that this was Romeo's chance at a better life. The rescue had resources she did not. On December 23, 2020 Debbie was busying herself with final Christmas preparations when she saw an Animal Control vehicle pull up to her house. It was Officer Sharon Dauley with Wythe County Animal Control. She wanted to talk about Romeo. She told Debbie that Romeo had been euthanized. Debbie's mind whirled and she tried to focus! It hadn't even been one week. What about the rescue's "miracle" vet? Officer Dauley told Debbie she could be charged for Romeo's death before she left. Debbie didn't know if she would see her again or not. 
Debbie learned she was being charged under Virginia code 3.2--6570. She hired local attorney, Michael Sobey, to represent her. The Commonwealth moved to reduce the charges to a misdemeanor on February 4, 2021. Debbie's trial was scheduled for March 15, 2021. Officer Sharon Dauley was the complainant. Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, Will Kilgore, was prosecuting the case. The day of the trial, Mr. Kilgore waived his opening statement. First to testify was Debbie's neighbor who had found the dogs hit in the road. She was the one who had taken Romeo to the vet. 
The Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney asked Dr. Taylor to describe Romeo's condition on December 17, 2020. Dr. Taylor testified that Romeo was unable to stand or control his urine due to a broken back. He had early to moderate lesions on his skin. He said the clinic had been prescribing Furosone ointment, topical spray, and laser treatment. Romeo had also been treated for intestinal parasites. Dr. Taylor stated that the last time Romeo was seen by their office was October 13, 2020. He examined him and gave him a laser treatment. He did not see Romeo again until December 17th when PACC rescue brought him in. Dr. Taylor testified that he did not feel that Romeo had a decent chance without someone to completely bathe him and that the rescue did NOT have someone. He also explained that some dogs improve with treatment and others do not. 
Dr. Taylor was called back to the witness stand. Mr. Kilgore wanted to know if Romeo had an infection. Dr. Taylor stated he had some skin infection, but it was not severe. Throughout the trial, Debbie tried to focus. It was all surreal. The Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney kept stating that she deprived Romeo and all she could think of was how hard she tried and how much she missed him. After the Commonwealth completed its case, Mr. Sobey made a motion to strike the evidence. This meant that even if everything the Commonwealth stated was true, they still had not proved that a CRIME had been committed! Mr. Sobey argued that Debbie stepped in immediately to help her injured pet and ultimately went to PACC Rescue for help. He stated it is a painful choice to give up a dog and that Debbie's decision was not immediate. He emphasized that a passenger got out of the car at PACC Rescue (according to Catherine Viar's testimony) and that this showed that someone else was helping Debbie care for Romeo. He quoted Dr. Taylor's testimony on the stand when he stated that Romeo received "pretty good care". He argued that Debbie provided for the dog, instead of depriving him. For example, he wasn't deprived of a wheelchair! He was profoundly injured, but his injuries were not intentional or by design. 
Contact Us:
Virginia Animal Owners Alliance virginiaanimalownersalliance@gmail.com |