Who we are:
Justice for Pacific Northwest Farmers is a group of concerned citizens, most with a strong interest in small scale and backyard agriculture. Many of us own rescue animals and volunteer at our local animal shelters. Our primary concern is for due process, as well as the welfare of the animals.
We hope to also eventually become a resource for families in the Pacific Northwest who become overwhelmed or, due to extenuating circumstances, need temporary help with their animals to prevent the need for animal control to get involved.
We hope to also eventually become a resource for families in the Pacific Northwest who become overwhelmed or, due to extenuating circumstances, need temporary help with their animals to prevent the need for animal control to get involved.
What we don't do:
We cannot and will not support true animal abuse or chronic, severe neglect. We believe in due process for everyone, innocent or guilty. But we prioritize helping with cases in which we can verify that the animal owner was genuinely making efforts to provide appropriate care for their animals, and willing to make changes in their husbandry practices if needed for the welfare of the animals.
We cannot determine whether an accused person is innocent or guilty. That is for the courts to decide.
We can't provide large amounts of funding at this point. While we may be able to help with fundraising for small expenses, we do not currently have a large trust fund. We hope to eventually have a trust fund, grants or other funding so that we can offer more significant help with paying for legal expenses, providing practical help to people, etc. If you would like to contribute to such a fund, please let us know.
We can't give you a tax deduction. While we are looking into becoming (or working under) a nonprofit organization, we are currently not a formal organization and any money does not come through our hands, but goes directly as a personal gift to the person needing help or to their lawyer.
We are not lawyers or veterinarians. We may be able to help put you in touch with an attorney, and we can informally help with research and advice, but we are not lawyers or veterinarians. Any advice and help we give is in the form of informal, personal suggestions and is not legal or medical advice.
We cannot determine whether an accused person is innocent or guilty. That is for the courts to decide.
We can't provide large amounts of funding at this point. While we may be able to help with fundraising for small expenses, we do not currently have a large trust fund. We hope to eventually have a trust fund, grants or other funding so that we can offer more significant help with paying for legal expenses, providing practical help to people, etc. If you would like to contribute to such a fund, please let us know.
We can't give you a tax deduction. While we are looking into becoming (or working under) a nonprofit organization, we are currently not a formal organization and any money does not come through our hands, but goes directly as a personal gift to the person needing help or to their lawyer.
We are not lawyers or veterinarians. We may be able to help put you in touch with an attorney, and we can informally help with research and advice, but we are not lawyers or veterinarians. Any advice and help we give is in the form of informal, personal suggestions and is not legal or medical advice.
What we do:
We can provide emotional and sometimes practical support. People who are accused (even if falsely) of hoarding, animal cruelty, etc. often find themselves abandoned or even harassed and threatened. More than anything else, they need to know that someone is willing to reach out a hand and try to help them navigate the situation they find themselves in. Sometimes just having someone to attend a hearing or trial with you to observe and offer silent support can make a difference.
We can help with research. While we are not experts, we do have some people on our team who are talented at doing research. We can help you investigate the applicable laws in your area, what is required for due process, what your options may be for appealing or requesting your animals back, find needed evidence and documentation, etc.
We can often help establish customary animal husbandry practices. In most locales, the law specifically states that standard and customary livestock management practices cannot be considered animal cruelty. So, for instance, if you are feeding your animals the standard amount of an appropriate feed widely recognized as an industry standard, and feeding it according to the feed manufacturer's instructions; authorities should not be able to cite you for inappropriate feed. We have a growing collection of scientific research, expert statements and industry publications documenting customary and appropriate care for various species of animals.
We may be able to put you in touch with other resources. It is possible that we may be able to help you find legal counsel, expert or lay expert witnesses, independent livestock-knowledgeable veterinarians, etc. There are also organizations and resources available in some areas to offer short-term practical help on site at farms where it is needed.
We can help with research. While we are not experts, we do have some people on our team who are talented at doing research. We can help you investigate the applicable laws in your area, what is required for due process, what your options may be for appealing or requesting your animals back, find needed evidence and documentation, etc.
We can often help establish customary animal husbandry practices. In most locales, the law specifically states that standard and customary livestock management practices cannot be considered animal cruelty. So, for instance, if you are feeding your animals the standard amount of an appropriate feed widely recognized as an industry standard, and feeding it according to the feed manufacturer's instructions; authorities should not be able to cite you for inappropriate feed. We have a growing collection of scientific research, expert statements and industry publications documenting customary and appropriate care for various species of animals.
We may be able to put you in touch with other resources. It is possible that we may be able to help you find legal counsel, expert or lay expert witnesses, independent livestock-knowledgeable veterinarians, etc. There are also organizations and resources available in some areas to offer short-term practical help on site at farms where it is needed.