Court Advocacy

This successful Court Advocacy program trains and supports community members who follow court cases involving animal abuse of all kinds and develops educational materials and information that promote understanding and effective intervention. Court Advocates appear in court on behalf of the community and the victims who are of all animal species, humans included.  Participants also provide training and logistical support for situations involving animal neglect, abuse and fighting. 

The existing program is a partnership of Safe Humane Chicago with community policing networks, police departments, county prosecutors and circuit courts that began in December 2000.  We are most active with our founding agencies, the Chicago Police Department, Cook County State's Attorney's Office and Cook County Circuit Court, but we are also connected with agencies in the Cook County collar counties. We have trained hundreds of volunteers, followed thousands of court cases, and positively impacted arrests, prosecutions, convictions and remedies.  See the list of court cases we are currently following HERE. 

We also provide funding needed to provide forensic evidence for ongoing cases.  This includes transportation and accommodations for out-of-state witnesses and veterinary diagnostic laboratory services such as necropsies.