On the morning of Wednesday Feb 15th the State of Connecticut’s Department of Agriculture violently raided the Connecticut home of Ms. Koczur, an avid animal activist, rescuer and president of the nonprofit organization Alliance for Animal Rescue Society (AARS), seizing all of her personal cats. Christine personally saved each of the cats, barely surviving on the streets, from near death. She knows each one by name, and kept them healthy and happy. Each of the cats was spayed/neutered, tested for feline FeLv and FIV, vaccinated, well nourished (fed a high quality diet), and lived in a happy, healthy, loving and caring environment. In fact an independent Veterinarian visited the house only hours earlier examined the cats and found them to be in good health.
FACT: Ms. Koczur regularly traveled hours transporting every animal in her (and the organization's care) to obtain the best medical care available, including:
Tufts Small Animal Hospital (one of the best veterinary teaching hospitals in the country) http://www.tufts.edu/vet/sah/about.html,
The Cat Hospital of Auburn http://www.thecathospital.com/
CT Vet Center http://www.ctvetcenter.com/
Old Canal Veterinary Clinic http://www.vetcarepc.com/
VCA Northside Animal Hospital http://www.vcanorthsidect.com/
She could have just gone to one of the many local veterinarians in her town as she did when she first started rescuing animals in the early 90's. But Christine ws not an advocate of adequate, but superior care. If that meant driving over two hours each way to get one cat she found on the street half dead the help that it needed so be it. There were no lengths she was not willing to go to for helping one creature, making such a huge difference to one innocent needy life. If that fact made her "obsessed" then she proudly wore that label as a badge of honor.
The animal control officer was aware of this as the massive files of veterinary records which were seized from her home filled up three boxes. The prosecutor was made aware of this fact with the submission of these documents to him by the defense. Mr. Suarez even complained about the massive amounts of paperwork provided to him. The court was aware of this, yet the judge, for some unknown reason, did not allow these records to be submitted as evidence.
However, Dr. Dimmick's were. Yet even the Supreme Court of Connecticut chose to disregard this evidence as well as the numerous of pages of testimony proving that the cats did have medical care and were in compliance with the state law for rabies vaccinations. The cats were not "diseased" but had a wide range of chronic challenging medical conditions for which all were being medicated and treated by veterinary specialists. Most were disabled, elderly, had behavioral issues, or required special care (special needs cats). Despite the best care and conditions in Ms. Koczur's home, years scavanging for scraps, being without shelter or medical treatment living out on the street without the basic necessities wreak havoc on the body, rendering the animals with many lifelong health challenges. These animals were not "adoptable" yet they led quality lives because of the exemplory care provided to them.
These are obvious facts to ANYONE seriously involved in rescue. However, the judges were obviously not well-versed with any knowledge of animals. The trial judge stopped several times to clarify what a cat carrier was. Several people explained, but he still seemed baffled and asked again a few minutes later. By the time any technical questioning was going on, he was dozing off, looking out the window, or peering down the blouse of the ample intern seated in front of him.
