News Releases
Professor Rebecca Huss honored for work in Vick case
Friday, April 18, 2008
See also:
Vick court documents available online
April 5, 2008
Guardian of Vick American Pit Bull Terriers comments on case
January 25, 2008
A professor at the Valparaiso University School of Law has received two awards for her work as guardian/special master of the American pit bull terriers formerly owned by Michael Vick in the Bad Newz Kennels case.
Rebecca J. Huss, professor of law and a nationally-recognized expert on animal law, was honored with a 2008 Law Enforcement Public Service Award from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and an Award of Excellence from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
In October, Huss was named guardian/special master in the civil forfeiture case involving Vick and given responsibility for observing the dogs, reviewing evaluation reports from animal care professionals and interacting with evaluation teams to make recommendations for their future. Her recommendation to place 47 pit bulls with eight rescue organizations was approved in December by the judge overseeing the case.
“I am hopeful that the attention brought to this case can raise awareness about who are the true victims in dog-fighting cases – the dogs,” Huss said. “Many people had to work together to achieve the positive resolution in this case, including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals evaluation team, Bay Area Dog Lovers Responsible About Pit Bulls, the Virginia shelters that cared for the dogs and, of course, all the people at the federal government who did what was necessary to consider the dogs as individuals.”
Huss recently served as keynote speaker at an annual animal law conference in Minnesota and discussed the process of finding responsible care for the dogs seized in the Vick case in her presentation “What Became of the Dogs? The Custody and Placement of the Dogs Involved in the Bad Newz Kennel Case.”
Jay Conison, dean of the School of Law, said that the assistance Huss provided in the Bad Newz Kennels case reflect the value Valparaiso’s law faculty and students place on public service.
“We are all very proud that Professor Huss was asked to offer her expertise in this case, which has sparked discussion throughout the nation about the significant issue of cruelty to animals and what protections the law should offer,” Conison said.
| Return to Valparaiso University School of Law News