pgff.spca.20101110.final amended complaint.filedstamped

8/13/2019 PGFF.spca.20101110.Final Amended Complaint.filedStamped

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rN THE CIRCUTTCOURTFOR PRINCEGEORcE',S OUNTY,MARYLANDPRINCEGEORGE'S ERALFRIENDS,SPCA, NC.c/o Mr.TimothySaffell ,PresidentP.O,Box 1036Bowie,Maryland 0718Plantiff/Petitio er,

VS.PRINCEGEORGE'S OUNTY,MARYLANDL474LGov,OdenBowieDriveUpperMarlboro,Maryland 0772 *Defend nt/Respond nt.

cAL 10-2L374r ir _ : l

l - )

AMENDED COMPLAINTFOR DECLARATORYJUDGMENT AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF

I . INTRODUCTION

Pursuanto Md. Rule2-341and he part ies 'consent , la int i f f ereby mendsanclsuperseclests f irst complaint. he parties o this amended omplaint avest ipulatedhat th is and any complaint roughton this rout ingnumber hal lnotinclude ny claimor cause f act ion or moneydamages.

Thisamendment oesnot change he cause f act ion n the or ig inalcomplaint,Defendant's iolationof Plaintiff 's ight o due process s guaranteed yU.S.Const .Amend.XIV.Thisamended omplaint impl i f ieshe caseby delet ingparties;specif ically, usanBrownas a party plaintiffandAnimalManagementDivision nd Commissionor AnimalControlof the PrinceGeorge'sCountyDepartment f Environmental esources s party defendants."No gooddeedgoesunpunished"s the theme of this action or declaratoryand injunctive eliefbroughtby PlaintiffPrinceGeorge's eralFriends, PCA, nc., achari table rganizat ionedicatedo educat inghe publ ic boutanimalmanagementpolicyand providinghumanecare o free-roaming nd"feral" cats n PrinceGeorge's ounty,Maryland. n th is act ion,Plaint i f f hal lenges efendant 'snimal


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management ol ic ies nd enforcement ract ices. he const i tut ionalla ims n thiscomplaint re narrowly ai lored nd pertainonly o f ree-roaming nd ' feral "cats,

Plaint i f fespect ful lyequestshe same el ief equestedn the orig inalcomplaint :That his Honorable ourtgrantdeclaratoryel iefand ssueapre l im inaryn junc t ion ursuanto Md.CodeAnn, CJP) ec ,3 -4OL, t seq . ,Md.Rule15-500,et seq. he PrinceGeorge's ountyCode,Sect ion -101,et seq. ,"An ima lCont ro l " .

Fi rst ,Plaint i f fequestshat th is courtdeclare, d judge nd decree hat theAnimalControl ort ions f the PrinceGeorge's ountyCode PGC) hal lbeconstrued o that Defendantmay not legal ly mpute' townership,"s def ined n PGCSec.3-101(57), f f ree-roaming r "feral "cats o Plaint i f f ecause laint i f f rovidednutr i t ion o theseanimais.Defenciant r inceGeorge's ounty urrent iy nforcesPGC -101(57) ,he de f in i t i on f an an ima l ' s wner , n an uncons t i t u t iona l l yoverbroadmanner hat penal izesawfulbehavior nd enables rbi t rary, apr ic iousand l l ega l gency c t ions .

Second,Plaint i f fequestshat th is courtdeclare, d judgeand decree hatAn ima lManagement i v i s ion nd he Commiss ionor An ima lCont ro l f t he Pr inceGeorge's ountyDepartment f Envi ronmental esources,eferred o inf ra,as"AnimalManagement "nd TheCommiss ion , "omplyw i th he i renab l i ngeg is la t i onin the PGC, nimalManagement,n enforcement gency, s in v io lat ion f PGC -105(a) - (d ) y fa i l ing o makeor adopta regu la t i on ,n te rna l r o therw ise . heCommiss ion ,n ad jud ica t i vegency ,s n v io la t i on f PGC ec .3 -109(a) 1 ) , (3 )and (7) by not havingmadea rule, egulat ion r recommendat iono the CountyExecut ive r the Director f the Department f Envi ronmental esourcesDER).

Thi rd,Plaint i f fequestshat th is courtdeclare, d judge nd decree hatAnimaiManagementndTheCommiss ionre pub i i c oc j i esursuanto Md.CodeAnn. SG)10-502(h) l ) ( i i ) ; and , u r ther , ha t hesebod ies /agenc iesre nv io la t i on f t he OpenMeet ings c t ,Md.CodeAnn. SG)10-501 , t seq .

Final ly, la int i f f espect ful lyequestshat th is honorable ourtgrant tsrequest o issuea prel iminarynjunct ion rohibi t ing efendantrom violat ingPlaint i f f 'sight o due process f lawcaused y Defendant 's ctsand omissions etforth n this complaint .


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Department f Envi ronmental esourcess a dulyappointed dminist rat ivegencypursuanto PGC -107,et seq.and 3-109,et seq. The PGC mpowers heCommissiono adjudicate l l PGC rovis ions ertainingo f ree roaming nd"feral "catsand; urther, equi reshe Commissiono recommendulesand regulat ionsconcerninghe operat ion f the AnimalControlFaci l i tyo the CountyExecut ive ndthe Director f the Department f Envi ronmental esources.7. Pursuanto Md,CodeAnn. (CJP) -4AgQ)Plaint i f f r ings his act ionagainstDefendant r inceGeorge's ounty,Maryland.Antagonist icla imsexistbetweenPlaint i f f nd Defendant nd here s a historyof l i t igat ion etweenPlaint i f f ndDefendant ; la int i f f 'solunteers ave equested vident iary ear ings tDefendant 's ommissionor AnimalControl ;one case s current ly ending.8 . Pursuanto Md.CodeAnn. CJP) -409(3)Pla in t i f f r i ngs h i sac t i on ga ins tDefendant .Defendant 'snforcement ract ices eterand havea chi l l ing f fectonPlaint i f f 'sight o engage n lawfulact iv i ty.Plaint i f f 'snterest , orporatemission ndpract ice re o providenutr i t ion, hel ter nd veter inary are or f ree-roaming nd"feral "cats. Plaint i f f 's ission s lawfuland ts pract ices re not prohibi ted y thePGC. Defendant aswarnedPlaint i f f 'solunteershat they wi l l be penal izedorfeeding ree-roaming nd"feral "cats. Defendant aschargedmembers f Plaint i f fwi th v io lat ions f the PGC or feeding nd providing are or f ree-roaming nd"feral" cats.

I I I . VENUE

9. Venue s proper ursuanto Md.CodeAnn. CJP) -201as a l l even ts l l egedhereinoccurredn PrinceGeorge's ounty,Maryland.

IV. DECLARATORY ELIEF

A. VIOLATION OF DUE PROCESS

10, Paragraphs through9 are incorporatednto his sect ion, s though ul lysetforth herein.


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11. Defendant 'snforcement f the AnimalControl rovis ions, -101,et seq. ,ofthe PGC iolatesPlaint i f f 'sight o DueProcess f law as guaranteed y the U.S.Cons t . mend.X IV ,

couNT 1DEFENDANT'S CTSAND OMISSIONSVIOLATE PLAINTIFF'S RIGHT TO PROCEDURAL UE PROCESS12. Defendant 's roceduresor chargingPlaint i f f i th a v io lat ion f PGC, -101etsQ., eny Plaint i f f 'sight o propernot iceand air process.The PGC mpowersAn ima lManagemento i ssue charg ing ocumentor v io la t i ons f PGC -101etseq. Defendant nimalManagement oesnot issuea Uni formCitat ion r othercharging ocument or certain io lat ions,ncluding ut not l imi ted o l icensure ndrabies accinat ion. nstead, f Plaint i f fequests n evident iary earing,heCommissionenerates ndserves summonswarningPlaint i f fhat i t mustabateany icensure nd rabies iolat ion r ior o the hearing ate even houghDefendantneverhaschargedPlaint i f f i th theseviolat ions r ior o generat ing r serving hesummons.The surnrnonsurtheradvisesPlaint i f , ro provide r-oof t the hear- ingthat Plaint i f f asabated he vio lat ion l leged n the summons; therwise,heCommission ay ine Plaint i f for the al leged iolat ion(s) t the hearing.Defendant 's rocedure eniesPlaint i f f 'sight o due process y presumingfundamentalact hat Defendants const i tut ional lyound o prove,namely hat theperson dent i f iedn the summons s the samepersonwho has he legalduty toabate he (uncharged)i censurend rab ies io la t i ons .13. Defendant oesnot providePlaint i f f i th const i tut ional lydequate ot ice fthe al leged iolat ions f the PGC.Speci f ical ly, efendant 'sharging rocedure oesnot providePlaint i f f i th adequatenformat ion ecause efendant oesnot providesuf f ic ientacts o ident i fy he speci f ic nimals cat(s))at issue. Without hisinformat ion, la int i f f annotascertain hichspeci f ic at (s)are al leged o bePlaint i f f 'sesponsibi l i tynd Plaint i f f annotmounta defense r abatean al legedv io la t i on .4. Defendant 'snforcennentf PGC -101 et seq. s unconst i tut icnal lyoverbroad. efendantssueswri t tenwarningso Plaint i f fhat state hat feedingfree-roaming r "feral "cats s a violat ion f the AnimalControl rovis ions f the


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PGC,The plain anguage f the PGC ontains o prohibi t ion gainst his act iv i ty.Defendant 's arnings re unconst i tut ional lyverbroad ecausehey mpedePlaint i f f 'sight o engage n lawfulact iv i ty.

COUNT2DEFENDANT'S NFORCEMENTF THE PGC S OVERBROAD

AND IMPEDES/PENALIZES AWFULACTIVITY15. Defendant 'snforcement f the term "owner",PGC -101(57), sunconst i tut ional lyverbroad nd conf l ic ts i th the plain anguage f the PGC.Defendantmakesa factual eterminat ion, i thoutpol icyor regulatory uidance,that Plaint i f fs the legal owner"of any ree-roaming nd"feral "cat(s) hat Plaint i f fnour ishes. hatdeterminat ions construed s t r igger- inghe legal esponsibi l i t iesfcat ownership, hich nclude ut are not l imi ted o requi r ingPlaint i f fo l icense ndprovide abies accinat ionor the cat(s). PGC -101(57)def ines owner" n fourways ; he per t i nen t ubsec t ionsre : (C) , Ih ]asan an ima l n h i sor hercare"and(D) " [a ]c t sas a temporary r permanent us tod ianf an an imal " .Thesesubsect ionsxclude ferai "catsbecause GC -101(43)def ines ferai "as "[a]nanimalexist ing n a wi ld or untamed tate, .e. , wi ld" " . Plaint i f feedsonly feral "and ree-roaming atsso theseanimals ecessari lyre excludedrom private"ownersh ip "y the pla in anguage f PGC -101,e t seq .

B. DEFENDANT'S CTIONSVIOLATE TS ENABLINGLEGISLATION16. Pursuanto PGC -105(a) , b ) and (d) , An ima lManagements requ i redomake egulat ions ertain ingo enforcement f the PGC ertainingo f ree-roamingor "feral "cats.17. AnimalManagementasnot madea ru leor regu la t i oner ta in ingoenforcement f the PGC egardingree-roaming r "feral "cats. The absence fregulatory uidanceesul ts n arbi t rary, apr ic ious nd l legal nforcement hichimpedesPlaint i f f 'sight o engage n lawfulact iv i ty.18 . Pursuanto PGC -r09(a) ( r )ano (7) , he Commiss ions requ i reoo make


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recommendat ions,ulesand/or egulat ions ertainingo free-roaming r "feral "cats o the CountyExecutive ncj/or o the Directoroi ihe Department fEnvi ronmental esources.19, TheCommission as not madea rule, egulat ion r recommendat iono theCountyExecut ive nd/or o the Director f the Department f Envi ronmentalResources,espi temanychanges ertainingo animalmanagement nd relatedmatters hat haveoccurred ince he Commission as establ ished. heseomissionsesul t n arbi t rary, apr ic ious nd l legal nforcement hich mpedesPlaint i f f 'sight o engage n lawfulact iv i ty.

C. DEFENDANT OESNOTCOMPLYWITH THE OPENMEETINGS CT

20. The AnimalManagement iv is ion f the PrinceGeorge's ountyDepartmentof Envi ronmental esources ascreated y Execut ive rderNo. 39-1973 naccordance i th Art . V, Sec.502 of the PrinceGeorge's ountyCharter.AnimalManagements a "Pubi icBociy" s c je i ineciy Mci .Cocje nn. (SG)10-502,et seq.2 t . An ima lManagementasnot he lda pub l i c ear ing n a proposedu le ,regulat ion r recommendat ion.heomission io lateshe OpenMeet ings ct , Md.CodeAnn. SG)10-501(a) nd (b) wh ich equ i rehe agencyo prov ide la in t i f f ndthe publ icwi th not iceand opportuni tyo observe he proceedingsnd nspectherecordsmadeat thosemeet ings.22. TheCommissionor AnimalControlwas created y Execut ive rderNo.39-1973 n accordance i th Art . V, Sec.502 of the PrinceGeorge's ountyCharter ndis a "Pub l i c ody" s de f ined y Md.CodeAnn. SG)10-502 , t seq .23. TheCommissionasnot helda publ ichearing n a Droposeduleorregulat ion earing n the substant ive r proceduralightsof l i t igants,headjudicat ion rocesstsel f ,or the operat ions f the AnimalManagement aci l i ty .Theomiss ion io la teshe OpenMeet ings c t ,Md.CodeAnn. SG)10-501(a) nd(b) which equireshe Commissiono provide he publ icwi th not iceandopportuni tyo observeworksessions ncjothermeet ingshat havenot beenproperly losed.


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V. PRAYER OR RELIEF

A. Declare, ecree nd adjudge hat Plaint i f f asa lawful ight o provide ree-roaming r " feral "catswi th nutr i t ion, hel terandveter inary are;and,B. Declare, ecree ndadjudge hat the Defendant r inceGeorge's ounty 'senforcement ract ices f the AnimalControl rovis ions f the PGCSec.3-101,etseq.vio latePlaint i f f 'sight o Due Process f law; and,C. Declare, ecree ndadjudge hat Defendant , y and hrough he Commissionfo r An ima lCont ro ls n v io la t i on f PGC -109(1) nd(7) bVnot hav ingmadepol icy r other ecommendat ionso the CountyExecut ive nd/or o the Director ft h o [ ' \ o n a r f r n a n f n f F n r r i r n n r n a n f : l Q o c n r r r n a c . a n r lv v J , s r r v ,D. Declare, ecree nd adjudge hat Defendant , y and hrough ts agenciesthe Commiss ionor An ima lCont ro l nd he An ima lManagement i v i s ion ,s nv io la t i on f t he OpenMeet ings c t ,Md.CodeAnn. SG)10-501(a) y no t p rov id ingPlaint i f f i th not iceand opportuni tyor publ icobservat ion f the work sessions ndo therproceed ings ;nd ;E. Orderany further el iefas th is Couf tdeems ust and proper o th is cause.

E. AnneBenaroya5625 Hogenhi l l erraceRockv i l l e , a ry land 0853(410) 977-333LAtfnrnpr r fn r P la in t i f f' v t ' v lPrinceGeorge's eralFr iends, PCA,nc.


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AFFIDAVIT FTIMOTHYW. SAFFELLI hereby wearunderpenal t ies f per juryand uponpersonal nowledgehatI am over he age of 18, competento test i fy o the mat ters ontained ereinandthat the contents f the foregoing re rue.

PrinceGeorge's eralFriends, PCA,nc.LT-


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vr. REQUEST ORPRELIMINARYTNjUNCTTON24. Paragraphs-23of Pet i t ioner 's omplaintor Declaratory el ief reincorporatedy referencen this Sect ion s though ul lyset forth herein.25. Pet i t ioner as no adequateegal emedy or Respondent 'sctsor omissionscompla inedf in th i s Reques t f a Pre l im inaryn junc t ion .26' Pet i t ionerhouldbe excusedrom post ing ondbecausehis s not an act ionfor moneydamages, ebtor otheract ion hat fa l lswi th in he bond equirement fMd.Ru le15-502(a) .27. Respondent 'sctsandomissions nableunconst i tut ionalnforcement f thePGCSec.3- i0 i , et seq. Theactsanciomissions omplainecii in the uncier iy ingcomplaintor declaratoryel ief io latePet i t ioner 'sight o due process f law.28. Respondenthouldbe enjoined rom its currentpract ices nd enforcement fPGC -101,et seq. Respondent ,n v io lat ion f i ts const i tut ionalnd statutorydut ies,hasnot madea ruleor regulat ion ertainingo interpretat ionrenforcement f the PGC egardinghe procedures sed o chargePet i t ioner i thviolat ions f the PGC. Respondent 'smission iolatesPet i t ioner 'sight o dueprocess f law.29. Respondenthouldbe enjoined rom its currentenforcement ract ices s tothe substant ive spects f PGC -101,et seq. Respondent 'sract ice f imput ingownership f f ree-roaming nd"feral "cats o Pet i t ioner erelybecause et i t ionersfeeding r has ed an outdoor, ree-roaming r "feral "cat v io latesPet i t ioner 'sightto due process.Addi t ional ly, espondent 'sract ice f imput ing he dut iesofownershipo Pet i t ioner i thoutpropernot iceor s implyby f iat is unconst i tut ionalanci houic i e enjoineci ,30. Respondenthouldbe enjoinedo holdopenmeet ings s requi red y theOpenMeet ings ct . Respondent 'sackof t ransparency eniesPet i t ioner 'sccessoinformat ionhat is cr i t ical o Pet i t ioner 'sul f i l lment f i ts awfulmission nd opart ic ipat ionn the democrat ic rocess.31. Pet i t ioner ore ikely han not wi l l prevai l n the meri ts n th is act ion ordeclaratoryel iefagainstRespondent ,Respondent 'surrentenforcement ract icesconf l ic twi th the plain anguage f the PGC. Moreover, espondent 'surrent


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pract ices l t imatelyeadei ther o Respondent 'summarydestruct ion f f ree-roaming nd"feral "catsvia a mass oundup nd"euthanasia".Thisproceduresundesi rableor many reasons.From he taxpayer 's erspect ive,t is morecost lythan properly nforcinghe PGC.Mass euthanasia"educeshe cat populat ionon ly emporar i l y h i l ea l l ow inghe rodentpopu la t i ono f lour i sh i t hou t he na tu ra lpredat ionhat the catsprovided, nd soonothercats,at t racted y the abundantfoodsource,wi l l ake he place f thosedeceased;he new cats eproduce ndthei r numbers oonexceed hoseof the populat ionhey replaced.Properenforcements lesscost lybecauset wouldenablePet i t ionero spay/neuterhecatsso that they wouldnot reproduce, hichwoulddiminish he populat ionpermanent l yver ime.32. Publ ic ol icy iscourages espondent 'sract iceor humane easons.Respondent 'sract icesnadvertent lyauseanimalhoarding nd neglect , inceconcerned i t izensmay take he cats ndoors.Animalhoardinghat has resul tedfrom cit izen escu eefforts s well-documented nd has been he subjectofnumerous esearch tudies n the veter inary, ubl icheal th,and awenforcementcommuni t ies.Seegeneral lv, at ronek, r t ic le, The Hoarding f AnimalsConsort iumHARC)", uf tsUniversi ty ournal f Veter inarvMedicine nd Publ icHeal th, 2004,Tuf tsUniversi ty ress); eealso,Websi te, he Hoarding f AnimalNews& Info,"9/22/LOCat Hoarding, reely,Colorado"cached rt ic le).33, The potent ia l arm hat Pet i t ioner ouldsuf fer f an in junct ion oesnot ssuegreat iyoutweigns ny potent ia i re judiceo Respondent . et i t ioner ares or manyfree-roaming r "feral "cats n Pr inceGeorge's ounty. AbsentPet i t ioner 'sare,theseanimals re ikely o starve,become nfectedwi th rabies, e denied i fe-saving eter inary t tent ion, nd reproducendiscr iminately, ince he animals 'l i ves ndwe l l -be ingang n the ba lance ,he damagewrought y deny ing ninjunct ions i rreparable.34. Respondentuf fersno prejudicef th is court ssues n injunct ion.Pet i t ionercares or the catsat i ts own expensehat encourages ubl ic tewardship.Pet i t ioner 'sract ice f nourishing, hel ter ing, nd providing eter inary are or thecatsdiminishes espondent 'sut ies ather han mposing ew ones.


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VII. PRAYERFOR RELIEF

WHEREFORE,et i t ioner rays or the fo l lowing el ief .A. EnjoinRespondentrom i ts enforcement ract ices f PGC -101et seq, hatpertain o Petit ioner'sawful ight to provide ree-roaming r "feral" cats with foodand veter inary t tent ion;and,B. EnjoinRespondento make ulesand/or egulat ions ertainingo f ree-roaming r "feral "cats; and,( - F n i - ^ - i n D ^ - - F - - ^ h J ^ F + + ^ * ^ 1 , ^ - ^ ^ ^ l - i ^ - ^ 6 ^ 4 ^ : a : - - + ^ f - ^L. t r i t ju i i i Kespor icenr ro maKe fecommenca l ions pe iTa in ing o i ree- roamtnE or"feral" cats o the CountyExecutive nd/or o the Directorof the Department fEnvi ronmental esources;nd,D . En jo inRespondent ,y and hrough he An ima lManagement i v i s ion nd heCommissionor AnimalControl , o complywi th he OpenMeet ings ct , Md.CodeAnn. (SG)10-501(a), nd o provide he publ icwi th not iceand opportuni tyorpub l i c omment ; nd ,E. Orderany urther el iefas th is Courtdeems ust and proper o th is cause.

Respectfuly Subm tted,F*Zzr*&,Ld,zE. AnneBenaroya5625Hogenhi l l erraceRockvi l le, ai -y land 0853(410) s77-3331Attorney or Petit ioner,Pr inceGeorge's eralFr iends, PCA,nc.


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AFFIDAVIT FTIMOTHYW. SAFFELLPursuanto Md. Rule1-304 hereby wearunderpenal t ies f per juryanduponpersonal nowledgehat I am over he age of 18, competento test i fy o thematters ontained ereinand hat the contents f the foregoing re rue.

identPrinceGeorge's eralFr iends, PCA,nc.

CERTIFICATEFSERVICEI HEREBY ERTIFYhat on th is 10th day of November 010a copyof theforegoingRequestor Issuance f Prel iminarynjunct ionwas mai led i rst -c lass,

postage repaid o the PrinceGeorge's ountyOff ice f Law,KristenDorsey,Esq. ,a t L474LGovernor denBowieDr i ve ,UpperMar lboro , a ry land 0772.

E .AnneBenaroya


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IN THE CIRCUTTCOURTFORPRINCEGEORGE'S OUNTY,MARYLANDPRINCEGEORGE'S ERALFRIENDS,SPCA, NC.c/o Mr.TimothySaf fel l ,PresidentP,O.Box1036 *Bowie,Maryland 0718Plantiff/Petit ioe , cAL 10-2L374x

pgff.spca.20101110.final amended complaint.filedstamped

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