Delray Beach lawyer Mindy Farber, with rescue dogs Cara, Nicky and Abbey,
advocates for nonprofits, veterans, women, minorities and homeless pets.
Photo provided
By Arden Moore
There are people who champion the cause for pets by fostering rescues, volunteering in animal shelters, organizing pet events and bringing their well-mannered therapy pets into nursing homes and schools.
I applaud the contributions made by all of these people. And, I admire a special breed of pet advocate: the legal beagles. These people are committed to working with local, state and national lawmakers to make this a better planet for cats, dogs and other companion animals.
In Delray Beach, there is a very active legal beagle: attorney Mindy Farber. In practice for more than three decades, she specializes in civil rights law for nonprofits, veterans, women, minorities and homeless pets.
She splits her time between residences in Delray Beach and Maryland with her husband and their three well-traveled rescue dogs: Cara, Nicky and Abbey. She serves on the board for the nonprofit Pet Connect Rescue (petconnectrescue.org) in Potomac, Md.
Farber worked with state legislators in Maryland to pass a bill recently that prohibits the sale of animals in pet stores. She is currently working with the state’s House Judiciary committee to get a bill passed that would require people found guilty of animal cruelty to not only serve time in prison but also pay restitution toward the financing of any bills related to injuring or killing animals.
Locally, she is hard at work on finding a solution to address homeless, abandoned animals found on the streets of Delray Beach. Two days after Christmas, she was shopping in downtown Delray Beach when she came across a very weak, mange-filled, little red dog.
“When I found this dog, I called the city immediately and said, ‘Help! There is a dog who is struggling here, just lying on the street,’” recalls Farber. “This dog was dying and I was frantic to find a way to get her medical attention, but was told that the city of Delray Beach does not have an animal control officer and was told to call the county. Well, I tried, but the phone kept ringing busy.”
During this time, Farber called out to passersby for help but to no avail.
“This dog had ooze pouring out of her ears and eyes,” she says. “While my husband took our three dogs home, I called out to everyone for assistance — bikers, drivers, joggers, walkers and people with baby carriages. But all averted their eyes.”
Fortunately, members of Dezzy’s Second Chance Rescue were nearby setting up their booth for rescued dogs to be adopted. One member assisted Farber by placing the sick dog in a van and taking it to a veterinary clinic where the dog received life-saving treatment. The dog has not yet been adopted. The plight of this dog has motivated Farber to lobby with the Delray Beach City Commission. She wants to find a way to allow a nonprofit animal organization to have use of the vacant animal shelter building for a yearly rent of $1.
Farber, who has lived in Delray Beach for a decade, is quick to say she is not critical of the city. “I’m looking for a way that a nonprofit animal group can do a much-needed government service that the government currently cannot provide,” she says.
I reached out to city officials regarding Farber’s proposal. Commissioner Mitch Katz explained that the city is doing a complete inventory of all city-owned buildings, including those that are vacant.
“We will not be making a decision on any building until the analysis is done, which should be within a month or so,” says Katz, adding that he wants more information on how such an arrangement between the city and a nonprofit group would be set up.
In an email reply, Vice Mayor Shelly Petrolia wrote, “I would be in support of the city offering a building to temporarily shelter animals by a nonprofit … as long as it received a majority commission vote. I would only agree to consider something like this following an inventory and evaluation of all properties owned by the city, which is currently in the process.”
In the meantime, Farber is maintaining her advocacy efforts for companion animals in need, both here and in Maryland.
“As a lawyer, I’ve worked hard for many years and never took very many vacations,” she says. “I am blessed in many ways and now I want to give back and to use my legal skills to advance issues, like helping homeless animals.”
She is definitely my kind of legal beagle.
Arden Moore, founder of FourLeggedLife.com, is an animal behavior consultant, editor, author, professional speaker and master certified pet first aid instructor. Each week, she hosts the popular Oh Behave! show on PetLifeRadio.com. Learn more by visiting fourleggedlife.com.
Win an Arden book!
Got a pet? In celebration of the release of my newest pet books, I am giving away a personalized, autographed copy of Fit Cat and Fit Dog to a couple of readers of The Coastal Star. How? Easy. Simply email me (Arden@fourleggedlife.com) and tell me, in 100 words or fewer, how your dog or your cat has made your life better. And, if you like, attach a photo. We will pick a cat and a dog winner and share the results in the June issue.
Comments
Darcy donated on Dec 24 th at 4:01 pm for $50.00 .I dint take in little dog found on the street until Dec 27 th but I did put all the monies that came in during that time frame towards the care of that little dog.And Mindy Farber did not donate after Dec 27 th either but she did do a story on Delray Raw and ask people to donate.WHich some did and in Darcys post I thanked everybody remotely near that time frame as I put all/any money toward that little dog
She has many fake names like Betty Grossm,Sandy Tobias,Jess Zalofsky,Christina Tetheriot,Michelle Something I forgot .Daniel has 9 or 10 of them.
David yes Susan and Darcy are the very same.Daniel is going to subpoena the Coastal Star.Once we subpoena their records will will get an email address then we will ask judge for a court order on that email address.Which we are doing on ALL her fake names and posts.She has NO WAY OUT .
That old news DARCY Miss BAker Act.We all know the story that a good Sam found a dog on the street and I was called.How about that BAKER ACT? Will you let us know when you receive services? I will.Will you let us know how the court case goes? I will.
Thank you David for posting the lawsuit. And thank You Chaz Stevens for also jumping in with such colorful words of wisdom written arcoss it LOL.Darcy just doesnt realize just how many people are involved with this little grass roots rescue. We have done so much good to save over 4,000 animals .SO many many people our involved .Whether they are volunteers here at the rescue location, volunteer at events, have donated, have adopted their furbabies from us, been to our events,etc One or two people in life will not take us ALL down and with so many wonderful NORMAL people involved with this issue that nut who was BAKERED ACTED will just fizzle out and loose steam.BUT, I promise we will be righted in a court of LAW ....
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA THE FLORIDA BAR,
Complainant
v.
DANIEL J. ROSE,
Respondent,
Supreme Court Case No.
The Florida Bar File
Nos. 2008-50,693(17H) and 2009-50,908(17H)
UNCONDITIONAL GUILTY PLEA AND CONSENT JUDGMENT FOR DISCIPLINE
DANIEL J. ROSE, respondent, having been duly advised of his procedural rights under the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, hereby tenders this Unconditional Guilty Plea and Consent Judgment for Discipline pursuant to R. Regulating Fla. Bar 3-7.9(a) and says:
1. Respondent, Daniel J. Rose, is and at all times hereinafter mentioned was a member of The Florida Bar and subject to the jurisdiction and disciplinary rules of the Supreme Court of Florida.
2. Respondent is 35 years of age and has been a member of The Florida Bar since April 16,2001.
3. Respondent is currently the subject of the above referenced disciplinary matters which have been assigned The Florida Bar File Nos. 2008- 50,693(17H) and 2009-50,908(17H). The respondent waives his right to
PUBLIC RECORD
MAR 19 2010 /*" MDG 0
consideration by a grievance committee as provided for by Rule 3-7.4, Rules of Discipline, and hereby stipulates that probable cause for further disciplinary proceedings exists as to these matters.
4. Respondent waives his right to a probable cause hearing before a grievance committee and admits that the following facts are true and accurate and stipulates:
A. As to Florida Bar File No. 2008-50,793(17H), the complaint of Irene and Ernest Mattel:
i. Irene and Ernest Martel authorized their daughter to sign their names on a mortgage note.
ii. The respondent notarized the Martels' signatures, knowing that they had not actually signed the mortgage note.
B. As to Florida Bar File No. 2009-50,908(17H), the complaint of
Alice and Gabriel Shabo:
i. The respondent received verbal authorization from Mr.
Shabo for certain disbursements of funds held in trust on his behalf. ii. The respondent failed to obtain written authorization to
make these disbursements.
iii. An examination of the respondent's trust account records
revealed that he failed to maintain all required records.
iv. An examination of the respondent's trust account records revealed that he engaged in some commingling.
5. Respondent admits that by reason of the foregoing facts, he has violated Rule 4-8.4(d) MISCONDICT (A lawyer shall not engage in conduct in connection with the practice of law that is prejudicial to the administration of justice); 5-l.l(a)(l) TRUST ACCOUNTS - Commingling prohibited; 5-1.2(b)(4) MINIMUM TRUST ACCOUNTING RECORDS (Documentary support for all disbursements and transfers from the trust account); 5-1.2(b)(5) MINIMUM TRUST ACCOUNTING RECORDS (A separate cash receipts and
disbursements journal, including columns for receipts, disbursements, transfers, and the account balance ...); and 5-1.2(c)(l)(B) MINIMUM TRUST ACCOUNTING RECORDS (A comparison between the total of the reconciled balances of all trust accounts and the total of the trust ledger cards or pages, together with specific descriptions of any differences between the 2 totals and reasons therefor.)
6. Pursuant to Rule 3-7.9(a) of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, respondent hereby tenders an Unconditional Guilty Plea and Consent Judgment for Discipline wherein respondent agrees to the following discipline:
A. A public reprimand to be administered by publication in the Southern Reporter
Participation in The Florida Bar's Ethics School
Attendance at The Florida Bar's Trust Accounting workshop
i. Both programs shall be completed within six months of the date that this consent judgment is executed
7. Respondent tenders this consent judgment with full knowledge of all rights afforded to respondents in disciplinary proceedings by the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar including, but not limited to, the right to an evidentiary hearing before the referee (during which The Florida Bar would have the burden of proving its case by clear and convincing evidence).
8. Respondent agrees to pay all costs reasonably incurred by The Florida Bar in the investigation of the aforesaid matter within 30 days of the entry of the Supreme Court's final order, with statutory interest to accrue on all costs not paid within said time, unless time for payment is extended by the Board of Governors.
9. Respondent agrees that he will not attempt to discharge the obligation for payment of the Bar's costs in any future proceeding, including but not limited to, a Petition for Bankruptcy.
10. Respondent agrees to reimburse the Clients' Security Fund (CSF) for any and all funds CSF has or may pay out on any claims resulting from respondent's misconduct.
11. Respondent understands that The Florida Bar's agreement with this
consent judgment is conditioned upon approval by The Florida Bar Board of Governors' Designated Reviewer, the referee, and the Supreme Court of Florida.
12. Respondent agrees that this Unconditional Guilty Plea and Consent Judgment for Discipline and every factual admission contained herein, specifically the admissions set forth in paragraph four (4), shall have full force and effect regardless of any subsequent recommendation or action taken with respect to the terms of the discipline offered by respondent pursuant to this consent judgment for discipline.
13. Respondent certifies that respondent is not acting under duress, he is not presently under the influence of any substance, and that he is not laboring under any physical or mental infirmity which would preclude him from knowingly and intelligently executing and submitting this guilty plea and consent judgment.
14. Respondent acknowledges that this consent judgment is tendered knowingly and voluntarily without fear, threat, coercion or promises not set forth in this agreement.
15. Respondent acknowledges that should the conditions set forth herein be met, then this consent to discipline shall not be subject to modification or withdrawal in any subsequent proceeding.
16. Respondent understands and agrees that this Unconditional Guilty Plea and Consent Judgment for Discipline is a public document, and will become
part of the public record in this case.
Dated: 3//6//Q
STATE OF FLORIDA ) COUNTY OF PALM BEACH)
Respectfully submitted,
DANIEL J. ROSE, Attorney No. 478385 Respondent
323 NE 6th Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33483-5516
BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, duly authorized to administer oaths and take acknowledgments, personally appeared DANIEL J. ROSE and after being by me first and duly sworn on oath deposes and says that he has signed the foregoing Unconditional Guilty Plea and Consent Judgment for Discipline and acknowledges that he approves the filing thereof for the purposes therein expressed.
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me on this
day of ,/ty/W^M , 2010, by DANIEL J. ROSE, who is personally known to
me or who has produced tibc/fa oath.
Dated:
JSW«&f/i<®^as identification and who did take an
|<£0fARY PUBLIC
JOSER.AGOSTO
) MY COMMISSION It OD793111 j I EXPIRES:JiasOS.2012 < ! > i-8»3.N8T*sr Fl.NttuyDiiaMSAsK.Ca J <
RANDIKLAYMAN LAZARUS, #360929 Bar Counsel
The Florida Bar
Lake Shore Plaza II
1300 Concord Terrace, Suite 130 Sunrise, Florida 33323
(954) 835-0233
Oh man Darcy just can not control herself. She just does not get what she just did.Daniel I don't think she knows just how good of an attorney you really are.When I chose an attorney I looked for the best @ and you Daniel Rose were the chosen one !! Cant wait until tomorrow.
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