7960566886?profile=originalDelray 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.

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Comments

  • Yes there are red flags, thank you for seeing that Geoffrey Whitten.
    Seems Regina removed some of her comments.  I guess she just is not interested in answering .  Interesting....

  • I really hope I get beat up for my bad spelling and grammar, then I can write a whole dissertation and ask forgiveness.

    I plead guilty of both, but there is not a edit choice on this blog, and after all I have a life.  I am going to dinner with real people, and some of them even know their own names.

  • Interesting Read...Still weeks after the article. 

    Good link April Jones.  After going through the checklist, just from reading the comments here, and checking off almost all of the red flags, it would concern me.  This paragraph appears to represent the numerous questions posted on here that still remain unanswered. 

    REDFLAG. Especially avoid rescues that slander those that question their transparency or because they have asked valid questions, as a smokescreen to divert attention away from their lack of being forthright. This is especially true when the defamation in turn actually may have the effect of then harming more pets because those being slandered are also in animal welfare or rescue. If unsure of motives always ask who has the most to gain financially in the situation?  

    Many of these post read like a bad soap opera. Possibly closer to a bad reality show.  The pitch for the reality show to producers would read.

    This is about post menopausal women having a pissing match. At least two people  Chaz-tiyy Bono, and Wagger Tork complain about and accuse others of being fake, and using fake names, while Chaz-tity and Wagger are themselves using nick names that are not their real given names.  The plot really heats up when people continue to ask the same questions, and the Bully Brigade fight back with mean little girl comments bringing the viewer level down to a 8th grade mentality, but even 8th graders are aware of bullying.   Please join us for the world premier of "As The Stomach Turns", and watch people ask real valid questions, and get verbally abused and beat up by the Bully Brigade.  "As the Stomach Turns" is proudly brought to you by Beer Gut Timmy the old dead beat daddy, and his crew of delightful Zane-x Zany Cougars.

  • Regina, Regina, Regina ... you simply can't answer a straight question can you?   I never said Dezzy's Second Chance Rescue was not a 501c3 registered non profit organization.   Where you get that I am implying it isn't I am unclear. 
    I have seen on here that they were asked to provide some documentation as 501c3 status does mean they need to be transparent. Otherwise, if they don't provide things the laws cover they should be reported to the IRS and the Attorney General. My advice to those wanting information and not receiving is they should make formal reports.  Just because someone paid for and received a 501c3 status doesn't make a flying flip.  
    Here is a great article about things good rescues should be.  Now I am not giving my opinion on whether or not I think they are scamming, I would need to see stats etc,but, the article does tell red flags to look for  and things to ask of a rescue, It is a great guideline when evaluating. http://petadvocatesnetwork.org/wordpress/2012/11/04/great-animal-re...
    I have to say this rescue did raise a few read flags and should be evaluated closer . 
    Now Regina, I re-posted documents.   You are spouting about another commenting who I do not know and could care less about.  What Jeanette Tompkins does or doesn't do has no bearing on my opinions.   But now that you are wanting me to focus on Jeannette how is her posting a public photo that can be found on facebook/google etc  stealing your identity? Did she state this is a picture of herself?   You really do enforce  blondes stereotypical reputation of being dumb don't you ?

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  • You have to get over the7961852276?profile=original assumption that those posting here are all fake profiles.  Not so, not  so at all.  What we do know, however, is someone did not rate the retail store/rescue very favorably. Look!  Again accusing that this person is also Darcy.  Let's get back to the welfare of the dogs and cats, shall we? Waiting for your response, "Regina."  

  • Okay,  here we go again.  Focus, Regina, focus.  How are the cats doing in that closed up room with NO windows to look out of.  There are 3-5 cats in that room, 24/7.   Since you go to the store front, have you even bothered  to check on the cats? Maybe have a little human interaction would help to socialize these poor felines.   There is a big bed in that room as well.  Sandra, do you sleep at the store front?  

  • You are comical Regina Lewis, I can't help but laugh at you and your ridiculous posts.
    Asking for my picture when yours is a shadow. Should I post my home address, and phone number too for you???

    So sweetie,  does that make you not your  'real identity', because that isn't your face I see?
    You still can't answer a direct question can you.  Your deflection speaks LOUDLY!    


    I will type slow...l..y  for you hun ,  

     Is Sandra Dezelan, founder of  Dezzy's Second Chance Rescue a seller of dogs and cats, or a person who lies on public records (City of Boca Raton Business Tax/Certificate of Use Application) to accommodate themselves and break city ordinances?     
    It clearly states retail sale of dogs + cats to public on the application, and on the inspection it clearly states no boarding of animals only , retail uses permitted.    
    Which is it hun?   Can you clarify this for me ?   Pretty please, I am dying to know the REAL truth here. 

    7961850899?profile=original



    7961850853?profile=original

  • It's very sad that people are more focused on shit slinging than the welfare of the animals.
  • Regina Lewis my advice to Mindy Farber  is she should sue you for what you are posting. It is defamation and libel, now isn't it ?  Stating I am her, when she is not commenting is your crazy mind at work.  I have made it clear I am not her, but you continue.    Your wild accusations are getting out of hand luv.   Instead of deflecting, and avoiding questions why not look at the public documents and give an honest answer.    Is your dear friend you laugh with (or is that just with yourself?) ,  a seller of dogs and cats ?  or a person who lies on public records to accommodate themselves?   In my opinion both are not good and put animals in danger.   The continued avoidance of answering it by so many of you speaks volumes!

  • Regina, you were not focusing,, were you? Read the question. Since you are at the store front, how are the cats doing in that closed up room?
This reply was deleted.

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