04/02/2026
NEW CASE:
We wish this was an April Fools joke... it's not. In this photo is an animal rescuer, Shanda Mae Hunt. She works with an incredible 501 (c)(3) cat rescue, Cat N Kittens Rescue, located in Hornell, New York, led by Elizabeth Oliver. They are a godsend to the cat community.
In the photo is Shanda and Jamison. Jamison originally belonged to a neighbor of hers, Jorge Richardson. Richardson is unemployed and has a violent past. He has told Hunt that he served time for armed robbery in Texas. He has a history of domestic violence as well. Richardson suffers from mental illness and has a health care worker. Hornell City Police receive calls on him and always send out multiple officers... they appear to be afraid of him.
Despite this, Hunt has tried to help Richardson and his cat. In winter of 2025, he called her because he thought his cat was dying. She went to his home and saw this beautiful cat living amongst maggots, moldy food on the floor, chicken bones on the floor, and dishes in the bathtub. The cat was bleeding from his mouth and nose. Hunt made arrangements with Cozy Cat N Kittens rescue to get the cat vetted. They paid for vetting to save the cat's life so long as Richardson signed a surrender form. As it turned out, the cat had a severe respiratory infection from Richardson putting him outside so much. They did give Richardson the cat back provisionally with the condition that he start taking better care of him.
Fast forward to late February of this year. Hunt saw Jamison outside again during the frigid polar vortex temperature. As she feeds feral on her porch, he was coming there to feed. He was outside 24/7. She also saw Jamison's litter pan thrown in the garbage. What she did not see was Richardson looking for the cat. She did see him going into cars to get high and then going back to his house. After six days, she was able to get the cat to come int her house. She called Cozy Cats and they advised her the cat must be held for a five day stray hold. She did so and Richardson did not contact the Humane Society, post for his cat, or do anything to look for his cat.
10 days later, he saw the cat in Hunt's window. He began to scream, swear, film, and harass Hunt. She called the police for protection. Instead, for reasons unknown, they began to urge her and Oliver to "give the cat back," to Richardson because "he has mental illness," and they "didn't want something bad to to happen." In other words, they basically were making this cat a sacrificial lamb to this man's mental illness. Hunt and Oliver didn't want to do that. They protected Jamison as by law, the cat belonged to the rescue at this point. The Police charged them both criminally. Hunt and Oliver, braver than the whole police force put together, didn't back down.
Next, they police showed up and seized the cat on an Order signed by City of Hornell Judge David Coddington. The cat is now at the Humane Society. Now, there is a civil hearing tomorrow at 1pm before the City of Hornell Court. How this came about and who helped Mr. Richardson file an Order to Show Cause is a mystery and is a concern. Why both the Police Chief and Captain went to serve Oliver and Hunt is also a mystery. Or maybe it isn't. Maybe, as so often is the case in this obscene system, the abusers and abandoners are protected and the rescuers are persecuted.
In these cases, per state law, the Court should apply a best interest for all involved standard. That includes the interests of the cat. Oliver was at Richardson's house some months ago and there were STILL chicken bones all over the place despite her having warned him of the dangers to Jamison. Our lawyer will be arguing that it is not in this cat's best interest to go back to a violent felon to a home with maggots, mold, and where the cat has been abandoned. Hopefully, the Court will agree. Our attorney is taking on this case pro bono and is working hard on it. Tomorrow is just one step of the journey. There is still a criminal case. We may be getting juries all steps of the way here. Please consider donating to help Jamison have the life that he deserves and the rescuers to get the justice that they seek.
Admin: EM.
