Animal control investigating CEO of Richmond SPCA
Low-income pet owners get help at SPCA clinics
The 16-year-old dog of Robin Starr, CEO of the Richmond SPCA, died last week after being left in her hot car.
Richmond's Animal Care and Control Division is investigating the heat-related death of a dog belonging to the head of the Richmond SPCA.
Jody Jones, program manager for animal control, said in a statement yesterday that while the case remains under investigation, "at this time, charges are not forthcoming for Robin Starr."
Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA and an outspoken advocate for animals.
The nonprofit organization's board of directors has rallied in support of Starr amid calls from the public that she step down. Starr said Wednesday that she has no plans to resign from the position she has held since 1997.
City spokesman Michael Wallace said he couldn't comment on specifics of the investigation because it's ongoing.
Tabitha Frizzell Hanes, community-relations manager for the Richmond SPCA, said Starr and her husband, Ed, have not been contacted in regard to any investigation.
"The assistant commonwealth attorney said there is no basis for any charges in a public statement. We have no idea what there is to investigate."
Tracy Thorne-Begland, chief deputy commonwealth's attorney, said the facts of the case don't meet the criteria for animal cruelty under Virginia law -- a willful or intentional act that harms an animal.
However, he said, if evidence comes to the commonwealth's attorney's office that points to a possible criminal act, "we'll look at it.
"At this point in time, what we have is a lapse in memory, a lapse in judgement, but not something that rises to criminal conduct because there is no evidence of an intentional act by either party to abandon the dog in the summer heat," he said.
Starr's 16-year-old dog died last week after being left in a car for nearly four hours when the temperature outside was around 90 degrees. On Wednesday, Ed Starr took responsibility for the dog's death.
He said he recalled putting the couple's dog -- a deaf and blind cocker spaniel and poodle mix named Louie -- into the rear of his wife's station wagon Aug. 19 as she prepared for her first day back to work after a 10-day vacation. But he said he failed to tell his wife he had put the dog into the car.
It wasn't until Robin Starr left her office about noon that day -- after the dog had spent nearly four hours alone in the car -- that she discovered Louie, showing signs of heat stroke.
Louie died around midnight after veterinarians were unable to restore the pet's kidney functions.
The SPCA began educational outreach Wednesday relating to Louie's death.
"We've always emphasized a pet should not be intentionally left on a hot day in a vehicle because it can always end in tragedy," Hanes said. "In this case there was no intent or knowledge of the dog's presence."
On its Web site, the SPCA has posted tips about the need for reminders so a pet is not missed. Those tips include putting the pet's leash on the passenger seat, clipping it to your purse or hanging it around your neck. Attaching a note somewhere or hanging a tag from the rearview mirror also are recommended.
Contact Jeremy Slayton at (804) 649-6861 or
.
Staff writer Emily C. Dooley contributed to this report.
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Reader Reactions
The bottom line is that this could happen to anyone. In fact, accidents like this happen often but since the common person is not a major figure who actively criticizes animal-abusers, those stories are not publicized [Media 101: report controversial stories and maximize exposure]. To claim that because of her position, she is above making a mistake is ridiculous. Mrs. Starr and her family have been candid about this event in the hopes that we all realize that mistakes, whatever the form, can happen to ANY pet owner.
Her contributions to animals and the Richmond community DO matter. People want to criticize her harsh opposition against Vick and other animal abusers? She leads with conviction, fighting for an issue that few people put on the top of their agenda. Whether or not you agree with her stance on these matters (which let’s face it, how can you not stand against animal cruelty?) you have to respect the fact that she has put herself out there when very few others have. Ironically enough, in the past few days many of you have displayed ill-rooted, uneducated and irrational fervor against her. Whether motivated by misinformation or bitterness, you have made an embarrassment out of the Richmond community. Your lack of loyalty and humanity is what is wrong with much of our society.
I am thrilled to hear Mrs. Starr will continue to serve as CEO of the R-SPCA. We need more leaders like her.
It’s truly amazing to me how many people are distorting what happened. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT-If you don’t care for the SPCA or Ms. Starr you have the right to that opinion but don’t use your feelings to distort the facts of this unfortunate situation. Feelings do not create facts!!!!I never knew so many perfect people lived in Richmond, Va.
Charlotte, apparently Mrs. Starr often took the dog to work; in particular, she took the dog to work on the days that the Starr’s cleaning lady came because she felt that the cleaning lady’s activities were upsetting to the dog.
The day of the incident was one of the days the cleaning lady came, so apparently Mr. Starr assumed that the dog was going to work with Mrs. Starr as usual and put the dog into the car.
So, Mr. Starr didn’t tell Mrs. Starr that the dog was in the car and Mrs. Starr didn’t bother to check or remember that that day was a cleaning day, for that matter. Or perhaps she knew it was a cleaning day and decided to let the dog ride it out at home instead of taking the dog to work. Who knows?
I’m still confused about why, exactly, her husband put the dog in the car. While I can understand getting out of a vehicle and not checking to make sure it’s empty (I don’t check every time I get out of mine), I can’t understand just putting a dog in a car for no reason. I wish I could think this truly was an accident, but until somebody can answer that question, it seems a bit…well…odd.
(I might even accept that the dog climbed in there himself, our cat used to do that and we -did- check the car for him before leaving it locked…but…um, our cat was not geriatric…)
Lets do something get your signs and go to their function tonight a show your disapproval of her. Bring a sign, do not make a spectical just make your point known
7PM
320 Hull Street
Richmond, VA 23224
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To Kenny’s comment that we hold people who are in charge to a higher standard, I agree with that. But it is a code of morals you are talking about, not a code of law. The code of law in our country treats every person the same way, regardless of their position, or what they know or should have known. It just doesn’t work like that. This animal cruelty law requires willful behavior. What about negligence, someone asked? Negligence is when someone knows the risk and ignores it (thus, neglect). It is the failure to act (whereas willful behavior is positive action). Still, negligence requires some knowledge, and that is what is absent here. No one has been able to prove that there is any evidence that Mrs. Starr knew the dog was in the car. And you cannot charge someone of a crime in this country without any evidence. You all know that. In some other countries, that is not the standard, people get charged based on suspician, with no evidence whatsoever. But that is simply not how America’s legal system works.
And to whoever said last night that I must not get out much if I wouldn’t have noticed a dog in a car… I wish that were the case. I work outside my home for 60 hours a week, and have both fur babies and human children. My dogs are labs, so you are right, there is no way that I would not have noticed my dogs in my car. But this didn’t happen to me. This happened to someone else and unless you can get into her head to prove that she knew differently and demonstrate some evidence to that fact, there is NO WAY that this is a misdemeanor.
Equating this to Vick is just laughable… but you will remember that people suspected Vick of dogfighting for months and months before he was convicted. The police had to wait and gather evidence, and during a mass coverup by his posse, more dogs died. Still, I am glad the legal system worked the way it did because if he really had no knowledge or willfull behavior himself, he shouldn’t have been charged.
So it is now legal to leave your pet in your car in 90 degree weather, as long as you used bad judgement? or it was an accident? There are no accidents, just mistakes that in this case call for some sort of prosecution. If they deem Mrs. Starr inocent , then charge the husband. If not this could be the new and cheapest way of putting your pet down. Richmond is supposed to be moving further in this country, not backwards as the rest of the country is looking at us now.
Everyone has suggested we have empathy, and forgiveness for this period of difficulty in her life at the loss over a pet.
Understandable.
The “negative” comments to which people are referring is the fervor in which she went after an 85 year old stroke victim whose pets died, and Michael Vick, who was punished, served his time, and then introduced back into society.
Her lack of empathy for those two individuals causes others to have a lack of empathy for her.
Remember, you reap what you sow.
I’m trying to wrap my brain around the logic of this outrage. If Ms Starr’s husband had been the SPCA executive, maybe there would be grounds for all of this grousing from the peanut gallery.
But his failure to text her or call her is not an offense that can be hung around her neck. How was she supposed to know the dog was in the back of the station wagon if he didn’t tell her?
There’s way too much judging and not enough common sense here.
I agree with cro22, it sounds like they cooked up a story to throw her husband under the bus to save her career. Politicians and steroid-using athletes like to either use their spouse as a human shield or blame them for their problems, so you see the kind of company she is keeping.
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