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Legal Internship Program
More information on the legal internship program (PDF)
American Rotweiller Club Final Internship ReportMy name is Juan Michelen, and I am a Miami, Florida native. I am currently a second year law student at Fordham Law School in New York City. Fordham is New York City’s oldest Jesuit University. It has earned widespread acclaim as a leader in American legal education. I am also pursuing a Masters in Election & Campaign Management at Fordham. From 2004-2008 I attended Florida State University. While there I received two B.A. degrees, one in History and another in Communication Studies. The first year of law school was definitely an adventure. Mostly, however, it helped me to have a better idea of what it is I want to do with my life. I would like to use my law school education, coupled with the Masters in Election & Campaign Management, to pursue a career in political consulting. When faced with the opportunity to intern at the American Rottweiler Club, I did not hesitate. Not only have I been a lifelong dog owner, but my strong interest in Constitutional Law attracted to me to the legal issues that ARC constantly faces. Whether it be fighting breed specific legislation, or trying to secure a dog owner’s property rights in their animal, the legal issues that ARC deals with are relevant not only to dog owners, but to society at large. These issues are at the very core of all our constitutional rights, and it is imperative for all to be aware, that infringing upon one person’s constitutional right is the same as infringing on all of our constitutional rights. Although I have owned dogs my entire life, I was not aware of all the legal issues that affect dog ownership in this country. I was made aware of all this upon joining the ARC team. At times it has been hard to believe how controversial some of the issues are. People love their dogs and are willing to do anything for them. It is not love, however, that motivates their endeavor. Love will only get them so far. Belief in our system of law is what allows ARC and other organizations like it, to continually fight those who in the name of unfounded science, and perhaps for a few more votes in the next election, systematically attempt to infringe on other’s rights. My first project upon joining the ARC team was to compile a list of all the Veterinary Medical Associations throughout the country and to document their stance on ear cropping and tail docking. The AVMA had recently released their new stance and we wanted to see whether other VMA’s were following suit. The AVMA has taken the position that ear cropping and tail docking is inhumane, unnecessary, and unhygienic, and therefore should not be practiced. One’s first impression might be that this seems like a reasonable position. Upon closer inspection, however, we can see that there is much more going on here. First and foremost, if done properly these procedures should not be unhygienic and inhumane. It is also not true that these procedures are unnecessary. There are many breeds that benefit from having their tail docked. Many times tails can get caught in fences, and this could injure the animal. More important than all this, however, is the legal issues implicated in the AVMA’s stance. It is our position at ARC that this sort of stance serves as a backdoor method to achieving a completely different type of goal. It is common for breeds like the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier to have their tails docked and ears cropped. These breeds, commonly known as “Pit Bulls”, also carry many stigmas. They are usually seen as the dog of choice for gang members and other outcast classes. Many believe that legislation like that proposed by the AVMA would be used to unfairly and unjustly target these groups of people. Not only are the stigmas associated with Pit Bulls unfounded, but “anti-Pit bull” legislation is now being used to unconstitutionally target specific groups of people. Imagine a scene in which a police officer could pull over a “suspicious looking” person walking their dog, just because the dog happens to have its ears cropped. This sort of example could snowball. Picture a situation in which a police officer has the right to walk into your backyard, and take your property simply because the dog’s ears are cropped. Where is the warrant? Where is due process? These are the questions that ARC demands answers to. The second project I worked on this summer had to do with breed specific legislation. Whether it is a political tool or legislation simply based on erroneous and outdated science, many counties and municipalities are passing breed specific legislation. The breed most affected is the “Pit bull”. This project consisted of organizing a list of all the cases past and present, dealing with breed specific legislation. This was my favorite assignment. I had the opportunity to read many cases and was able to see which were winning and which were losing arguments. Although it definitely seems like an uphill battle, I believe that at the end of the day, breed specific legislation will be deemed unconstitutional nationwide. In a nutshell, breed specific legislation, has managed to deprive many people of their property without due process and it has been done in the name of baseless and irrational science. The means in this case, do not justify the ends. Interning at ARC this summer has been a great experience, and I am extremely grateful to have been given this opportunity. I also feel that having been the first ARC intern, I have somewhat gotten attached to all the projects I have started. I would love to stay on the ARC team and see how these legal battles play out. The legal issues that ARC attempts to fight involve some of our most basic constitutional rights. Sometimes fear and ignorance take the place of reason and law. This is what makes ARC’s fight so important. Above all else, the law should always prevail. Best,
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The
ARC Board recently approved a new 