Legal top dogs to act pro bono

JOHN SELKIRK/The Dominion Post

THEY'VE GOT CRUELTY LICKED: Stuart Grieve, QC, and SPCA dog Dancer. Mr Grieve and others will give their services free in cruelty cases.

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A team of top lawyers have offered their services for free to help the SPCA take animal abuse cases to court.

The scheme will see more than 20 Auckland QCs, senior barristers and partners of law firms become members of a "pro bono panel of prosecutors" that will take difficult cruelty cases.

SPCA inspectors are legally able to bring serious animal offenders before a court. However, the society has to foot the bill for the legal action.

From today, the team will do the work, saving the SPCA about $40,000 a year.

Stuart Grieve, QC, who recently represented broadcaster Tony Veitch, said the initiative was a good cause and could provide some interesting work. "I wouldn't say I was an obsessional animal lover, but I do love dogs."

He believes the scheme should be rolled out in other areas, and would like lawyers in Christchurch and Wellington to join up.

Until now, Auckland lawyer Jo Wickcliffe has conducted initial prosecution of cases for free but charged for defended hearings, of which there were about seven last year. In these instances, the pro bono team will now step in.

As well as giving their time for free, the team is expected to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"I hope they are ready for the level of work we generate," SPCA Auckland general manager David Lloyd-Baker said.

The money the branch saves on legal fees will go toward caring for the increasing number of animals surrendered to the society because of the recession.

About two animals a day are now given up to the branch, which is significantly more than the two a week seen before the global economic crisis.