Ask-a-Lawyer 2021 Scheduled

Faith Orlowski is a legend in the animal law community. She started the TCBA Animal Law Committee years ago, served on the board of the Tulsa SPCA for too many years to count, helped establish other nonprofit animal welfare organizations, and provided advice and counsel to numerous animal organizations and animal lovers. She was the TCBA’s go-to person for any question that related in any way to animals and the law. How can I provide for my pet after my death? Who gets a pet in a divorce? What do I do if my dog bites another dog but that other dog growled first? If someone’s dog keeps coming to my house asking for treats, can I keep it? Will you sue my neighbor because her cat keeps defecating on my front porch? (No.) Faith helped plenty of people and organizations with their legal questions, large and small, and she also took in many pitiful, Charlie Brown Christmas tree looking dogs and cats, some of whom only a pet parent could love.

In honor of Faith’s commitment to animals and those who love them, and her willingness to volunteer her time and talent to advance their welfare, the Animal Law Committee is celebrating her legacy by establishing the Faith Orlowski Animal Law Award to be presented to a law student member of the TCBA who is committed to advancing the welfare of animals. The award will be presented at the Annual Meeting.

Each year the Animal Law Committee supports efforts by local non-profits to positively impact the lives of animals and people through Lawyers Against Pawverty. This year the committee has chosen the Tulsa Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as the beneficiary of Lawyers Against Pawverty in honor of Faith Orlowski.

Faith was a longtime Tulsa SPCA board member, avid supporter, and extraordinary resource. She was dedicated to the Tulsa SPCA, a nonprofit that was formed in 1913 with a mission to improve the lives of dogs and cats, and their human companions in the Tulsa area. In addition to its shelter and pet adoptions, the Tulsa SPCA has a cruelty investigator, a program for volunteers to take pets to visit nursing homes, and a clinic that provides low-cost vaccinations, preventative care, microchipping, and spay/neuter services.

As a way to honor Faith and her legacy, the Tulsa SPCA is building a permanent memorial in her honor. It will be a beautiful place for people and their newly adopted pets to take their “going home” photos. The funds raised by Lawyers Against Pawverty will be used to help build this permanent memorial.

Lawyers Against Pawverty has grown and can’t all be packed into one month anymore. We have a variety of entertaining activities planned this year. In June, the Animal Law Committee sponsored Tulsa SPCA Paws & Pictures Movie Night at the Admiral Twin. People could take their dogs, pet others’ dogs, visit adorable kittens available for adoption, nab some special dog (and people) treats, and even try a yoga class with a four-legged friend.