A neighbor was arrested for dealing. Can we feed his cats?
March 14, 2015 1:09 PM Subscribe
My gf and I live in a white bread neighborhood in a major American city. A neighbor (let's call him Kyle) was just arrested for dealing serious drugs and won't be back home for some time. We had a passing acquaintance with Kyle (though no idea about any of the drug stuff) and he had previously asked us to care for his two cats when he was taking trips out of town.
The cats haven't been getting cared for since Kyle's arrest, and the landlord has been unable to contact any relatives or (as yet) get in touch with Kyle's attorney. As such, the landlord has asked us to go into the apartment and take care of the cats for the moment.
This is fine by us, but we are concerned that we'll be intruding on a crime scene or somehow otherwise running afoul of the law. We aren't certain if we should be calling the police to get permission for this, or if that'll be bringing in another whole level of trouble. Should we just go ahead and feed the cats? Should we move them? Should we call the cops?
The cats haven't been getting cared for since Kyle's arrest, and the landlord has been unable to contact any relatives or (as yet) get in touch with Kyle's attorney. As such, the landlord has asked us to go into the apartment and take care of the cats for the moment.
This is fine by us, but we are concerned that we'll be intruding on a crime scene or somehow otherwise running afoul of the law. We aren't certain if we should be calling the police to get permission for this, or if that'll be bringing in another whole level of trouble. Should we just go ahead and feed the cats? Should we move them? Should we call the cops?
This post was deleted for the following reason: poster's request -- LobsterMitten
Lawyer lawyer lawyer.
Lawyer so hard. The fact that you have already been in this home and just told the whole internet (I know, you're anonymous, but still)....means that you have been inside a crime scene and might be looking at some accessory issues. There are so many "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time" drug convictions, it will make your head spin if you go down the rabbit hole of reading them.
We have no idea what your jurisdiction is, or any other details.
Call a lawyer, contact Kyle's lawyer, do not take advice from your landlord or from strangers.
Also do not listen to the advice the police give you. The police are part of a machine designed to increase the number of convictions. Get any advice you receive in writing, to cover your own ass.
I say this as a person wildly and vehemently interested in protecting the welfare of cats. If you will go into this person's home without legal clearance to do so, bring a video camera and record everything you do. Remove the cats from the home and don't go back in.
posted by bilabial at 1:24 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Lawyer so hard. The fact that you have already been in this home and just told the whole internet (I know, you're anonymous, but still)....means that you have been inside a crime scene and might be looking at some accessory issues. There are so many "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time" drug convictions, it will make your head spin if you go down the rabbit hole of reading them.
We have no idea what your jurisdiction is, or any other details.
Call a lawyer, contact Kyle's lawyer, do not take advice from your landlord or from strangers.
Also do not listen to the advice the police give you. The police are part of a machine designed to increase the number of convictions. Get any advice you receive in writing, to cover your own ass.
I say this as a person wildly and vehemently interested in protecting the welfare of cats. If you will go into this person's home without legal clearance to do so, bring a video camera and record everything you do. Remove the cats from the home and don't go back in.
posted by bilabial at 1:24 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is there yellow tape over the door? Do not bypass yellow police tape.
Call the police non-emergency line. Get the cats out. Or call animal control and be present when they show up to liberate the cats.
You left a lot out of your question, like if there is yellow crime scene tape, which would make it obvious if you were disturbing a crime scene! In general you should not enter the premises without permission or the presence of authorities. You do not want to be implicated in this drug business.
posted by jbenben at 1:31 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Call the police non-emergency line. Get the cats out. Or call animal control and be present when they show up to liberate the cats.
You left a lot out of your question, like if there is yellow crime scene tape, which would make it obvious if you were disturbing a crime scene! In general you should not enter the premises without permission or the presence of authorities. You do not want to be implicated in this drug business.
posted by jbenben at 1:31 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
The owner of the property has requested that you enter it and provide cat care. If the place isn't sealed up, I think you have no worries doing so.
posted by thelonius at 1:37 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by thelonius at 1:37 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Mod note: Update from the OP:
There's no crime scene tape over the door. According to the landlord the place inside is a mess from when the cops were retrieving drugs, but isn't otherwise taped. Also - by "neighbor" I mean "neighbor in the same building". His landlord is our landlord.posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 1:38 PM on March 14, 2015
Call a local animal rescue operation and explain the situation. Give them the landlord's phone number and let them know whether you are willing to foster the cats. Meanwhile can the landlord feed/water the cats?
posted by zennie at 1:40 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by zennie at 1:40 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think going into your neighbor's flat is asking for trouble. Why can't the landlord take care of the cats?
Call whichever pet care agency is in your area, explain the situation and wash your hands off this mess.
posted by Kwadeng at 1:47 PM on March 14, 2015
Call whichever pet care agency is in your area, explain the situation and wash your hands off this mess.
posted by Kwadeng at 1:47 PM on March 14, 2015
IANYL and this isn't legal advice, but believe me, you don't need a lawyer to go in and take someone's cats at the landlord's request, and no, you're not making yourself an accessory to any crimes by being in someone's apartment to take his cats. If it makes you feel better, give the police precinct a call and tell them the story and make sure that you have clearance to go in, but please, don't go hiring a lawyer for this. Just get the landlord to let you in, take the cats out of the guy's apartment, and foster them until you can figure out what to do with them.
posted by holborne at 1:47 PM on March 14, 2015
posted by holborne at 1:47 PM on March 14, 2015
Yes, it feels to me like Landlord is passing the buck here. I'd be inclined to tell Landlord that you don't feel comfortable entering the apartment while Neighbor is under investigation; but that if Landlord can bring the cats to you, you'd be happy to take care of them at your place in the interim.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 1:48 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 1:48 PM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you were me and I was really, truly not associated with drug dealing or Kyle's drugs, and don't have any other cross-overs to that world to worry about, and aren't obviously getting into his stuff or taking things, I would have no hesitations to take care of Kyle's cats. It's what neighbours do, the landlord asked you to, and the police et al are going to understand that cats need to be fed. I also would probably take the cats back to my place because who knows how long Kyle will be locked up. I would skootch under police tape to retrieve the cats without touching anything if there is police tape, but otherwise just go on in. I would also probably bring my own food for them to avoid digging into cabinets etc, but your caution level might vary.
The only real issue that might make me hesitate to do this would be what my feelings were about dealing with Kyle in the future. I mean, I'd have to give the cats back and it could be awkward and maybe I wouldn't like him much any more. If I thought I would be fine with continuing to be a non-judgemental cat-sitting neighbour, then I would go ahead and play it by ear. If I thought that I am more inclined to now avoid Kyle or be afraid of him, then I might tell the landlord no, or ask him to ask Kyle to let me fully adopt the cats.
posted by dness2 at 1:54 PM on March 14, 2015
The only real issue that might make me hesitate to do this would be what my feelings were about dealing with Kyle in the future. I mean, I'd have to give the cats back and it could be awkward and maybe I wouldn't like him much any more. If I thought I would be fine with continuing to be a non-judgemental cat-sitting neighbour, then I would go ahead and play it by ear. If I thought that I am more inclined to now avoid Kyle or be afraid of him, then I might tell the landlord no, or ask him to ask Kyle to let me fully adopt the cats.
posted by dness2 at 1:54 PM on March 14, 2015
The landlord has keys. The landlord has legal rights to enter the apartment. Let him bring you the cats. Especially since he is also your landlord.
If you STILL want to go in and get the cats, get it in writing from your landlord that he won't do it and wants you to do it.
Or don't. Continue to believe that wherever you live, innocence is a guarantee that you won't spend lots of years in jail on a drug crimes conviction.
Myself, I wouldn't have that confidence here in America, and I am the whitest white lady you ever did see and I haven't so much as seen a nickel bag of pot in years.
posted by bilabial at 2:15 PM on March 14, 2015
If you STILL want to go in and get the cats, get it in writing from your landlord that he won't do it and wants you to do it.
Or don't. Continue to believe that wherever you live, innocence is a guarantee that you won't spend lots of years in jail on a drug crimes conviction.
Myself, I wouldn't have that confidence here in America, and I am the whitest white lady you ever did see and I haven't so much as seen a nickel bag of pot in years.
posted by bilabial at 2:15 PM on March 14, 2015
Ok, you know what? The OP is not going to get convicted of drug crimes for going into the frigging apartment at the landlords request and getting the cats, and he's not going to spend "lots of years in jail on a drug crimes conviction" unless he is actually, you know, trafficking drugs. Caution is fine, but sorry, that's just overwrought, for god's sake.
posted by holborne at 2:32 PM on March 14, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by holborne at 2:32 PM on March 14, 2015 [5 favorites]
Lawyer lawyer lawyer.
LOL, no. Go into the apartment with the landlord and get the cats. He has the legal right to enter.
posted by killdevil at 2:38 PM on March 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
LOL, no. Go into the apartment with the landlord and get the cats. He has the legal right to enter.
posted by killdevil at 2:38 PM on March 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
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