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CAMDEN — A writer who has frequently visited Camden to organize events filed a lawsuit against PAWS Adoption Center in Camden and two of its employees, saying shelter staff refused to release her purebred bloodhound to her even after she proved ownership.
Eva Morris filed the lawsuit in Superior Court in April through Camden attorney Christopher MacLean and it lists PAWS and employees Meghan Austin and Shelly Butler as defendants.
PAWS has filed an answer to the suit dated April 20 denying the claims against it.
Morris, who lives in Arkansas, is an author and owner of Tiger Publishing. She visits Camden to organize an annual literary event in which writers read their stories to a local audience.
On Feb. 8, 2022, her 3-year-old bloodhound, Fabio, escaped from her friend’s workshop in Lincolnville and was taken in by PAWS. According to the lawsuit, when Morris attempted to retrieve her dog from the shelter, employee Meghan Austin would not allow her to have him. The dog had been a gift to Morris and at the time of the gifting was named “Rambo,” but she changed the name to “Fabio.”
The lawsuit goes on to say that Austin and fellow PAWS employee Shelley Butler contacted Camden Police and made false statements that Morris was an animal trafficker.
Morris made several attempts to retrieve her dog from PAWS bringing documents including vet records and a copy of his purebred registration and bringing friends to vouch for her ownership.
The lawsuit states that on...
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