STEALING MISS HELEN ‘Ocean’s 3’ Attempt a High-Stakes Heist
YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF 5 Ways You Can Practice Self-Care
On a hot summer day in late July 2018, three people entered Miss Helen’s home, forcibly removed her, put her in a stroller, and ran toward their getaway vehicle. This might sound like a typical kidnapping story, but Miss Helen is no ordinary person. She is a 16-inch horn shark living at the San Antonio Aquarium. Fortunately, their fishy behavior didn’t go unnoticed, and someone alerted the aquarium staff. One perpetrator drove away with Miss Helen in tow, but the other two were stopped by aquarium staff, later confessing to their involvement. Thanks to some observant witnesses and aquarium surveillance, police were able to identify the third thief and obtain a warrant to search his house. As it turned out, he had an extensive aquarium in his home and possibly hoped to add Miss Helen to his collection. After being identified, Miss Helen was returned home safely. The aquarium staff was grateful to have Miss Helen back unharmed, despite her ordeal. “She’s a tough little horn shark, I’ll tell you that,” affirmed Jamie Shank, the assistant husbandry director at the aquarium. NO MINOR CRIME While many animal lovers might disagree, animals are considered personal property, so stealing them is a crime of theft, not kidnapping. The penalties for stealing animals vary depending on each state’s laws, and some states have specific laws regarding animal theft. In Texas, larceny law designates the theft of property valued between $1,500–$20,000 as a felony. In the case of Miss Helen, who’s valued by the aquarium at $2,000, the thieves committed a felony. Also, transporting certain animals requires special permits, which led to additional charges against the three thieves. The Animal Welfare Act, which was adopted in 1966, is the only federal law that regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and by dealers. Interestingly, it only applies to warm-blooded animals, so if Miss Helen had needed further protection, she would be left out in the cold.
As Melanie shared on the cover, caring for yourself can help you better care for those around you. While it might feel selfish to make time just for yourself, it’s beneficial to you and your loved ones who depend on your well-being. Decide when and how you’ll do it, set aside that time (maybe start with an hour each week), and make it a priority like you would an appointment with a friend or coworker.
Here are a few ways to make self-care happen this month.
FILL YOUR OWN BUCKET FIRST. What brings you joy? Maybe it’s something you want to get back to, or maybe it’s an entirely new hobby you get to fall in love with. Choose to dedicate EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Barbara is one of our two amazing litigation case managers at Rinehardt Law Firm. She’s been part of our team for almost 20 years. She came on board shortly after John opened the firm and is a valued member of our team who has enjoyed seeing our growth over the years. In her role, Barbara works diligently behind the scenes to manage the discovery process and ensure everything is organized for a case. Her work is crucial to helping our attorneys successfully argue our clients’ cases.
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