Just over a year ago, our clinic was saddened to hear of the passing of a client of ours, Judge Anne Workman. She’d lost her battle against melanoma. We would no longer see her come in with her schnauzer Squizzy or her squirrel-colored tabby cat Trevor. She has always loved animals and was a great advocate for rescues. A thorough, wonderful summary of her achievements and community service can be found in herobituary.

Some of my fondest memories are of her cat Simon, who passed away in 2005 from cancer, and her schnauzer Bismark. Simon would stand on a table and wrap his front legs around your neck in a tight bear hug and rub your chin fiercely. If you tried to end the hug before he wanted, he’d pull you back in! He also bossed Bismark around, but they got along well. Bizzy was a very sweet boy, but he knew that Simon was the alpha! Simon’s own cancer was removed from the tips of his ears, giving him a most unique look. He was a very handsome cat, and the “cropped” ears only enhanced that. Squizzy was her second schnauzer and after the judge’s death he was adopted by a Dekalb County courts employee. As Judge Workman requested, Trevor now lives at Briarcliff Animal Clinic as one of our clinic cats, along with the previous resident, Lily. They like to roam the halls with our night technician after hours to make sure everything is in order.

Anne Workman worked in the Dekalb County courts for 35 years. She was one of the few female lawyers at the time she became prosecutor (and the first female prosecutor in Dekalb County), and worked her way up to Superior Court Judge. Her extraordinary work ethic and reputation for not tolerating foolishness made her a fierce presence in the courtroom. When it came to animals, however, she had a huge soft spot. Her tireless work on behalf of those who could not fight for themselves has changed the lives of many animals. Several charities she supported included our own Briarcliff Animal Foundation, Atlanta Pet Rescue and Adoption, Friends of Dekalb Animals, and Best Friends Animal Society. In her will, she left generous donations to each of these rescues so that we can all continue the work that she supported. We want to thank her for her gift to B.A.F., which will allow us to treat rescue animals who are sick or hurt. Her legacy of caring for pets in need will live on and we are truly grateful.