California
(I know this will be longer than it should be, but I'll do my best to be as brief as possible.)
Through a series of events related to my very difficult husband, I recently pled "no contest" to a violation of the building code and was
placed on summary probation for one year (I own the property he built upon without a permit). The same husband had previously owned a nice but frightening pit bull which he did not supervise. The dog injured the dog next door and the upshot was that the dog was seized and my husband forbidden to keep a dog for three years. He arranged for someone else to adopt his dog, then brought him back to my property. Both lived in the garage he had (illegally) converted.
The neighbor whose pet had been injured complained and Animal Control came with a search warrant. They again seized his poor dog, and also took my own inoffensive dogs and cat. My house is very old and not in the best repair, but my animals were well cared for and dearly loved. I did have more than the legal limit of dogs (the limit is three, over the years I had
acquired ten.)
I was in continual contact with animal control for the following weeks, and was told that my case had been referred to the City Attorney's office.
When I went to court the following month for an update on my efforts to get the garage re-converted, I was told that I was in violation of my summary probation as I had been found to have more dogs than the law permitted. The City Attorney evinced sympathy and concern, stating that he only wished to see my home repaired for the sake of my own well-being. He
expressed no doubt that my animals had been well cared for, and said that - as soon as the building inspector had assured him that necessary repairs had been made (the ceiling and floors have been damaged due to a chronically leaking roof), I could re-adopt three of my dogs and my cat. It was agreed that I could arrange for people I know to adopt all of the animals, in the meantime. He, literally, gave me his word that none would be euthanized. In return, I agreed to plead guilty to a violation of probation and to accept two additional years of said probation.
Nothing that he promised, either in private conference or on the record, was done. Instead, nearly all of my animals had already been adopted while Animal Services assured me they were not yet up for adoption, and at least one has been euthanized. The City Attorney was on vacation for two weeks and, when I finally reached him, he asserted that he had never made any such guarantees. I have requested my transcripts which, I know, will show that he did, indeed, make these assurances. Additionally, the building inspector remembers that he did so.
Now, what can I do? I am heartbroken at the loss and fates of my dear pets, and furious at this betrayal. Do I recourse of any kind? Thank you so much for any assistance anyone might provide, and for the patience it's taken to read all of this.

