How To Report Animal Cruelty and Neglect

One of the most important things you can do to help animals in your community is to report animal cruelty or neglect. Don’t remain silent or be afraid to reach out—there are many resources and professionals who can help. Remember, the animal or pet being abused or neglected is a helpless, innocent, voiceless victim who has no ability to protect or defend itself, so it’s up to you to speak up and take action.

Notify the Police and County Animal Shelter

Even though every state and county is different, you can immediately call 9-1-1 or your local police department and your local county animal control to report the neglect or abuse. Provide them with a written factual statement of what you witnessed, and include the time and date. Take photos or videos of the neglect or abuse. Try to take as many photos as possible or video capturing the entire incident, to visually substantiate what you witnessed. If there were other witnesses, talk with them, and get their written accounts and include their name, contact information, and date and time of the incident. Make and keep copies of all the documents you have submitted for your own file, don’t give away all of your original documentation.

Get an Expert Witness Testimony

Get an expert witness if you can by taking the cat, dog or wildlife to a veterinarian or wildlife hospital who will document the neglect or abuse. They can give their “expert opinion” through a signed statement, which can then be used in the case or in a court of law.

Keep Track of Who You Called

Keep track of who you called—get their name and date you called, as well as some details about the next steps. Let the officer know that you are willing to testify to the facts that you reported and that you want to pursue the case.

Follow Up

Follow up on the next steps noted in a couple of days and if the original officer you followed up with is not responsive, then contact their supervisor or head of the department. Call the County Commissioner to ask them to take action and say you would like them to swear out a warrant to summon the accused person to court.

Don’t Give Up!

Don’t give up! Keep pursuing the case until you’re satisfied that all has been done to document the case and get a court case filed. Be willing to attend the court case, and offer to be on the stand as a witness in the case.

Download App Called LiveSafe

There’s a new app called LiveSafe to report animal neglect and cruelty to law enforcement. You can easily download to your mobile phone with iTunes and Google Play. The app enables you to: (1) Report tips anonymously to safety officials; (2) Share your location with safety officials in an emergency; (3) Start a SafeWalk with your friends or family (4) See crimes and safety info in your area. You can get the free mobile app at the iTunes Store or on Google Play. You can link it to Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) for more support.

Remember, as hard as it is, you’re doing it for the innocent, voiceless animal that can’t defend or protect themselves. Do it for them!

How To Report Cruelty in a Pet Store or by an Animal Breeder

For concerns about animal cruelty in pet stores, please contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) at (301) 851-3751, www.aphis.usda.gov, or [email protected]. The USDA will direct you to the appropriate regional department to which you will be asked to submit your complaint in writing.

How to Report Animal Cruelty in Laboratories

Whether you work in a laboratory or learn of a cruel experiment, negligence, mistreatment or preventable accident that hurt an animal – always speak up and report the cruelty immediately. Here’s how.

Document the cruelty or neglect by taking photos, taking a video, documenting the location, address, people involved by emailing PETA at [email protected] calling 757-962-8383. You can report these anonymously.

Any one of these are grounds for animal cruelty in laboratories.

Animals who have been sickened or injured in experiments in laboratories, classrooms, or medical training courses
Animals who are not receiving adequate veterinary care
Animals who show signs of distress (e.g., pacing in their cages or self-mutilating)
Animals who are given insufficient pain relief during or after painful procedures
Animals who are caged in a manner that leads to aggression and attacks on one another
Animals in filthy or dangerous housing (e.g., cages with broken wires)
Animals without sufficient food or water
Animals who are killed in painful ways (e.g., mice who have their heads cut off with scissors or live animals who are placed in freezers)
Primates who are kept in barren cages
Animals who are identified in cruel ways (e.g., by amputation of their toes)
Animals experimented on when non-animal alternatives are available
Animals cruelly transported to a laboratory via truck, plane, or ship