Have you ever reported animal cruelty/neglect?

Olivia is a little cat that got dumped by my neighbor when he moved. I found her in horrible condition, obviously neglected.

I have been advised to report this. I have never done that before. I guess I'd like to know whether any of you have, and how it went, so I might know what to expect. I kind of doubt little Olivia will get any sort of justice, but if there's a chance it could do some good, maybe it would make sense to say something.

I have, I think it was in Olivias's thread tht I told about it. I don't know where you live, here in rural N GA it isn't a felony or anything, but some places they will investigate and fine the heck out of somebody. Maybe even ban them from pet ownership for a time, which I think sounds like a good idea for your neighbor. If it can be proven that the cat was his and he abandoned it they may even make him reimburse you for the vet bills. As I doubt she's ever been to a vet that may be hard to prove however, and he could always say tht he was planning to take her with him...

Yes. I have.

Get lots of pics of her poor condition!!! Do you have ASPCA or a Humane Society anywhere nearby? You can also question your local animal control - just don't let them take her.

I'd be afraid to report abuse. These things are supposed to be anonymous but they're not. I know this for a fact. It's possible for the abuser to find out who reported them. I've actually witnessed this when a defense lawyer let it slip to his client who reported him. You never know if someone will try to get back at you for reporting them. People are crazy.

People ARE crazy. I wouldn't report it unless under severe circumstances and even then, I wouldn't tell my name or give a general location of where I live.

I WOULD, however, try to track this jerk down and try to pin him down for the vet bills she will incur. He won't pay them, but at least he'll know he can't just dump and dash.

Abuse here is reported to the law enforcement center. You can do so anonymously - and I have a few times (on my own family, even). Do you have an Animal Control officer in your area to contact?

Yes I have they don't have a voice

Originally Posted by lilblu

I'd be afraid to report abuse. These things are supposed to be anonymous but they're not. I know this for a fact. It's possible for the abuser to find out who reported them. I've actually witnessed this when a defense lawyer let it slip to his client who reported him. You never know if someone will try to get back at you for reporting them. People are crazy.

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I with out a second thought would report any animal abuse I witnessed. It has never resulted to this for any of the animals I have helped save, or the cruel owners who abandoned them, but.......
Three years ago I found an abandoned Spaniel cowering in a drain. The poor thing was so dehydrated and in shock that she wouldn't walk and was temporarily blind. I fed her poached chicken and eventually got her to drink water. A neighbor came down and was concerned, offered to take her to the vet.
Three years later, Sugar is a new puppy, living with the neighbor who took her in. The benign tumors were removed and she is living a happy, healthy life!
If I witnessed the person who dumped her, you bet I would have reported it! If I ever witness any animal cruelty I would not hesitate to report it! No life should suffer in the hands of another, those who watch are just as guilty.

Originally Posted by lilblu

I'd be afraid to report abuse. These things are supposed to be anonymous but they're not. I know this for a fact. It's possible for the abuser to find out who reported them. I've actually witnessed this when a defense lawyer let it slip to his client who reported him. You never know if someone will try to get back at you for reporting them. People are crazy.

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That doesn't help the abused animal in any way, shape or form, and if witnesses to abuse don't report it, the authorities won't be able to stop it. Somebody has to stand up for the defenseless; those who don't are tacitly condoning abuse, IMO.

I reported people who left their dog chained in their backyard with a bowl of dry food and a bowl of water while they went away on vacation for a week. The poor thing had wrapped her chain around a tree, and couldn't reach the food and water, and was fully exposed to extreme heat and thunderstorms.

I also became embroiled in a months-long legal battle for refusing to return a kitten who had been left to her own defenses while her "family" went away for several weeks. They knew I had her because I'd reported a "found kitten" and distributed fliers and asked around the neighborhood, and had the gall to ask to have her back when they finally returned from vacation. No way (and the judge agreed with me).

I've reported a pet store to DNR. They had a lot of things wrong, but directly advertising and selling turtles under 4" is illegal - no hazy, grey middle ground on that one. It's a federal law.

I didn't live in that city so I don't know what the end result of my call was.

If a pet store is breaking the 4" law, one can always try reporting that. Depending on state, there are also a lot of native reptile species that cannot be sold. A lot of reptiles in pet stores are wild caught...

I have before and I will again. The last time I did I called and they did ask my name I told them I would rather not give it because I live in the area and they didn't push it.

A few years ago, when i decided my cat Smidgen could do with a playmate, i answered an add in my local paper saying "Kittens free to a good home" at a farm. Great i thought,perfect. I could picture the sceen,big farm house, mum and kittens curled up infront of the fire in the farm house kitchen etc ( You get he picture) Well i had never seen anything like it!!!! There was no mum and kittens, no lovely fire,in fact there was NO kitchen. The old lady who run the farm ( how she managed i dont know) lived in a small caravan. When i said i had come to see them re the add, she took me to a shed that had seen better days,which had no door just chicken wire ( this was in november, cold and fireworks) Inside were mum and kittens running riot. It was dark by this time and no light in the shed. It took the lady about 30mins to catch anything. There were tables and chairs in there from what i could see,and i thought the lady was going to have an accident,climbing on the tables etc. So i said i would go in and get one! I was very concerned and getting angry by this time. I put my arm in an bought out MR Struggles!! He was beautiful but so scared i was surprise his little heart didn't give out! I had bought with me a carrier to take im home with me but ( Im not kidding ) she refused to let me leave with this ball of black and white fluff unless "it" was put in an empty horse feed bag !!!!! I told her that wasn't going to happen, all i could think about was getting this kitten away from here asap.
They were all part wild, the only time she said she had anything to do with them was when she fed once a day. I got my kitten away and could not stop thinking about the others so i reported her and the farm got closed down within days. Mr Struggles ( thats what he was for a while!) eventually came out from behind the sofa after 2 weeks !! and over the years with patience and love eventually became a propper cat, and curled up on my lap ! I shed a few tears the day he did that !!!! Im glad i reported this, it shouldn't of been allowed some how in the first place.

Yes, I have. I contacted Animal Control for my town.

Yes, I have. I called Animal Control when neighbors' roaming cats were tormenting my indoor cats. And I have taken 3 cats that were neglected/kicked out of their homes to an animal shelter.

Yes, I've called the police on the neighbor by my mom's house several times, regarding several dogs, one left outside in extreme heat with a dumped water bowl (inside a tall fence that i couldn't get to) I called twice in 1 day actually, and the other was the lady's sister's dog in a cage outside in winter while it was sleeting!!! People suck. It's up to other people to report them since the animals can't.

We did, on the people that adopted two cats from us and returned them. We don't have local police, so we called the State troopers in the town, and they told us that here the SPCA is responsible for handling the whole thing, the legal prosecution and all. We reported them, documented it, our vet helped. The maximum penalty was a fine of $2,000 and a ban on pet ownership for two years.

Children and pets do not have a voice, and I would report either.

Laurie

Originally Posted by lilblu

I'd be afraid to report abuse. These things are supposed to be anonymous but they're not. I know this for a fact. It's possible for the abuser to find out who reported them. I've actually witnessed this when a defense lawyer let it slip to his client who reported him. You never know if someone will try to get back at you for reporting them. People are crazy.

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In my experience the type of person who abuses an animal is just your garden variety bully perhaps even a tad more cowardly. I have yet to meet a bully of any kind who does not slink away with it's tail between it's legs when confronted by someone who is not afraid. I have physically removed animals from the hands of abusers. I'm only a 5'2" tall woman, and no longer young, but no one has ever threatened me when I was too angry to be afraid.

I've reported animal cruelty. I've also pet napped animals to get them away from neglectful and/or abusive owners. And I would do it again in a heartbeat!!