The County of Los Angeles’s Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) are dedicated to the welfare of animals throughout the region and urge residents to report any suspected cases of animal abuse or neglect to the appropriate enforcement agency.
Animal control services can vary significantly between cities, and there are 10 organizations in Los Angeles County that investigate animal abuse. This can lead to confusion for residents trying to report incidents of animal neglect or cruelty.
Animal control officers are restricted by law to only enforce animal-related laws in the city or county jurisdictions that employ them and cannot enforce laws outside of those areas.
Nonprofit humane societies and SPCAs can investigate cases anywhere in the State of California, regardless of jurisdiction.
Police officers and sheriff deputies can always enforce animal cruelty laws.
To help the public understand which agency to report cases of animal abuse, DACC has developed a user-friendly service locator on its website and entering the address of where the incident is happening in the search box.
Residents can quickly identify the appropriate agency responsible for animal cruelty investigations for that area.
This tool provides the appropriate agency’s contact information, enabling faster responses from humane or animal control officers who can conduct investigations and assess the welfare of the animals involved.
“Every report of animal abuse or neglect is taken seriously, and we want to ensure that residents have the tools they need to report these incidents effectively,” said DACC Director Marcia Mayeda. “Our service locator simplifies the process, allowing residents to connect directly with the right agency, ensuring that animals in distress receive the help they need as quickly as possible.”
Best Practices For Reporting Animal Abuse:
DACC encourages people who witness animal abuse and neglect to report it immediately.
While reporting it to the correct agency is critical to timely and effective enforcement, collecting the following information will enable the officers to be most successful in investigating the potential crime. Witnesses should:
Prioritize their personal safety and not intervene. Observe and report and be a good witness for investigating officers.
Note as many details as possible, including the date and time of the incident, exact address, what happened, description of the animal, condition of the animal, description of the person(s) involved, including their physical appearance, clothing, vehicle, etc. Vehicle make/model/license plates/identifying damage, decals, and stickers help to better identify the vehicle.
Document what they see with photographs and video. Make sure the photos and video are clear and get as complete documentation as possible. Make sure videos stay focused on the incident or collecting information. Date and time stamp everything. Do not alter, crop, or enhance digital media as this could impact admissibility in court.
Identify other witnesses and determine if they are willing to also provide statements to officers. Get their names, phone numbers, and emails so officers can contact them for their witness statements.
Reporting animal cruelty to the appropriate agency, with as much detail and documentation as possible, helps to ensure timely and effective response to such incidents.
For nonemergency cases, report the complaint to the appropriate animal cruelty enforcement agency as identified through the Service Area Locator. Emergencies, such as physical abuse in progress, should be reported through the 911 system.
Reports may also be made to the federal animal abuse task force or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Ed. Note: The above information was provided to KHTS Radio by the DACC.
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