In my interview with Beth Brookhouser of the SPCA for Monterey County and the before-and-after photo gallery, viewers learn how to identify neglect and abuse, and how to help authorities help animals in need.
Have you helped an animal in need by reporting to authorities or speaking to the person responsible for the animal in need? How did it turn out? Can you offer advice to others on how to help? Do you have advice for humane organizations to better reach the public?
Please share your story here. Note: please do not 'reply' to other submissions. This is your own mini-article on the subject designed to help others. Share why and how to help
We Need Your Help
- I know that it can sometimes be frustrating to report animal cruelty and feel like you’re not getting a response. Like most agencies, we lack the staffing levels to drive around looking for cruelty. We completely rely on reports from our community. Keep in mind that it is rarely lack of caring that can cause a slow or undesirable response. What an animal lover’s heart says and what the actual laws says are often quite different. I want to again stress that all SPCA’s are independent, and animal control is different from humane societies, so it’s always important to try again with a new agency. Sadly, cruelty will never end but we are all working together to make our world better for animals. It’s always going to be an uphill climb, but we need you to stay with us and not give up due to frustration with the system or sadness that more animals will be treated poorly in the future. The more animals we can help, the better it will be for everyone. And to do that, we need you.
- —Guest Beth Brookhouser
NJSPCA was helpful to me
- A few years ago, my new next door neighbors were mistreating their very sick old housecat. (They threw him out and made him an outdoor cat, and he REALLY wanted remain an indoor cat. He was outside in all kinds of awful weather, and other animals ate the food they left outside for him.) I was in touch with the NJSPCA and they were very willing to send an investigator and list the complainant (me) as "Anonymous." In the end, though, we just took the cat inside our house (despite some allergy issues), and his "owners" didn't notice or didn't care, so I didn't have the SPCA come. But I corresponded several times via email with a lieutenant in the NJSPCA Law Enforcement Division, and he was very supportive.
- —Guest NE
Rumford, Maine, has Good ACO
- The animal control officer in Rumford, Maine, Marsha McKenna, is aggressive in protecting domestic animals, specifically dogs and cats. She also has a deputy who is on call through the police department I have reported what I felt was animal neglect to Marsha and she reacted promptly and improved tshe condition of the dogs at least slightly. One point Marsha makes is she needs animal lovers to be her eyes and ears. She also runs the animal shelter and adoption agency and does not have time to patrol the streets. Please don't give up on your ACO's without trying them first.
- —Packingpadre
Humane Officer Not Much Help
- My neighbors got a pit bull puppy a couple summers ago. They tied it to a 10-foot chain in their front yard with no shelter from the sun, and no food or water nearby. On July 4, they went away for the day - from early in the morning until 11:00 at night - and left the puppy tied to the chain with no food or water. He cried all day, and my other neighbor and I went over and gave him water and untangled his chain, which was wrapped around the pole. They continued to ignore the dog, and the only time they ever paid attention to it was when they screamed at it to shut up. It broke my heart. He was a really nice puppy despite the way they treated him. I called the local Humane Officer twice on them. The first time, she came out and talked to them, but nothing was done and they continued abusing the puppy. The second time, I don't even know if she came out. We were going to steal him and give him to someone who would love him. Thankfully, they eventually gave the puppy away.
- —Guest Pam
Where do you turn?
- When you have contacted all available agencies in the area and you have no help, not even from the Humane Society where do you turn? I understand not everyone is an animal lover or cares as much but it is very frustrating to get referred from one agency to the other with no results when you have i.e.; a dog on a chain wrapped around a tree, heat of August, no water or shelter available, owner threatens me then I try to help the dog. Absolutely no help! I am at the end of my rope with Mississippi and their "non"agencies.
- —Guest Jenn
NO HELP FOR DOGS
- Apparently in Mississippi very few people care about their pets. I have reported to no avail, I have taken in dumped dogs, dropped off dog houses for free to dogs with no shelter, put food in the yard of starving dogs, given dog food to neglectful owners. It breaks my heart to see this abuse on a daily basis with no consequences for the owners. I have taken in a German Shorthair and kept and he has turned out to be the best dog, I have one in a kennel now that I rescued after it was dumped at a nearby church and is a very loving and smart dog. We have also experienced more times than not people leaving their pets when abandoning rental houses that we own and this was long before the economy got bad. I lose sleep at night trying to figure out ways to help these precious animals when it seems no one else cares. There is no enforcement of any sort in my county or possibly the state. My goal is to open a no kill shelter.
- —Guest Jenn
Unfortunately, a very bad experience
- I took in a horribly matted, extremely emaciated stray. Turns out he was brought to me the same day he escaped from his yard so his condition was not due to fending for himself on the streets - the owners had allowed him to get in that condition. The owners found out I had the dog and wanted the dog returned to them. I contacted NJ State SPCA to press cruelty/neglect charges against the owner. The SPCA was very unresponsive and slow in dealing with this. I had obtained veterinarian and groomer statements regarding the horrid condition of the dog. After 6 weeks of the nursing dog back to health, I was ordered by the NJ State SPCA to return the dog to his owner or face grand theft charges. An attorney advised me I had no choice as dogs are considered property in NJ. The owner was supposed to reimburse expenses but gave a bogus address and never paid. NJ State SPCA officer promised follow-up visits with me but would never respond to my inquiries.
- —Guest Daniela
PAM
- I reported someone for neglect and I was treated like a trouble-maker by Animal Control and the police. The dog eventually escaped and rescued himself.
- —Guest PAM
