How To Report Animal Abuse Appropriately

Witnessing animal abuse is never pleasant, no matter the animal. As a nation of animal-lovers, most Australians share HUHA’s philosophy that every animal deserves a safe, happy life. Animals can’t speak for themselves, which is why it’s so important people seek help for those in danger. This article explains how to report animal abuse if you encounter it.

As New Zealand’s leading no-kill animal shelter, HUHA receives at least 40 calls a month from concerned citizens about potential animal abuse. For this article we borrowed some expertise and insights from across the pond by speaking to HUHA’s founder, Carolyn Press-McKenzie.

What counts as animal abuse?

Animal abuse isn’t always as clear cut as we might think. This can cause confusion when it comes to knowing how to report animal abuse, and even if something needs to be reported.

Abuse comes in a lot of different forms. That may be ignorance, neglect or cruelty, or sometimes just a lifestyle choice or differing opinion. A dog sleeping outside in bad weather, for instance, might not be what everyone would call abuse.  

How can you tell the difference between abuse and something you mightn’t agree with but isn’t actually abusive?

Carolyn says, “when you find an animal in distress you can usually tell by looking at the state of the animal if something is wrong. For example, has the neglect or abuse been long term, such as in an underweight, mangy dog? Is it in a situation which is causing it obvious pain or distress? If the animal needs to be removed immediately then that is a very serious case of animal abuse.”

How to report animal abuse – top tips

Animal abuse takes many forms and some incidents are more serious than others. The steps that you can take to report animal abuse depend on the scenario.

The common denominator though, is that you should always report the abuse with as many details as possible. And, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to reporting cases of abuse or neglect.

Who to call if you encounter animal abuse

If you’ve witnessed animal abuse that you feel is urgent or incredibly serious then the best thing to do is immediately call 000 to get emergency services involved.

If it’s possible, contacting law enforcement first is always a good call. They have more jurisdiction and can seize animals, issue search warrants, and can even go as far as issuing disqualification of ownership. Speaking to law enforcement is a good first step to assess whether what the person being reported is doing is actually illegal, or just poor practice.

Sometimes though, law enforcement is unable to help and the situation is more oriented around animal welfare rather than animal abuse. That is, the animal might not be in any immediate and/or serious danger. In these cases, getting the right alternative authorities out to see the animal is important. Here’s where a phone call to an animal welfare organisation, reputable shelter, or the RSPCA would be appropriate.

What else can I do when reporting animal abuse?

If it’s safe to do so, please take photos or videos. Sometimes the authorities are unable to judge the seriousness of the situation from a phone call. Visuals can give law enforcement or animal rescue organisations a much clearer idea of what they’re dealing with.

Another tip is that if you’re somewhere unfamiliar, use Google Maps to drop a pin so that you can identify the location later.

Should you follow up after reporting animal abuse?

Carolyn from HUHA says that following up after you’ve reported animal abuse is really important. “After reporting an incident, a lot of people feel unheard or worry that nothing will be done as a result of their call. As you report the incident, request a follow up call so that you know someone has attended and that the animal is ok.”

If there’s no follow up, it’s possible the job has been missed. Or, the person who took the call hasn’t realised how serious the incident is. In these cases even if you feel a bit unsure about yourself, it’s really important to be a “squeaky wheel”. Just keep on calling.

This is one of the areas where animal welfare organisations can try to help, by looking to find other ways to get the animal the assistance that is required.