Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.
All Critters
Pet Guardian Responsibilities
And Animal Well-Being
A Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization
All donations are tax deductible
Copyright © 1997 - 2010
How to Report Animal Abuse
"If we can stop one heart from breaking, we shall not live in vain;
If we can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin unto it's nest again,
We shall not live in vain."
~ Emily Dickinson, English Poet
Report any act of cruelty or neglect you see to the humane investigator at your local humane society, animal control department or SPCA, and demand it be investigated.
Contact your local law enforcement and public prosecutor and provide them with your evidence. Ask them to uphold the laws of your state by investigating and prosecuting crimes that occur within their jurisdiction. Depending on where you live, the City Attorney, County Attorney, District Attorney or State Attorney is responsible for prosecuting animal cruelty cases. Check with your local government office or contact ALDF to determine which prosecuting office is the appropriate one to contact in your jurisdiction.
In situations that involve unsanitary conditions, contact your health department.
If the above agencies are unwilling to proceed, contact your state attorney and ask them to intervene.
Do not accept the 'boys will be boys' excuse from prosecutors who refuse to charge juveniles with animal cruelty. Talk to your elected officials (mayor, town council, etc.) and ask them for help. Contact the media and ask that they do a story about the situation; write letters to the editor (see additional letter writing information below); call local talk radio shows; organize other members of the community to contact the prosecutors's office.
Use the power of the Internet to organize specific actions and contact key law enforcement officials and
legislators.
Contact ALDF's Animal Cruelty Actionline at (800) 555-6517 or email action@aldf.org about the cruelty case. They can contact the prosecutor, offer
their assistance and urge vigorous prosecution.
The key to preventing cruelty is EDUCATION. Teach children from the earliest age that animals deserve humane treatment and respect. Empower children to feel safe when reporting cruel behavior. Become a volunteer or mentor at your local school ... empathy can be taught.
How to Write Effective Letters and Emails
Make sure your letter or email is addressed to a named individual - take the time to look up who you are addressing (instead of "Dear Sir or Madame"). Contact information for political representatives can be found at your local library or via the Internet. If you live in the United States, you can locate your local representatives by state at the State and Local Government web site..
Be polite but firm.
Keep your letter short and to the point.
Make sure the information you give is factually correct.
Be clear about what you want to see happen - tell them exactly what action you would like them to take and make it as concrete as possible. (e.g., "I want you to stop this now" is not as helpful as "I would like you to make it a priority to work with the Ambassador to find alternate trapping methods.")
Appeal to their business sense: As a constituent, let your representatives know that the way they deal with this issue (or fail to deal with it) may affect your voting decision in the next election.
If writing to someone in another geographical area, tell them that his/her position on the issue makes you reluctant to visit his/her country, state, or province, and that you are now inclined to spend your money elsewhere.
If you are writing to a company, tell them you will not purchase any more of their products and you will be alerting other consumers.
Give the full name of any proposed law or parliamentary bill that you want to see passed.
Include your REAL name, street AND mailing address, and ask for a reply. Your signature in email or postal letter is useless without your valid street address, for a random selection of names may be contacted to verify signatures. (Hence, if names/addresses cannot be contacted, they will help to invalidate your cause.)
Keep the pressure on. Is there anyone else to whom you can write?
Write letters to congratulate organizations and governments if they make changes to improve animal well-being.
Use the correct form of address, though there are no hard and fast rules for addressing important officials. The following simple rules will help you achieve the right tone:
Presidents:
Dear Mr./Ms. President Doe
Mailing address to Members of Congress:
The Honorable John/Jane Doe
Greeting to Member, Senate:
Dear Senator Doe
Greeting to Member, House of Representatives:
Dear Congressman/woman Doe
Mailing Address to Ambassadors:
His/Her Excellency John/Jane Doe
Greeting to Ambassador:
Dear Ambassador Doe
Prime Ministers:
Dear Prime Minister Doe
Other Officials and elected representatives:
Dear (Title) Doe
Writing to newspapers, TV or radio stations:
Dear (Title) John/Jane Doe
Dear Mr./Ms. John/Jane Doe
End your letters:
Respectfully yours, OR Sincerely,
Your letters of protest and/or support can make a measurable difference in animal well-being. In the past, animal people have made tremendous strides in animal welfare and rights through their letter writing campaigns.
Other related pages on this site:
Animal Cruelty Points to Potential for Violence Against Humans
Media Contacts for Animal Issues
Zero Tolerance for Animal Cruelty
Your donation goes to the expenses for our feral cat colony and foster cats and dogs' food, upkeep, and medical care. 100% of all donations go to the animals because there are no salaries or administrative fees. Thank you for your support!
Visit our message board for serious information gathering and decimination regarding animal health, advocacy, and rescue - cats, dogs, wildlife, and so much more. You will have to register, but it's FREE. We hope you will join us.
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