Posted on June 6, 2017 by Animal Capture

No matter where you live, there are laws protecting animals from abuse and cruelty. Unfortunately, some people break those laws, hurting innocent animals. Animals deserve a fighting chance, and you may be their only hope. Read on to find out what you can do to help.

If you have witnessed animal abuse or have a suspicion that an animal is being abused, it’s important that you learn how to spot it and know what to do if the animal has, in fact, been abused.

Animal abuse comes in either a form of neglect or a form of violence. Neglect is when an owner is not providing the basic needs for an animal, such as denying veterinary assistance or refusing shelter. It could also be a dog tied up to a chain outside or pets left in cars.

Direct abuse, or violent abuse, is when someone is physically beating or attacking an animal. This can happen to animals in your neighborhood, in a park, or in the wild. Although this is extremely hard to watch, be sure not to turn away if you witness it, so you can report everything you saw immediately.

When most people think of direct abuse, they immediately think about domestic cats or dogs. Animal abuse can often happen with wildlife, too. Either way, it is still abuse and needs to be dealt with.

You can detect animal cruelty by noticeable trauma, lack of shelter or sanitation, or obviously strange behavior. If too many animals are living on one property or if an animal looks flea- or tick-infested, that is also considered animal abuse.

If you are aware of an animal that is being abused, don’t put yourself in danger, but don’t neglect it. You can reach out to a company that is a no poison, peaceful, catch and release animal capture control. If you witness violence against an animal, call 911 immediately. Document the details and prepare to testify.

You can save abused animals by speaking up for them. The worst thing you can do is pretend like you don’t know. Animals can’t speak, but you can.