Report Animal Abuse and Neglect
PWNJ assists New Jersey residents in identifying and reporting cases of animal cruelty and neglect. Even though we have no legal authority to intervene on behalf of abused and neglected animals, we can provide you with information to report animal abuse whenever or wherever it occurs. The following information is intended to help you identify and report animal neglect and abuse.
What to look for
Citizens who suspect animal cruelty should ask the following questions.
Does the animal have access to food, water and shelter?
Is her living area clean?
Does the animal have apparent injuries that have not been treated?
Does the animal appear to be overly aggressive or timid?
A person witnessing first-degree animal cruelty – the intentional infliction of substantial pain or injury to an animal, or the killing of an animal by means causing undue suffering – should immediately notify police or the SPCA. Documenting the incident with photographs and videotape can be very helpful in prosecution. Even if such cruelty is not witnessed directly but is suspected, the NJ SPCA or local animal control authorities should be notified.
Reports of animal cruelty should be as detailed as possible. Dates, times and circumstances should be noted and related to animal control authorities, who should also be made aware of any physical evidence (photos, video, etc.). A person reporting animal cruelty should ask for the name of the animal control officer and ask what action is planned. Follow up, and report any change observed in the animal's condition and situation.
Abandoning an animal constitutes cruelty in New Jersey. A witness to animal abandonment should try to obtain a description of the abandoning person and his vehicle, and a license plate number if possible. If the witness feels safe in doing so, the animal should be transported to a safe location, or animal control authorities should be notified.
Please visit the following links for more information.
NJ Animal Protection and Enforcement
Monmouth County SPCA Law Enforcement & Cruelty Investigations
Dogs Deserve Better
UnChain Your Dog
Other resources
Animal Law Review
Pet-Abuse.com
Recommended Reading
No Animals Were Harmed, The Controversial Line Between Entertainment and Abuse, by Peter Laufer, PhD, 2012
Cruelty to Animals and Interpersonal Violence, edited by Randall Lockwood and Frank R. Ascione, 1998
Child Abuse, Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse, Linking the circles of compassion for prevention and intervention, edited by Frank R. Ascione and Phil Arkow, 1999
For the Prevention of Cruelty, The History and Legacy of Animal Rights Activism in the US, by Diane L. Beers, 2006
Children and Animals, Exploring the roots of kindness and cruelty, by Frank R. Ascione, PhD , 2005
Silent Victims, Recognizing and stopping abuse of the family pet, by Pamela Carlisle-Frank and Tom Flanagan, 2006
Confronting Animal Abuse, Law, Criminology and Human-animal Relationships, by Piers Beirne, 2009
Just a Dog, Understanding animal cruelty and ourselves, by Arnold Arluke, 2006
Animal Cruelty, Pathway to violence against people, by Linda Merz-Perez and Kathleen M. Heide, 2004
Brute Force, Animal Police and the Challenge of Cruelty, by Arnold Arluke, 2004
The Horse, The Most Abused Domestic Animal, by Greta Bunting, 1997
Clinical Assessment of Juvenile Animal Cruelty, by Shari Lewchanin, Psy.D and Ellen Zimmerman, L.C.S.W., 2000
Community Intervention of Juvenile Animal Cruelty, by Shari Lewchanin, Psy.D and Ellen Zimmerman, L.C.S.W., 2000
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