Responding to suspected animal cruelty and maltreatment

According to the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), animal cruelty encompasses four categories: simple/gross neglect, intentional abuse and torture, organized abuse, and animal sexual abuse. It is crucial that veterinarians be familiar with these concepts, know how to recognize their signs, and understand how they are defined under applicable laws and ordinances.

Another important term to understand is animal maltreatment, which is an umbrella term that covers all illegal harms to animals—including cruelty, neglect, organized fighting, sexual abuse, and other suffering resulting from intentional or negligent action or inaction. This includes harms arising from both ignorance and deliberate misconduct.

It is a veterinarian's responsibility to report suspected cases of animal cruelty when an educational or supportive approach is not appropriate. Knowing the signs consistent with animal maltreatment, cruelty, abuse, and neglect is key to being able to identify it. Keep in mind, it is not the veterinarian's role to determine if maltreatment meets the criteria of a particular law; this is the duty of the investigating authority and criminal justice system.

The veterinarian's role is to identify signs of nonaccidental injury and be familiar with applicable cruelty laws in the jurisdiction where the maltreatment is believed to have occurred. Based on these, you may be legally mandated to report suspected cases of abuse, neglect, or animal fighting to an appropriate authority. Legal statutes and regulations may change, so it's a good idea to always consult your state's most current veterinary practice act and reporting guidelines.

It's also a good idea for veterinarians to establish a relationship with local law enforcement in order to proactively prevent companion animal maltreatment and support a strong team when faced with a case.

Be ready when it matters most. These customizable templates provide practical tools to help your team respond confidently and consistently to suspected cases of animal maltreatment:

• Hospital procedures for responding to suspected animal maltreatment
• Contact list: Responding to suspected animal cruelty
• Local resources for pet owners