Do you know what Animal Abuse looks like?

Here visible abuse can be seen by the burn marks on this puppy’s body.

Animal Abuse happens each and every day. Just look in the news and you see it. You see a cat was shot with an arrow or a dog was left in a crate in a house for 3 days while the owner was on vacation, and a dog left in car on a hot day, or even someone conducting dog fighting. This is reality, this happens. But what about the not so obvious things people do that is actually abuse. Do you know the signs?

Here is a list of the most common 11 things for people to know about animal abuse:

 1.     Visible wounds. Abused animals often have visible signs of illness or injury that are not usually being treated. Like for example an abscess, eye infection, upper respiratory infection or broken leg.

2.     Unhealthy body. Some animals that are not being properly cared for will be emaciated, where their bones are showing, or may be extremely thin. Now some illnesses like cancer can cause a dog to be very thin so try to find out the circumstances if possible to make sure.

3.     Inadequate grooming. More than just not being brushed, these animals have not been taken care of and are dirty, have overgrown nails, and may have fur that has been extremely matted. If you cannot see the dog’s eyes due to matted hair it is a good bet the animal has been neglected.

4.     Weakness. A sign that animal has been abused may be that they are not able to move around normally or may be limping. A dog always laying in a yard and not getting up could be a good sign of a wound, illness or issue that has been left unattended.

5.     Isolated outside. Pets that are left outdoors for a long time are of concern. They may be in unsanitary conditions and not have access to food and water. Always make sure to look for a food bowl, water bowl and shelter. ALL dogs must be provided all three per state laws. Know the laws in your area as some counties have laws against tethering, to where the dog cannot be chained up outside but have to be in a fenced kennel or yard if left outside.

6.     Unsafe conditions. If a pet is kept in an area that is unsafe and could lead to injury, such as if the area has a lot of broken glass or garbage.

7.     Incorrectly crated. While many people crate their pet, it may be abusive if they are using a crate that is too small and does not allow the animal to engage in normal movements, such as standing up.  Crate training is good and most dogs don’t mind as they look at the crate as their den. The crate must be of adequate size for a dog to stand, lie down, and turn around comfortably. If they cannot, then the crate is too small.

8.     Dogfighting. This is one that is the hardest to see. Does your neighbor have multiple bully breed dogs outside in kennels chained up? Do the dogs have visible bite marks on their faces, legs and body? Do the dogs look very thin and emaciated? Do you see any odd looking pens in the yard with not much visibility to see in it? Do you hear dogs barking late at night constantly or fighting? These are possible signs of dogfighting and it would be good to let authorities to know to have it checked out just to make sure.

9.     To Report, Make the Call: Those who believe animal abuse may be taking place should contact their local animal shelter or animal control department. Those who are unable to locate the local shelter or animal control contact the local police at a non-emergency number and get a referral.

10.  Be detailed. If there is animal abuse taking place try to get as many details as possible, so that they can be handed over to the authorities. They will need information such as what was happening, times and dates, and the location. Take pictures as this is very helpful to show there is not just a neighbor dispute happening but that you are actually reporting animal abuse.

11.  Follow-Up: The calls made to report animal abuse are kept anonymous. But they can still be followed up on if they do not hear back from authorities about it in a reasonable time frame. The person turning in the abuse can also choose to testify if they would like to.

Some people can just be cruel to animals and it is good samaritans that help that animal get justice or help it to be removed from the situation. In some cases, the abuser will be charged and have jail time and/or a fine depending upon the county and state laws. Don’t just turn your head to a situation that looks bad on the outside as it very well may be worse on the inside. It does not hurt to have an officer just come out and check things out if in doubt. Yes it may be an inconvenience if nothing is truly wrong, but just think of the life you saved if there was.

One point to be made: Just because someone is treating a dog or cat in a manner that is not how you personally would does not necessarily constitute as abuse. Some people have their dogs outside in a yard, chained up, or in a large fenced kennel. Some people feel this is complete abuse. Some things are a matter of opinion and we all need to consider the facts. Does the dog have adequate food, water and shelter? Does the dog look healthy and of good weight? If so, then the dog is not being abused. Some people may not be able to have a dog inside but provide for it fine outside, but there are others that just view a dog as nothing more than a dog.

Related articles

• Woman Sentenced For Animal Abuse (wnep.com)
• Alleged animal abuse leads to arrest (register-herald.com)
• Baltimore Police To Overhaul Handling Of Animal Abuse Cases (baltimore.cbslocal.com)

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