Detecting Animal Cruelty - What To Look For

Detecting and reporting animal cruelty are the two most important steps in bringing animal cruelty to an end.  But how do you know  what constitutes abuse and how do you know what to look for?  These tips can help in detecting intentional (murdering, maiming, torturing) and negligent (starving, etc.) abuse:

"WATCH"

   W - Weight
        Does the animal look thin or emaciated?

   A - Age
        Is the animal very old or very young to be in the present situation?

   T - Temperature
        Is the animal outside longer than a 2-hour period in less
        than 10 degrees F (longhaired) or 32 degrees F (shorthaired)
        in winter?  Is the animal without shade in summer? Is the
        animal locked in an unventilated car with temperatures around
        or above 70 degrees  F? (Estimated temperatures based on
        precedents set from past cases.)

   C - Condition
        Does the animal have water?  Is the animal fed once a day?
        Is the collar too tight? Is the chain too short? Is their cage
        so small that they can't stand up, turn around, and lie down?
        Is the animal's living area unsanitary? Has the animal been
        abandoned? (no footprints leading to animal, etc.)

   H - Health
        Is the animal sick, injured, lethargic, or distressed?

If you answered "Yes" to ONE or more of these questions when observing an animal, you should notify the Schenectady County SPCA cruelty investigators by visiting the "Filing a complaint" webpage.

Schenectady County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

P.O. Box 9516
Niskayuna, New York 12309
info@SchenectadySPCA.org