An estimated 10 million animals die from abuse or cruelty annually in the U.S., and globally, one animal is abused every minute.
Animal cruelty can be intentional acts of harm, such as physical abuse, and acts of neglect, such as failing to provide food, water, shelter, or veterinary care. Who is responsible for reporting when an animal is the victim of neglect, hoarding, or abuse?
Who are Mandated Reporters of Animal Cruelty?
There are no federal laws mandating the reporting of suspected animal cruelty, abuse, hoarding, or neglect. However, animal maltreatment is a crime in all states, most of which offer felony-level penalties for the first offense of animal torture.
A majority of states require or permit professionals such as veterinary workers, animal welfare workers, child welfare workers, adult protective services, and others to report known or suspected incidents of animal cruelty, abuse, or neglect, often with immunity from civil or criminal liability and confidentiality restrictions.
Mandated or permitted reporters of animal cruelty are often:
- Veterinarians
- Veterinary technicians
- Animal shelter workers
- Law enforcement officers
- Child protective services/ child welfare agency
- Healthcare professionals
- Adult protective services workers
- Mental health and social workers
- Counselors and therapists
In Rhode Island, any person entrusted with the care or custody of an animal is required to report suspected animal cruelty, while other states, such as Delaware, permit any person to report.
Are you a mandated reporter? Check our state-by-state reporting database to find out.
Cross-Reporting to Prevent Violence and Neglect
Many of the mandated reporters of animal cruelty are also mandated reporters of other forms of violence, such as child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse.
Animal abuse, cruelty, and neglect are not isolated incidents. Rather, they are often linked with incidents of interpersonal violence or human neglect.
Research gathered by The National Link Coalition demonstrates The Link between animal violence and violence against humans, as well as the prevalence of human neglect in cases of animal hoarding and neglect.
- Research has shown that co-incidents of animal abuse and child abuse occur in 60% to 88% of cases.
- An Australian study reported that in 23% of cases where veterinarians suspected animal abuse, other forms of family violence were known or suspected.
- Veterinarians have been identified as one of the three professions most likely to encounter victims of domestic violence.
- 70% of people charged with animal cruelty had other reported incidents of violent behavior, including homicide.
- Family pets are often used to control and coerce victims of domestic abuse, elder abuse, and child abuse.
- 92% of adult protective services caseworkers have reported encountering animal neglect along with elderly self-neglect.
- Animal hoarding is often associated with adult self-neglect and can put children and elderly adults at risk for illness.
Mandated Reporters are professionals with a duty to report suspected abuse and neglect and protect the vulnerable in their care and communities. In most cases, a mandated reporter has the responsibility of recognizing the signs and reporting multiple types of abuse, including animal abuse, child abuse, elder abuse, and domestic violence.
A veterinarian may suspect they are treating a non-accidental injury (NAI) during a patient visit. While questioning the family about the source of the injuries, that same veterinarian may become aware of signs of physical child abuse and domestic violence from the family that brought the animal in. In many states, veterinarians are mandated reporters of child abuse and animal cruelty and must report both.
An animal welfare worker who is responding to a report of animal hoarding or neglect may discover an elderly adult who is living in a state of self-neglect. This is why many states designate animal welfare workers as mandated reporters of elder abuse and neglect as well as animal neglect and cruelty.
How to Report Animal Cruelty
Each state will have its own requirements for where and how to report animal cruelty as well as other forms of violence, abuse, or neglect.
When in doubt, contact your local law enforcement to file a report whenever you suspect potential abuse, violence, neglect, or cruelty to humans or animals. Mandated reporters play a critical role in protecting the vulnerable in your communities. Knowing how to make a report can help protect the animals — and people — who need your help.
