Executing a large-scale seizure Investigating Animal Cruelty 65 of their area. You can then add the dog’s identification number (as assigned by the field team leader) to the map. Each animal should be easily matched by number to the specific spot on the property from which it was removed. Remove critical or at-risk animals first. The order of removal for the remaining animals should depend on property layout. Be sure to remove animals in an order that avoids conflict. For example, if there is a dog chained at the front of the property who is likely to be aroused by the animals/handlers walking back and forth, it may be ideal to remove that dog first. Before removing an animal from a chain spot or enclosure, assign a number to the animal and photograph it. Include a whiteboard with the animal’s number, the seizure date, and the case number. Remember that the animal’s number should reflect the area that the animal came from, the number of the enclosure (if applicable) and the number of the animal. For example, if there are two dogs within enclosure #3 in building A, the dogs could be labeled as A3-01 (for the first dog out of the enclosure) and A3-02 (for the second dog out of the enclosure). When you refer to the map of the building/structure, you can pinpoint exactly which enclosure these two dogs came from. The field photographer should also document any relevant issues. This could include, but is not limited to, housing or lack thereof; lack of food and/or water or dirty water; and unsanitary conditions. Use a whiteboard to identify these photos. Photograph the whiteboard with the animal’s ID number and then take subsequent photos of the animal’s living area so that these photos can be identified easily. The scribe should write the animal’s number on an index card and hand this to the handler to take with the animal to intake. Ensure that carriers are available in the field in case any scared or difficult animals require immediate containment. For the safety of the handler and the safety and well-being of the animal, be sure to minimize conflict or force. Cats and other small animals should be placed in a carrier for transport to minimize the possibility of escape. Prior to reaching an exam station, record all animals on a master intake log. Master intake personnel must ensure that no animal passes by without being recorded on the form (for a sample Master intake log, see Appendix IV). You should make at least two additional copies of the log. One can serve as an inventory of animals seized for the return of the warrant. You can leave it with the owner or on the property. All non-animal evidence seized should be recorded on a separate log. Remember that any deceased animals that you seize for necropsy should be identified and logged. Veterinary intake on-site Ideally, veterinarian teams should include a veterinarian, scribe and photographer. The handler from the field should stay with the animal throughout the exam and until the animal has been securely loaded onto a transport vehicle. Only when the animal is safely on a vehicle should the handler return to his/her designated field team. Depending the property’s conditions and the personnel available, the on-scene veterinary intake process might have to be modified. However, at minimum, a veterinarian should examine each animal and document any obvious injuries or signs of illness before the animal leaves the property. This is considered a triage exam. Veterinarians can perform a more thorough examination (including testing for particular diseases like heartworm, FELV, etc.) after all animals are secured in a temporary housing facility. The veterinarian should perform the exam and call out information to the scribe, who fills out the animal medical form (see Appendix IV for sample forms). The scribe is responsible for capturing the veterinarian’s notes and confirming that designated fields are completed in their entirety.
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