1. Be prepared The success of your animal cruelty investigations depends on several elements, including: • Local resources • The district attorney • Expert witnesses • Photographic and videographic evidence • Key concepts: exigent circumstances and plain view doctrine • Search warrant procedure Becoming familiar with these elements before you receive an animal related complaint increases your chances of presenting a good case. Local resources Knowing the individuals and agencies who are involved with animals in your area is one of the best ways to prepare for an animal-related investigation. • Animal control officers/local humane society personnel Animal control officers and local Investigating Animal Cruelty 3 How to use this field guide This guide provides law enforcement officers with information necessary to effectively investigate animal cruelty and fighting complaints. In some jurisdictions, there may be no animal control or humane investigators, or they may not be empowered to make arrests or execute search warrants. In these jurisdictions, the majority of cases will become the responsibility of law enforcement officers who may be legally mandated to take action on any violations of the criminal laws. Please consult your state’s statutes regarding the duties and powers of peace officers. The laws addressing animal cruelty/abuse and neglect in your state can be found through a variety of sources, including your state or local law enforcement training academy, law library and the internet. Due to the high volume of criminal cases in many jurisdictions, animal neglect and abuse cases are often assigned a lower priority than other crimes. Under some circumstances, they may not be considered serious enough to be pursued by the district attorney. Therefore, the objective of these investigations should be to make the case as solid as possible so that it has a strong chance of prosecution. Even if the district attorney decides to plea bargain, the stronger the case, the better position prosecutors will be in to help the animals involved. Being prepared is the best way to enhance opportunities for a successful outcome. Review this guide to familiarize yourself with the elements and processes to help build a successful case. How to use this field guide
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