1. Break the lock or the door and remove the animal. If possible, have a neighbor witness the circumstances and sign a statement attesting to the circumstances. If a witness is not available, document your actions. 2. Take photographs if possible. 3. Take the animal to a veterinarian for treatment examination and treatment. *CAVEAT: There must be an extremely compelling reason for you to break into a house or apartment without a search warrant (e.g., the house is on fire or in danger of flooding and an animal is trapped inside). Remember that you are responsible for the security of the property that you entered; you must re-secure it after you remove the animal. These examples should not be construed as legal advice. Law enforcement officers should check with their agency’s legal advisor and DA’s office ahead of time for advice and clarification on situations involving exigent circumstances and the plain view doctrine. When there are a large number of animals It might be difficult to remove animals from some situations: there might be too many animals, they might be horses and livestock, or you might suspect that there are more animals hidden from view. For information and suggestions on how to handle these types of situations, see the discussion on Animal hoarding in the Special cases section and the Executing a large-scale seizure section. NOTE: In some cases, especially where many animals are involved, some animals may appear in poorer condition than others. Nevertheless, all the animals should be seized, because the animals’ problems are caused by the conditions in which they’re being kept. It’s usually only a matter 16 The Humane Society of the United States of time before the healthier ones begin to deteriorate. Recovery of costs and solutions to long-term cases Early in an investigation, you must consider the cost associated with caring for animals seized in cruelty cases. A criminal case can take anywhere from several months to more than a year to be resolved through a plea bargain or trial. The costs of providing food, shelter and veterinary treatment for the animal victims can put a tremendous financial and operational strain on the sheltering agency, particularly when a case involves a large numbers of animals. As a result, local officials are sometimes deterred from pursuing even the most egregious animal cruelty cases, which can lead to lackluster enforcement of the law and increased animal suffering. Laws related to bonding, seizure, and/or forfeiture of an animal differ widely from state to state. Determine if your state has a law in place that addresses how costs can be recovered or mitigated. How to use this field guide
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