Use the information in this book to empower you and your agency to respond to animal cruelty with confidence and integrity. Animal cruelty casework is difficult, particularly if you do not have the resources, support, and expertise you need. Let this book help identify those gaps in your jurisdiction and guide a solution regardless of the magnitude of the perceived roadblocks.
Confronting and addressing animal cruelty is important. If for no other reason than it is against the law in every state. That aside, animal abuse is a violent crime and to think the cycle of violence begins or ends with animals would be naive. The safety of your community is directly related to how seriously you take animal cruelty allegations. In our years of work on these cases, the frequency with which mental illness correlated to maltreatment of animals became glaringly evident. More often than not, the owner of a neglected animal needed community resources as much as the victim animal. Failing to adequately respond to neglected animals in your jurisdiction simultaneously ignores individuals who are struggling with mental health issues. Finally, animals are sentient beings, made vulnerable by their inability to put words to their experiences. They rely on veterinarians, field officers, and prosecutors to speak on their behalf with equal advocacy as any victim would receive.
After years in the field, each of us can recall a case that we wish had turned out differently for the animal or humans involved. For any one of you who can name that animal cruelty case, the one that keeps you up at night, the one you wish had turned out differently, the one you learned from, the one that simply did not seem fair, this book was born out of that indignation and the drive to facilitate justice in honor of those victims who never found it and future victims who deserve it.
Acknowledgments
General Acknowledgments
Writing this book was an exercise in perseverance and teamwork. Having worked together closely for many years, we consider ourselves masters of teamwork. As for perseverance, we’ve learned that a bend in the road is not the end of the road, and we are grateful to be continuing this journey together. We relied on each other throughout this process, but our thanks goes out to the people who kept us organized, contributed their expertise, and offered genuine feedback. Thank you to contributing authors Dr. Zarah Hedge, Jake Kamins, Esq., and David Rosengard, Esq. Each of you brings a deep well of experience and insight to this text. Thank you to Anika Moje for reviewing our work with a keen eye for detail, keeping us on task, and providing support and constant encouragement. Thank you to Kathleen Wood, Esq., for repeatedly lending your vast expertise on state law nuances and Conor Lamkin for your extensive legal research assistance. Our appreciation goes out to Scott Heiser, Esq. and Michelle Welch, Esq., for their contributions to the Specific Case Protocols. Thank you to Nichole Waldner for editing and formatting our manuscript, Jacqui Monahan for designing our graphics and templates, and to Merryl Le Roux, Erica Judisch, and Wiley Publishing for guiding us through the submission and publishing process. Thank you to the Oregon Humane Society for the use of case materials and photographs throughout this text.
Linda Fielder’s Acknowledgments
This book was created not only by the authors and contributors, but by every individual who worked alongside us responding to animal cruelty cases. The members of the Humane Investigations and Medical teams at the Oregon Humane Society were a committed, talented, compassionate group I considered family. We sweated inside Tyvek suits and maneuvered through crime scenes stacked with garbage, mired in mud, and filled with treacherous hazards both living and inanimate. We worked together through long days and beyond exhaustion. Never satisfied with doing just enough, my colleagues helped support the mindset of constant learning and always finding ways to do better, always for the animals.
In the field of animal cruelty investigations, having a support network outside the organization or agency is critical to one’s mental health and stamina. I am fortunate to have a chosen family of friends who made sure to check in when the work became heavy, both in the field and during the challenges of writing this manuscript. Finally, I owe a debt of gratitude to the experts who have contributed to the field of veterinary forensic medicine and whose texts I carried with me to the exam room, kept on the bedside table, and recommended to anyone who wanted to learn more about the science behind animal cruelty investigations. This book is intended to support those excellent works that came before it.
Emily Lewis’ Acknowledgments
Many years ago, the Criminal Justice Program at the Animal Legal Defense Fund graciously allowed me to volunteer as a recent college graduate, adrift in the world with a degree but no specific direction, save my compassion for animals. That position opened my eyes both to the horrific crimes perpetrated against animals and the network of remarkable professionals committed to seeking justice on their behalf. I had found my path.
In the years that followed, lawyers, professors, veterinarians, and animal welfare professionals whom I held in the highest esteem became mentors and eventually colleagues. I will never be able to adequately convey the level of gratitude I have for the individuals who created opportunities and then mentored me on the path of this career that has enriched my life in so many ways. This book is a testament to your leadership, guidance, and inspiration. Thank you for constantly raising the bar and never doubting my ability to meet it.
To my most wonderful, supportive family and amazing loyal friends, thank you for being the counterbalance to the heaviness of this work and shining a light on those days when the world can seem full of shadows. You are the constant reminder that there is good in the world and have always fueled my sustained optimism that it is worth fighting for that good.
Sentiments of gratitude cannot come without also acknowledging the motivation behind this work. To the individuals involved in animal cruelty cases – once or every day – who are open to unique partnerships and willing to rely on them, who value the insight of experts, and who use their experiences to teach others: you are inspiring, you make a difference, you are both the reason for this book and the answer for the animals.
Dr. Kris Otteman’s Acknowledgments
Working in a local veterinary practice in the early years of my career, I encountered animals who had suffered cruelty, however during this time, laws were not in place that recognized these crimes or offered any legal consequences on behalf of the animal victim. As the fields of veterinary medicine, animal welfare, and animal protection laws have grown and aligned in recent years, the resulting synergy has been incredible to witness. The tangible benefits to the animals and the people in our communities through teamwork, compassion, education, and emerging science have profoundly changed the world for the better.
The Oregon Humane Society provided the mission and the resources necessary for us to contribute to the incredible evolution of humane investigations in the United States through practical example and teaching others. I am eternally grateful to all the amazing people who made this possible. Every action certainly influences others and I am grateful for the opportunity to be a positive force and example that propels this field forward.
Thank you to my father, Dr. Richard H. Otteman, for inspiring me to never stop learning and to have the courage to make a difference even in the face of fear or uncertainty.
To my ever encouraging and best critic, my husband Jeff, thank you for supporting this effort to put into writing the passion and energy my co‐authors and I have for collaboration in the fight against animal cruelty. Your sage advice and wisdom sustain me.
To the social workers, law enforcement, prosecutors, animal control and animal welfare workers, veterinarians, and veterinary staff who give of their time, talents, and treasure to act and continue this momentum – thank you and do not tire. It is my hope that this book is a thank you to all my colleagues who have paved the way and an encouragement to all who may begin or choose to continue this journey of truly making reverence for life