Support to Enhance Protection of Animal Welfare and Public Safety

Submitted by: Forensics Committee

FC.06.22

WHEREAS, animal cruelty is a crime and includes felony provisions in all 50 states, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recognizes law enforcement leaders have an obligation to enforce animal cruelty laws and work together to enhance protection for animals[1],[2]; and  

WHEREAS, commission of violence to animals (abuse) and cruelty by a failure to provide adequate care (neglect) signal the risk of maltreatment of household members with heightened risk to children[3], elders[4] and disabled persons[5]; and

WHEREAS, forms of animal maltreatment are often accompanied by domestic violence[6], financial crimes[7],[8], drugs[9], human trafficking10[10], sexual coercion[11] and weapons crimes[12]; and

WHEREAS, the IACP recognizes the value of collecting data on criminal activity and the sharing of this information on a local, regional and national basis[13]; and

WHEREAS, animal control officers unaffiliated with the public safety department and private animal welfare charities comprise approximately 50% of animal cruelty investigating agencies, and they lack Originating Agency Identification (ORI) numbers and therefore are unable to submit data to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)[14],[15]; and

WHEREAS, thorough investigation of animal cruelty crimes using the full suite of forensic and investigative techniques available to law enforcement increases effective engagement[16]; and

WHEREAS, responding effectively to animal cruelty crimes increases animal welfare, human safety and enhances community engagement[17]; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP urges the steadfast enforcement of animal cruelty laws at the federal, state, and local levels; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that agencies should collaborate with other law enforcement entities and animal cruelty investigators in their jurisdictions, regions, and states to ensure NIBRS data related to animal cruelty incidents are recorded, and when feasible, to increase the provision of forensic resources for animal cruelty investigations; and, to advance and support the protection of animals for enhancement of human and animal wellbeing; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police recognizes that fully participating in or cooperating with animal cruelty investigations increases law enforcement departments’ effectiveness for animal welfare and public safety.

[1] Schlueter, S., 2008. Law enforcement perspectives and obligations related to animal abuse. International handbook of animal abuse and cruelty: Theory, research, and application, pp.375-391.

[2] Palais, J., 2020. Animal Cruelty Hurts People Too : How Animal Cruelty Crime Data Can Help Police Make Their Communities Safer for All,” Police Chief 87, no. 12; pp 42–48.

[3] Bright, M.A., 2018. Huq, M.S., Spencer, T., Applebaum, J., Hardt, N., 2018. Animal cruelty as an indicator of family trauma: Using adverse childhood experiences to look beyond child abuse and domestic violence, Child Abuse & Neglect, Volume 76, pp 287-296.

[4] Frieze, I.H., Newhill, C.E. & Fusco, R., 2020. Other Forms of Family Violence: Elder Abuse, Sibling Abuse, and Animal Cruelty. Dynamics of Family and Intimate Partner Violence, pp.223–261.

[5] Ascione, F. and Shapiro, K., 2009. People and animals, kindness and cruelty: Research directions and policy implications. Journal of Social Issues, 65(3), p.569.

[6] Arkow, P. 2015. A link across the lifespan: Animal abuse as a marker for traumatic experiences in child abuse, domestic violence and elder abuse. Academy on Violence and Abuse

[7] Smith, R., 2011. Investigating financial aspects of dog‐fighting in the UK, Journal of Financial Crime, Vol. 18 No. 4, pp. 336 - 346.

[8] Albanese, J.S., 2018. Illegal gambling businesses & organized crime: an analysis of federal convictions. Trends Organ Crim 21, 262–277.

[9] Lockwood, R., 2012. Dogfighting: A Guide for Community Action, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

[10] Sollund, R., 2020. The victimisation of women, children and non-human species through trafficking and trade: Crimes understood through an ecofeminist perspective. In Routledge international handbook of green criminology (pp. 512 -528). Routledge.

[11] Edwards, M.J., 2019. Arrest and Prosecution of Animal Sex Abuse (Bestiality) Offenders in the United States, 1975–2015, Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online (47) 3. http://jaapl.org/content/jaapl/early/2019/05/16/JAAPL.003836-19.full.pdf

[12] Lockwood, R., 2012. Dogfighting: A Guide for Community Action, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

[13] IACP, 2001. IACP Support for NIBRS Implementation. https://www.theiacp.org/resources/resolution/iacp-support-for-nibrs- implementation

[14] DeSousa, D., 2017. NIBRS User Manual for Animal Control Officers and Humane Law Enforcement. NIBRS User Manual, National Animal Care & Control Association, Animal Welfare Institute. https://www.nacanet.org/wp- content/uploads/2020/04/17_nibrs_web.pdf

[15] Smith-Blackmore, M., 2018. The Role of Veterinary Forensics in Animal Cruelty Investigations, The Police Chief February, pp 26–31.

[16] Randour, M.L., Smith-Blackmore, M., Blaney, N., DeSousa, D. and Guyony, A.A., 2021. Animal abuse as a type of trauma: Lessons for human and animal service professionals. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 22(2), pp.277-288.

[17] Arluke, A., Levin, J., Luke, C., & Ascione, F. (1999). The Relationship of Animal Abuse to Violence and Other Forms of Antisocial Behavior. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14(9), 963–975.