Concerned Tallulah residents are asking the public for help stopping animal cruelty around the city.
Concerned citizens say they suspect animals in the area, specifically dogs, are being abused - and even possibly poisoned - and are asking other residents to keep an eye out for suspicious behavior.
While animal cruelty laws vary and Madison Parish does not currently have an active animal shelter, anyone suspecting animal cruelty may contact their local law enforcement agency.
According to The Humane Society of the United States, every state has laws prohibiting animal cruelty, and all of them contain felony provisions in some circumstance.
“A law is only as good as its enforcement, and that’s why animals rely on you to protect them by reporting animal abuse,” Human Society literature says. “People also need access to resources to provide proper care for their animals.”
The Humane Society of the United States lists several helpful pieces of information pertaining to animal cruelty, including:
Defining Cruelty - Most reported animal cruelty comes in the form of neglect, with direct violence occurring less frequently. Oftentimes, it can be difficult to gauge whether you’ve witnessed animal cruelty or not. The following examples may help categorize suspected cruelty, they said.
Neglect: Neglect, or failure to provide for an animal’s basic needs, can be found in every community. Neglect takes the form of a lack of clean water or food, lack of adequate shelter or veterinary care, tethering for extended periods of time, and abandonment, as well as other forms of abuse. Improved laws that define adequate shelter for dogs and improved access to resources to care for animals living outdoors can help pets and their families, the Humane Society said.
Direct Abuse: It can be very upsetting to see someone beating or physically attacking an animal, but it’s important not to turn away. It’s crucial to involve law enforcement quickly so that you can help to save that animal’s life, prevent future abuse and hold abusers accountable. Violence toward animals is often part of a larger pattern of violence that can include people.
Reporting abuse: If you witness suspected cruelty to animals, dial 911. If your area lacks the proper animal welfare agency, and your local authorities are not equipped to deal with animal cruelty cases, you can also email or call the Humane Society of the United Sates and ask to speak with one of the experts about the suspected abuse.
Be sure to document the case as well as you can, with dates, times, specific details and, if possible, footage and photographs from a cell phone; however, it is important to note people should not put themselves in harm’s way in order to obtain evidence of abuse. All of these things, the Humane Society said, can help appropriate agencies during any investigation they may do of the suspected cruelty.
Severe neglect: Severe neglect may take the form of housing more animals than a person is able to adequately take care of. Contact your local animal control agency if you suspect severe neglect cases. Some situations can be more difficult than others to solve, they said.
Other forms of neglect, according to the Humane Society, include lack of veterinary care, inadequate shelter, abandonment, pets left in vehicles, beating and physical abuse and animal fighting and organized cruelty. For more information, visit humanesociety.org.
