· “BE KIND TO ANIMALS” WEEK, PART 5:
ENFORCING THE LAWS, SAVING MORE LIVES

For years, animal cruelty was a crime that was seen but rarely acknowledged.  In Pima County alone, probably thousands of animals suffered in silence due to a societal belief that animals-as-property were completely at the mercy of their owners in terms of care and consideration.  In the late-1970s, however, several ground-breaking studies by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other organizations resulted in a chilling conclusion – animal crimes, so often overlooked or ignored, were a reliable gauge of a potentially violent personality.  Although most of these early studies centered on extremely violent serial offenders, we now know that animal cruelty occurs on a much smaller scale, day in and day out, by very ordinary people.  Whether it is the kitten that is crushed during a fight between her human owners, or the bored teenager who decides to take pot-shots at wild birds with a bb gun, animal cruelty is part of the larger societal violence issue.

As the final installment in our series celebrating “Be Kind to Animals Week,” HSSA presents some examples of revolutionary efforts to combat animal cruelty in our community and all over southern Arizona.

• PROGRESSIVE ANIMAL CRUELTY ENFORCEMENT: As a founding member of the Animal Cruelty Taskforce of Southern Arizona (ACT), HSSA has been on the forefront of fighting to protect both wild and domesticated species.  During ACT’s eight year existence, some important changes have taken place across the community to help animals.  As of 2008, all of the major law enforcement agencies in southern Arizona now have dedicated animal cruelty detectives on staff; 911 dispatchers are now prioritizing cruelty at a much higher level than was originally the case; juveniles arrested for cruelty are now automatically remanded for a psychological evaluation upon referral to the juvenile detention center; and investigators from multiple agencies are trained to cross-report suspected violence to ensure that no victim, regardless of species, is forgotten.  HSSA continues to spearhead these types of efforts by providing animal rescue teams upon request from law enforcement; developing a wide variety of training programs on cruelty issues; and most recently, adding an animal cruelty investigator to its staff.

• ANIMAL BLOODSPORT REWARD FUND: On April 30, HSSA participated in a joint press conference with Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard; the Humane Society of the United States, Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Pima County Attorney’s Office and ACT to unveil a reward fund that will pay $5000 to tipsters who can provide information that leads to the arrest and indictment of animal fighters in this community.  The funds are provided by HSUS and tips will be handled through the 88-CRIME program.
  
  
• SAVING THE LIVES OF INNOCENTS: HSSA’s “Second Chance Fund” helps to provide emergency medical care, in cooperation with ACT agencies, to ensure that animals rescued from violent situations receive the medical attention and rehabilitation they need.

For additional information on these programs, contact HSSA’s Education & Cruelty Prevention Resource Center at (520) 881-7401 or 881-7404.  Additional materials, including links for making charitable contributions, can be found online at www.hssaz.org.

“BE KIND TO ANIMALS” WEEK, PART 1
“BE KIND TO ANIMALS” WEEK, PART 2
“BE KIND TO ANIMALS” WEEK, PART 3
“BE KIND TO ANIMALS” WEEK, PART 4