Pets 101: How to report animal cruelty

July 28, 7:10 PMDallas Animal Rescue ExaminerRebecca Poling

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Here's a step by step guide to reporting animal cruelty.  Thanks to Metroplex Animal Coalition for the information.

Step 1.  Assess what you are dealing with. There are some minimum standards that all animal owners should need to meet:

• Fresh food and water
• Shelter from the elements
• A yard free of feces and urine, or at least space to be free of these.
• Tethering may or may not be illegal in your community - this article will tell you how to find out.

Step 2. Make sure you have adequate information about the exact nature of the complaint.  Be prepared to provide:

• The exact address of the offense.  In some non-residential areas a nearby intersection may suffice.  In an apartment complex, be prepared to provide the apartment number.
• Name of the owner, if known
• Number of animals present
• Description of the animals
• Your contact information.  Many times you can report cruelty anonymously, but the authorities still need your contact information in case they have a question about what you saw.

Step 3.  Who to contact:

• Start with your city's Animal Service Division - this may be reached by calling 311 within the city or by calling 411 information, or by referencing the city's Web site for that information.
• The Office of the City Attorney
• The Office of the Mayor
• Your city council representative

Please note - you cannot stop by simply reporting it. You MUST FOLLOW-UP to determine what action was taken.  At the same time, you should also contact the SPCA of Texas since if the offense is outside the city of Dallas, they can respond.  You can report cruelty on line at www.spca.org or call 214-742-SPCA.

If all else fails, the last option to try is to report the case to the media. Even if you do not have contacts in the media, all TV and radio stations have links or forms on their Web sites to report breaking news or news items.  Many reporters now accept e-mails through the station's Web sites.

Please report cruelty when you see it.  The animals depend on you.