Do not be afraid to call because you may be the last hope to save a suffering animal.
Thousands of animal cruelty cases are reported to authorities each year. There are two main categories of animal cruelty: active and passive. Active cruelty is direct violence and occurs where a person has deliberately and intentionally caused harm to an animal. Passive cruelty results from neglect, where the crime is a lack of action rather than the action itself. Do not let the terminology fool you. Passive neglect can cause incredible pain, suffering, and even death. All 50 states have animal cruelty laws and 45 states have laws making certain types of animal cruelty a felony offense.
In Ohio, only the second offense is a felony. According to the Humane Soceity of the United States, dogs, pit bulls in particular, are the most commonly reported victims of abuse in the U.S.. Whatever animal may be the victim, the public is the biggest ally in fighting cruelty and neglect. If you witness animal cruelty, call your local humane soceity or police department. You can remain anonymous. Even if you think no one will take action, please try. You may be an animal's last hope and all it takes is a phone call.
