Did you know that the National Sheriffs’ Association has a division called the National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse?

The NLECAA website has lots of great information for animal lovers around the US who are interested in finding out how law enforcement responds to animal maltreatment.

They recently released a report on the connection between animal cruelty and violence against humans.  The report notes that before 2016, animal abuse was put into an “all other offense” category in a national crime statistics database.

Since 2016, law enforcement now collects data from all over the country on animal cruelty, including gross neglect, torture, organized abuse, and sexual abuse of animals.

The report provides guidance for first responders on the scene at animal abuse investigations, including how to link animal abuse to other forms of possible violent criminal activity.

You can download the full report HERE.  The National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse also has a guide on how to report suspected animal abuse in your state.

You can follow the work the NLECAA is doing to protect animals on Twitter!

Images:  NLECCA