Cruelty Investigations

We support the efforts of the Kent County Animal Shelter which has a law enforcement team that specializes in animal abuse and neglect cases.  You can reach them at (616) 336-3210.  The Kent County Animal Shelter investigates complaints of animal cruelty and neglect.  Animal Control Officers visiting the scene of suspected animal abuse, cruelty or neglect will determine if such a situation exists as defined by Kent County Animal Control Regulations.  Animal Control Officers may issue a civil citation in cases where cruelty or neglect is found to have taken place (or if a dog is not licensed); removing the animal from the owner's home is generally done only in extreme cases, where the animal's life may be in imminent danger, or the owner has been cited for cruelty numerous times previously.

Barking dogs are generally covered by local city and township ordinances, and should be reported to your local law enforcement agency (if you live in a city with a local police department) or the Kent County Sheriff (if you live in a city or township without a local police department). Local law enforcement officers may issue a civil citation to owners whose barking dogs violate local noise or nuisance ordinances.

Why should animal cruelty be taken seriously?

• Law enforcement agencies are recognizing the connection between animal cruelty and human violence.
• In numerous school shooting cases, the students involved had killed animals before they killed their classmates.
• A Justice Department publication lists animal cruelty as one of the indicators that school administrators should use to identify potentially violent students.
• Animal cruelty is connected to various forms of family violence.
• In three surveys in women's shelters in Wisconsin and Utah in the late 1990's an average of 74 percent of pet-owning women reported that a pet had been threatened, injured or killed by their abuser.
• A 1983 survey in New Jersey of families reported for child abuse found that in 88 percent of the families at least one person had abused animals.
• The Society adheres to the provisions of the Animal Statutes contained in Chapter IX of the Michigan Penal Code. For excerpts of the Michigan Animal Statutes, click here. (Adobe Acrobat Reader® format) For an index of animal laws by state, click here.

The Society employs a wide range of remedies and preventive measures, the use of which depends on the circumstances and conditions encountered upon investigation:

• Educational
  Investigation of reported animal neglect often provides an opportunity to educate pet owners in accepted standards of care and to assist in obtaining better care for a companion animal.
• Legal
  In severe cases animal neglect or cruelty, the Society obtains the assistance of law enforcement authorities and turns gathered evidence over to the County prosecutor who determines if prosecution is warranted.