Report Abuse
Be a voice for the voiceless! Our precious animals depend on you for their safety and well-being.
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Have you ever driven by a residence and seen a horse or other type of animal that you think is underweight, injured, or abandoned and your first thought is "that animal needs help." And then you drive on to work thinking "the owner will fix it, or someone else will call, or I don't feel comfortable getting involved." You are probably one of many who has had that thought, driven on, and meanwhile the animal will suffer through another day. Below is a list of numbers you can call for this area, some information on how to report, and some important RCW's for you to know. You can always report anonymously.
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1) If you witness someone abusing an animal call 911. Have the address and any other pertinent information at hand to give to the operator. As with any crime, documenting the details are essential to making the case and stopping the animal abuser. The responding agency will need to know details like date, time, and location of the alleged crime, as well as physical descriptions of all individuals (people and animals) involved.They will determine if law enforcement or Animal Control needs to be contacted and sent to the scene.
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2) Report all abandoned, malnourished, injured animal by calling the appropriate number below. It is very important that you follow up your complaint with a written complaint. A phone call can be lost or forgotten, but a report triggers a required visit!
3) If you find an animal and need to take it to a shelter there is a NO KILL shelter in Bellevue.
Human Society
13212 SE Eastgate Way
Bellevue, WA 98005
Reception / Administration
Main (425) 641-0080
Sunday - Monday 11 AM - 6 PM
Tuesday - Saturday 11 AM - 8 PM
Animal Control Agencies
Regional Animal Service of King County
500 4th Ave # 403, Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 296-7387
http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/regional-animal-services/animal-control-response.aspx
Pierce County Animal Services
2401 S 35th St #200, Tacoma, WA 98409
(253) 798-7387
Snohomish County Animal Services
3000 Rockefeller Ave.
Admin West Building, 1st floor
Everett, WA 98201
Phone: 425-388-3440
National Organizations that fight cruelty and abuse
http://www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/report-animal-cruelty/report-animal-cruelty-faq
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/report-animal-cruelty
Washington State Animal Cruelty Laws
Intentional Cruelty
16.52.205. Animal cruelty in the first degree
(1) A person is guilty of animal cruelty in the first degree when, except as authorized in law, he or she intentionally (a) inflicts substantial pain on, (b) causes physical injury to, or (c) kills an animal by a means causing undue suffering, or forces a minor to inflict unnecessary pain, injury, or death on an animal.
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(2) A person is guilty of animal cruelty in the first degree when, except as authorized by law, he or she, with criminal negligence, starves, dehydrates, or suffocates an animal and as a result causes: (a) Substantial and unjustifiable physical pain that extends for a period sufficient to cause considerable suffering; or (b) death.
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(3) A person is guilty of animal cruelty in the first degree when he or she:
(a) Knowingly engages in any sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal;
(b) Knowingly causes, aids, or abets another person to engage in any sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal;
(c) Knowingly permits any sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal to be conducted on any premises under his or her charge or control;
(d) Knowingly engages in, organizes, promotes, conducts, advertises, aids, abets, participates in as an observer, or performs any service in the furtherance of an act involving any sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal for a commercial or recreational purpose; or
(e) Knowingly photographs or films, for purposes of sexual gratification, a person engaged in a sexual act or sexual contact with an animal.
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16.52.207. Animal cruelty in the second degree
(1) A person is guilty of animal cruelty in the second degree if, under circumstances not amounting to first degree animal cruelty, the person knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence inflicts unnecessary suffering or pain upon an animal.
(2) An owner of an animal is guilty of animal cruelty in the second degree if, under circumstances not amounting to first degree animal cruelty, the owner knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence:
(a) Fails to provide the animal with necessary shelter, rest, sanitation, space, or medical attention and the animal suffers unnecessary or unjustifiable physical pain as a result of the failure;
(b) Under circumstances not amounting to animal cruelty in the second degree under (c) of this subsection, abandons the animal; or
(c) Abandons the animal and (i) as a result of being abandoned, the animal suffers bodily harm; or (ii) abandoning the animal creates an imminent and substantial risk that the animal will suffer substantial bodily harm.
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Neglect and Other Misdemeanor Acts
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Animals left in a hot car or trailer, or confined without food or water - call 911
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16.52.080. Transporting or confining in unsafe manner--Penalty
Any person who wilfully transports or confines or causes to be transported or confined any domestic animal or animals in a manner, posture or confinement that will jeopardize the safety of the animal or the public shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. And whenever any such person shall be taken into custody or be subject to arrest pursuant to a valid warrant therefor by any officer or authorized person, such officer or person may take charge of the animal or animals; and any necessary expense thereof shall be a lien thereon to be paid before the animal or animals may be recovered; and if the expense is not paid, it may be recovered from the owner of the animal or the person guilty.
16.52.100. Confinement without food and water--Intervention by others
If any domestic animal is impounded or confined without necessary food and water for more than thirty-six consecutive hours, any person may, from time to time, as is necessary, enter into and open any pound or place of confinement in which any domestic animal is confined, and supply it with necessary food and water so long as it is confined. The person shall not be liable to action for the entry, and may collect from the animal's owner the reasonable cost of the food and water. The animal shall be subject to attachment for the costs and shall not be exempt from levy and sale upon execution issued upon a judgment. If an investigating officer finds it extremely difficult to supply confined animals with food and water, the officer may remove the animals to protective custody for that purpose.