How to Report Animal Cruelty
1) Your first point of contact should always be your local law enforcement. In some cases you may have to leave information and have the city/town ACO or Police Department call you back. Whenever legally acceptable document evidence of the cruelty/neglect with photo or video footage.
2) Contact your local Humane Society.
3) Contact a humane investigator.
NHSPCA: (603) 772-2921 x 111
Animal Rescue League of NH: (603) 471-0888
Concord SPCA: (603) 856-8756 x 240
4) For complaints related to livestock, horses, pet stores, breeders, animal shelters and rescues or animal transports, contact the Dept. of Agriculture, Division of Animal Industries: (603)401-0287.
5) Contact the Humane Society of the United States: (603) 401-0287.
What NOT to do
Don’t post photos or video of the abuse/neglect on social media. This may alert the perpetrator that local law enforcement is on the way.
Don’t trespass on private property. Videos or photos should be taken from public property or from the road per NH law. Trespassing can put you, law enforcement and the animals at risk.
What to Report
You should be prepared to provide an address of the area in question or an accurate description of the area you witnessed. You should be prepared to provide the types and approximate number of animals in question and the time of day the observation was made. You will be asked to provide a description of the situation you witnessed, whether it included lack of shelter, lack of food and/or water, or underweight, unhealthy or injured or deceased animals.
Cruelty to Animals Includes (RSA 644:8)
- Depriving an animal of necessary care, sustenance or shelter.
- Negligently beating, cruelly whipping, torturing, mutilating or mistreatment of animals.
- Negligently overworking, or misusing any animal intended for labor.
- Negligently transporting an animal in a manner injurious to the health, safety or physical well-being of such animal. I.e. transporting loose dogs in the back of a pick up truck is illegal.
- Negligently abandoning any animal previously in his possession leaving it without supervision or adequate care, sustenance or shelter.
Equine Shelter Requirements (RSA 435:14)
- Adequately ventilated, dry barn with stalls of sufficient size so that the horse is able to lie down, and shall be provided adequate and suitable exercise in arenas, barn yards, paddocks, or pastures.
- A roofed shelter, with at least 3 sides from November 1st – April 15th, shall be provided for horses kept in paddocks or pastures, and said horses shall not be kept tied but shall be able to move around freely.
Animal Fighting (RSA 644:8-a)
- No person shall keep, breed, or train any bird, dog, or other animal, with the intent that it or its offspring shall be engaged or used in an exhibition of fighting, or shall establish or promote an exhibition of the fighting thereof. Whoever violates the provisions of this paragraph shall be guilty of a class B felony.
- Any person present at any place or building when preparations are being made for an exhibition of such fighting with intent to be present at such exhibition, or present at, aiding in or contributing to, such an exhibition, shall be guilty of a class B felony.
Animals in Motor Vehicles (RSA 644:8-aa)
- It shall be cruelty to confine an animal in a motor vehicle or other enclosed space in which the temperature is either so high or so low as to cause serious harm to the animal.
- Any person in violation of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor as set forth in RSA 644:8.
- Any law enforcement officer or agent of a licensed humane organization may take action necessary to rescue a confined animal endangered by extreme temperatures, and to remove the threat of further serious harm.
Facts to know
- All domestic animals must be provided food, water, shelter, and proper veterinary care.
- Abandonment, serious neglect, abuse, poisoning, and torture are all types of animal cruelty and can carry felony penalties in some cases.
- Animals should not be left inside a non-temperature controlled vehicle during very hot or very cold weather.
There is a proven link between animal, child, spousal, and elder abuse. If you or your pet are being abused please contact your local police department.
