where fat stores are first depleted, such as the tail pins, the hip joints, and the ribs; these also serve as the key areas to observe when noticing the condition of an animal you cannot touch. It is important to make note in your reports of whether you assessed the animal using your hands or if you were unable to touch it. Here is an example of a statement regarding observations from a distance, “I was unable to enter the paddock where the horses were kept. Their coats were wet and from a 20‐foot distance I could easily count each horse's ribs and the tail pins were prominent on all four horses.”
Be sure you are documenting body condition according to the standard and not compared with other animals on the property. Universities around the country have published body condition scales, which are available online.1 Include a copy of the chart you utilized on site and refer to it as the standard you used when you write your reports. Share it with any veterinarians or other experts who will be examining the animals, so everyone is referencing the same body condition assessment scale in their examinations.
Photo and video documentation of body condition is very important and must not be overlooked. Familiarize yourself with the points on the body used to assess body condition and include those points in your videos and photographs. Make sure the light is adequate to display an accurate representation of what you see with your eyes, taking care not to exaggerate or underrepresent the body condition. Include five views of each animal (front, back, each side, and from above).
If an animal has a thick hair or feather coat, it can be helpful to use your hands when photographing, both to move the hair aside and as a caliper around the spinal column (Figure 3.6) (on a dog, for example) or to demarcate the prominent chest or keel bone of a bird.
3.9 Dental, Foot, and Hoof Care
In the wild, animals exist in their native terrain for which their bodies, including their feet and hooves, have specifically evolved over time. The same is true for animals' teeth. In their natural environment, an animal's teeth would become worn from foraging through grasslands or hunting and eating their prey. In captivity, where the conditions for which these animals were evolutionarily designed are not present, owners must intervene to provide maintenance services on their animals' hooves (Figure 3.7), nails, teeth, hair coats, etc. It is the responsibility of an owner to know what is considered routine maintenance or wellness care for the species of animals they own, and to provide that care often enough that conditions do not become painful or dangerous for their pets or livestock.
Figure 3.6 Photos should accurately represent the animal's body condition.
Source: Oregon Humane Society.
When responding to animal cases, it is important for the investigator to make themselves familiar with the type of routine care the animals in question should be receiving. Some issues, particularly dental problems, may not be immediately noticeable at first glance and will require a closer look at the animal, if it is willing, or by a veterinarian using sedation. Because conditions arising from lack of dental, hoof, and coat care are so common and can become so painful, even debilitating, this is an area worth the investment in time and research so that you are able to identify the issues, educate the owner, and, when necessary, articulate the evidence of criminal neglect.
Figure 3.7 Many animals, such as the pot‐bellied pig in this photo, require regular hoof and dental care to prevent painful overgrowth.
Source: Oregon Humane Society.
3.10 Veterinary Care, Medications, and Treatment
There are several reasons an individual might fail to provide veterinary treatment for an ill or injured animal. More “passive” reasons include a lack of education about or understanding of the seriousness of an animal's condition. Financial insecurity (limitations or constraints or choices) may play a part, as can a lack of transportation, language barriers, geography, and many other contributing factors that create obstacles for the animal owner. A failure to provide veterinary care can also be deliberate and with knowing disregard for an animal's suffering. It is important that the investigation sheds light on the details surrounding the owner's action or inaction in providing medication and treatment to their animal. Animal cruelty citations can result from an owner's failure to provide medical treatment to relieve pain and suffering.
When investigating cases involving the care and treatment of a sick or injured animal, the investigator will attempt to learn what, if any, treatments have been given, as well as what medications have been utilized by or prescribed to the owner to administer to the animal. By interviewing the owner and examining the medications, you can draw your own conclusions about whether the treatment, or lack of treatment, is evidence of animal cruelty.
When examining medication presented by the owner as evidence they are addressing (Figure 3.8) the animal's condition, look closely for the following:
If prescribed, is the medication specified for the animal in question?
Is the medication expired?
Is there evidence the animal has been receiving the medication (number of pills missing, liquids or ointments are open and obviously have been used)?
Are there accompanying vet records or other instructions to the owner regarding the condition and medication?
It is always a good idea to photograph the medication with the amount used and expiration date visible.
In many cases, the initial interaction with the owner will lead you to mandate that they seek veterinary care for an animal within a certain amount of time, after which you will return to confirm that the owner has followed your instructions, the animal is receiving adequate treatment, and is on the mend. Outcomes like this are ideal and demonstrate the important role of animal control and law enforcement officers as educators and community caretakers. This approach is successful in nonemergent cases, in which the officer is truly able to conduct rechecks, and the owner can provide the care and treatment recommended by the veterinarian to address the injury or condition. Some communities offer programs that provide qualifying pet owners with accessible and affordable veterinary care. In many investigations you will find that the owner wants to do the right thing for the animal but does not have the means to do so. Subsidized programs often provide the help pet owners need to care for their animals adequately, and ultimately preserve the bond between animals and owners by keeping the pet out of the shelter.
Figure 3.8 Examine medication closely for prescription information, expiration date, and evidence of use.
Source: Oregon Humane Society.
3.11 Nonaccidental Injury and Trauma
