How does reporting animal neglect or abuse work?
If you are worried about an animal, call us!
The Bonnie Hays Animal Shelter and Washington County Animal Services can help if you are ever worried about how an animal is being treated. If you’ve never contacted us before, you might wonder what to expect.
When you call us because you are concerned about how pets or livestock are being treated, we will start by asking for some basic information, including:
- Your full name, address and phone number. We can’t accept anonymous reports.
- Specific information that will help an officer prepare for the situation. We might ask how many and what kind of animals are involved, the exact address where the animals are located, and what you saw that worries you.
During this discussion, staff will listen for possible violations to county codes or laws. For example, lack of access to shelter or water would qualify as not providing minimum care, but wishing an owner would walk their dog more would not.
If there is a possible violation, we will open a case and an Animal Services officer (ASO) will decide how to move forward. They may first contact you for more information, or they might go to the location provided to try to talk with the owner and see the animals. We may also contact other law enforcement agencies about the situation if needed.
Depending on what the ASO learns, the case can go in several directions. The case could be closed if we don’t find evidence of a crime or code violation. Or, the ASO could potentially issue a citation, give the owner a set amount of time to resolve the concern, and/or contact others who may have additional information. If the situation is serious and evidence supports it, animals can be seized and cared for at the shelter until the investigation is complete and an outcome is determined.
If you are worried about an animal, call us at 503-846-7041. We’re here to help!
For more information on these topics and more, please visit www.WashingtonCountyPets.com. The Bonnie Hays Animal Shelter is located at 1901 SE 24th Ave in Hillsboro.
