In a significant move to crack down on animal cruelty, a federal animal abuse task force has been created to hold offenders accountable under the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act across the Central District of California, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Made up of both federal and local law enforcement, the group will target serious animal abuse involving interstate or foreign commerce, as well as the production of “animal crush” videos, in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
“Animal abuse is among the most heartbreaking and despicable type of crimes that law enforcement sees,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said. “Together with our federal and local partners, my office intends to root out and punish those who profit from hurting animals.”
The task force recently carried out a community outreach operation in Los Angeles’ Skid Row, where they checked on a dozen dogs to make sure they had food and clean water, screened for signs of neglect and abuse, distributed collars and leashes, and rescued an abandoned dog.
Lady Freethinker is grateful that this group is prioritizing animal welfare in the Central District of California — the nation’s most populous federal district — and we remain committed to pushing for stronger enforcement of animal protection laws everywhere.
