Maybe you caught cruelty on a security camera — or saw an animal being hurt and took a photo. That evidence could help stop the abuse.
Federal authorities have opened a new FBI email tip line for serious animal cruelty. A $5,000 reward is available when information leads to a successful prosecution under the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act.
The federal PACT Act applies to certain extreme cruelty cases, including some involving obscene “animal crush” videos. Violations can carry up to 7 years in prison.
Send tips to [email protected]. Include any photos or videos you have, along with the date, time, location, and a description of what happened and who was involved.
The FBI’s Animal Abuse Task Force will review the emails. It covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
Take action without putting yourself in danger: This can include calling authorities and gathering evidence from a safe distance. Save the date, time, location, and any useful details about the animal, person, or vehicle. Leave original photos and videos unchanged. If an animal is in immediate danger, call 911.
Animals cannot give investigators an address, a date, or a license plate. Witnesses can. Lady Freethinker urges anyone who witnesses cruelty to report what they know.
