The Case: News reports give the following account: In January, a dead goat and bag of chickens were found in South Sacramento. Since then, there have been at least nine cases involving mutilated chickens, rabbits, goats, a lamb and a tortoise throughout the Sacramento area. Officials aren’t certain if the animals were beheaded before or after they were killed. The cuts appear to have been made with a saw and do not appear to be precise.
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Animal Cruelty: Getting the serious attention of law enforcement, prosecutors and the community in cases involving allegations of cruelty to animals is an essential step in protecting the community. The connection between animal cruelty and human violence is well documented. Studies show a correlation between animal cruelty and all manner of other crimes, from narcotics and firearms violations to battery and sexual assault.
Eric Sakach, senior law enforcement specialist for The HSUS, said: “These animals were mutilated and killed for no apparent reason and discarded as though they were trash. We are hopeful that this reward will bring forward anyone with information about these disturbing crimes."
The Investigators: City of Sacramento Animal Care Services is investigating. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call (916) 808-8333.
Resources: The HSUS Animal Cruelty Campaign raises public awareness and educates communities about the connection between animal cruelty and human violence while providing a variety of resources to law enforcement agencies, social work professionals, educators, legislators and families. The HSUS offers rewards in animal cruelty cases across the country and works to strengthen laws against animal cruelty.
The National Sheriffs’ Association and The HSUS recently launched ICE BlackBox, a free smartphone tool, to allow users to record video of illegal animal cruelty and share it securely with law enforcement for possible investigation and prosecution.
The HSUS recently doubled its standard cruelty reward from $2,500 to $5,000 thanks to a generous donation from an HSUS board member. To see information on statistics, trends, laws and animal cruelty categories, click here.
