Better Together: Animal Cruelty Investigation and Prevention through Collaboration

A collaborative approach to animal cruelty investigations relies on the successful interface between law enforcement, forensic veterinarians, animal sheltering entities, and prosecutors. Animal cases require each of these disciplines to understand and execute their unique roles with precision while also understanding the duty, constraints, and capabilities of each other in the context of the investigation and prosecution. Strong relationships between these entities can also result in positive outcomes for animals and people through access to services, education and support that circumvent animal suffering and criminal citation. This panel will discuss the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Collaborative Response Project and the successes and progress made in one community through training, grant funding, and hands on support.