NYC's Joint Effort to Combat Animal Cruelty

A groundbreaking 9-year partnership between the ASPCA and NYPD has resulted in nearly 6,000 animal rescues and over 1,200 arrests for animal cruelty in New York City. This collaborative effort, launched in 2014, marks an unprecedented level of cooperation between law enforcement and animal welfare organizations.

Key Findings:

• Over 5,700 animals rescued from 2,783 cruelty cases between 2013 and 2022. This represents a near 300% increase in reported cases since the partnership began.
• Neglect is the most common form of animal cruelty, with dogs accounting for 80% of cases. The report defines neglect as the failure to provide adequate food, water, shelter, grooming, veterinary care, and socialization.
• A strong correlation exists between animal cruelty and domestic violence. Smaller pets are particularly vulnerable to non-accidental injuries.
• The NYPD has trained over 30,000 officers in recognizing and responding to animal cruelty, leading to the creation of a dedicated Animal Cruelty Investigations Squad.
• All five boroughs have assistant district attorneys dedicated to animal cruelty cases. This, coupled with increased NYPD enforcement, has resulted in more than 1,200 arrests in the past decade.
• 75% of rescued cats and dogs were either adopted, placed with partner shelters, or returned to their owners.

The ASPCA expresses concern that many incidents go unreported, particularly involving cats.

This successful partnership serves as a model for other cities looking to improve animal welfare and law enforcement collaboration.

<img src="IMAGE_URL_IF_AVAILABLE" alt="Image related to ASPCA and NYPD collaboration">