When abuse, cruelty or neglect cases are reported, our staff jumps into action. Our Humane Officer investigates incidents of animal cruelty and neglect, educates the public on proper care for animals, and prepares and submits cases for prosecution.

In addition to our Humane Officer being a law enforcement official, our agency has prosecutorial powers (per Ohio’s animal cruelty laws). Since the inception of the Medina County SPCA, several cases of animal abuse and neglect in the county have been successfully prosecuted.

Most of the cases that our Humane Officer investigates are instances of unintentional neglect and can be resolved by educating animal owners on the proper way to provide necessary care. An intentional act of animal abuse or cruelty is when an individual purposely and knowingly deprives an animal of food, water, shelter, socialization or veterinary care to maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating or killing an animal.

Below are some examples of the types of animal cruelty and neglect our Humane Officer regularly investigates:

• Intentional acts of cruelty; torturing, maiming, mutilating or maliciously killing an animal

• Poisoning

• Animal fighting

• Depriving an animal of proper care, food, water, shelter or necessary veterinary care

• Intentional or unintentional acts of neglect

• Animal hoarding

• Abandonment

• Unlawful inhumane or unsafe living conditions

• Inadequate exercise area