Animal Abuse: To Report or Not to Report?

You should absolutely report every case you suspect of abuse. Don't listen to the vets that say "if you report and the abuser is not punished, the abuser will only learn not to take their pet to a vet." It's MUCH easier not to report. On the cases I've reported, I've feared for my safety, lost money and time at work, had to make difficult phone calls, and had to relive difficult situations over and over.

One consequence of not reporting happened to me and made me realize I can't ever do it again. I wasn't highly suspicious of abuse in the case, but suspicious enough to ask the owner if her roommate could have injured the cat (to which she answered no, but of course the answer turned out to be yes). The next time I saw Domino, he was dead of chest trauma/pulmonary hemorrhage/fractured ribs. He also had other injuries, including healing burns on his abdomen not seen at the initial exam, so they occurred within the two weeks of his initial presentation and his death. I wonder if I'd reported my suspicions the first time, if he'd still be alive. I'll never know.

Two weeks later when I saw a silky terrier who had been abuse by a different boyfriend (who would also "never have done that" according to his girlfriend), I told the girlfriend/owner that even if she didn't believe me she should not leave the dog alone with her boyfriend again. That dog is still alive, and the abuser pleaded guilty in court.

Please report every case of suspected abuse. It is not our job to investigate and be 100% sure, it's our job to report suspected abuse and have others investigate. We are supposed to protect our patients, and speak for those without a voice. Don't take the easy way out.

Laura Collins, DVM

My answer to whether veterinarians should report animal abuse is a resounding yes. Each case must be individually assessed, but I believe both of these cases should have been reported. This starts a process in which an investigation could be launched and the court system decides what appropriate action should be taken, not the veterinarian. You don't have all the facts, only what you have been told. An investigation that asks important questions may uncover other vital information that helps clarify the next steps. In the first case it is clear the animal suffered for several days, and their callous disregard for the animal makes me concerned about other animals they may have at home. There should be consequences for their behavior. I recommend looking at the number of problems, the severity of the problem and the length of time it has been going on to help decide whether to educate or report. I would assess the owner’s attitude, other medical records, question them about other animals they have had and get a complete history of the particular incident and see if it makes sense. In this case it is a severe problem with several days of suffering. By not filing a report, other concurrent and future abuses that may be even worse can take place. There is nothing to stop them from going out and getting another dog and having it suffer also. In the second case an investigation by law enforcement was definitely warranted to determine who abused the animal and to let the court decide what should be the consequence. You could be sending the animal home to suffer an even worse fate. My own experiences with reporting abuse did not lead to charges being filed, but to a positive outcome for the animal by imparting the importance of appropriate and responsible care and the consequences of failure to provide it. Also, I received a resolution to doubts I had that the animal may be at risk and I was thus able to sleep at night.
I have a lot to say about this subject. The AVMA, AAHA, Canadian VMA, executive board of the AVMA, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the UK (just to name a few veterinary professional organizations), all agree that when education fails, suspicions of animal abuse should be reported to the appropriate authorities. The veterinary oath certainly extends an ethical and moral mandate to protect animals through the relief of animal suffering, and at least 10 states legally mandate veterinarians to report their suspicions of abuse, while another few allow for voluntary reporting, and another 20 grant veterinarians immunity for doing so. Some states allow for punitive actions against one's license for failure to report. Clearly I am not the only one who believes that reporting appropriate concerns is a veterinarian's responsibility.

This is not to imply that it is an easy or straightforward task. Not every case of animal abuse should be reported, as education and follow-up visits may resolve the issues. But you have to do the follow-up. Decisions may be especially difficult in an economic climate where many clients cannot afford the cost of veterinary care. However, that does not absolve owners of their responsibility to provide appropriate care, and it the veterinarian's responsibility to explain that obligation to them. It must also be stressed that animal cruelty, which is often used interchangeably with the term abuse, is a crime in every state. Cruelty is defined by the states and may apply to a range of activities from neglect to torture, and often refers to the omission of care necessary to prevent needless suffering. Both these cases would meet the statutory definition of cruelty in many states. Many veterinarians will see neglect and abuse cases in their offices and the belief that clients may not bring animals in for care if they think they may be reported should not dissuade veterinarians from filing reasonable reports of suspicions as long as they are filed in good faith.
The other point to remember is that animal abuse may be the first visible indication that there is something seriously wrong in the household. Animal abuse and human violence have been shown by numerous studies to be linked. When animals are at risk humans are at risk, and vice versa. Filing a report may spark an investigation that uncovers other abuses, including spousal, elder and child abuse, other forms of violent or criminal activity, hoarding and other animals at risk of harm. The report should not be viewed as a means of punishment per se, but holding people accountable for their actions and it may be the only way to get much needed social services or other interventions for families in crisis.

Veterinarians are advised to be familiar with state laws defining cruelty, veterinary practice act regulations regarding mandated and voluntary reporting, immunity and confidentiality of records, and to establish ties beforehand with law enforcement, animal control and humane societies who may be the authorities to report suspicions of animal cruelty.

As part of the One Health initiative undertaken by the AVMA, we profess to believe that animal health and welfare are linked to human health and welfare. All health care professionals, except veterinarians, are mandated to report suspicions that children have been abused. As veterinarians so often like to say that pets are regarded in many households as family members, our obligation should extend to similarly protect them.

I believe it is imperative that veterinarians act to protect animals from abuse not only because of our obligation to promote individual and collective animal welfare, but to help humans as well and reduce the overall incidence of violence in our communities. Reporting animal abuse is one way to help accomplish this goal.