ANIMAL PROTECTION

To report animal cruelty call your local law enforcement agency

LEAP Mission Statement

The LEAP (Law Enforcement for Animal Protection) Task Force consists of law enforcement/governmental animal protection agencies whose mission it is to foster high-quality animal cruelty investigations and prosecutions, and to prevent cruelty through community outreach and education. Due to the confidential nature of some matters discussed at meetings, membership in LEAP is restricted to employees of Maricopa County law enforcement agencies, criminal justice agencies, government animal protection or control agencies, or such agencies that contract with the government.

Cruelty/Psychology

• A triad of behaviors in children proves to be a reliable predictor of future criminal activity. These are 1) Cruelty to Animals, 2) Setting Fires, 3) Bed wetting after age five. (Hellman and Blackman)
• The Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI investigates the psychodynamics of serial killers. They find that cruelty to animals is consistent in their history.
• Children who commit animal cruelties are studied longitudinally. Animal abuse predicts and correlates with long term anti-social behaviors such as lying, stealing and bullying in males. (Tapia and Rigdon)
• Male psychiatric patients with animal abuse in their history were more likely to have an alcoholic father, and witnessed cruelty to animals. (Felthous)
• In a study of 53 families in NJ, 88% of families convicted of child abuse or neglect were also convicted of abuse of a family pet. (Deviney, Dickert, Lockwood)
• A study found significantly higher rates of cruelty towards animals among aggressive criminals as compared with non-aggressive criminals. Animal cruelty predicted future violence. (Kellart and Felthous)
• A study of persons convicted of homicide found that in some cases animals were killed to relive the experience of killing humans.  (Hickey)

Hoarding

Animal hoarding is defined as the following: keeping more than the typical number of companion animals; inability to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter, and veterinary care, with this neglect often resulting in starvation, illness, and death; and the denial of the inability to provide this minimum care and the impact of that failure on the animals, the household, and human occupants of the dwelling.

Animal hoarding is not about animal sheltering, rescue, or sanctuary, and should not be confused with these legitimate efforts to help animals.

It IS about satisfying a human need to accumulate animals and control them, and this need supersedes the needs of the animals involved.

Example of hoarding

Arizona Laws - Animal abuse is a crime in Arizona. Use the links below to research state and city statutes designed to protect animals

• §3-1721 Arizona Revised Statutes - Regarding Animals (PDF)
  
  
• §13-1411 Arizona Revised Statute - Beastiality (PDF)
  
  
• Phoenix City Code - Regarding Animals (PDF)
  
  
• Scottsdale City Code - Regarding Animals (PDF)

Adoption Information

• Arizona Humane Society
  
  
• Maricopa County Animal Care & Control
  
  
• Sherriff's Office - MASH Unit (PDF)

Resources - For information on animal shelters, hospitals and other related links, click here to download the PDF file.

SUBSCRIPTION

Sign up below for updates to the handbook and other news.