Animal cruelty is a tragic but real problem that impacts far too many dogs living in puppy mills, abusive homes, or on the streets. Abused dogs may suffer from physical as well as emotional injuries, but with proper intervention and support, they can often recover and lead full, happy lives. If you know of a dog who has been abused, report any suspected abuse to local authorities or a humane society immediately. If you are looking to help abused dogs in your area, consider volunteering or donating to a shelter. If you’ve adopted a formerly abused dog, give them time and lots of affection to help them rebuild their trust and feel comfortable in your home.
Protecting an Actively Abused Dog
1Approach the individual. Some abuse may stem from intent, but some abuse may also come from simply not understanding. If you think someone is keeping a dog in poor conditions, neglecting them, or otherwise harming the dog’s health, talk to them directly about the concerns.
- Try to be polite. Aggressively confronting another is not the way to get them to hear your point, and it helps to give an individual the benefit of the doubt.
- If you see a dog looking lethargic, for example, you might want to say, "I noticed your dog looking a little tired. Have you gone on any long walks recently? If not, it might help to offer them a bit of nourishing food and make sure they always have access to water."
- Let the individual know what you’ve seen, why you think the dog is hurting, and what the individual can do to better help care for the dog. Offer them contact information for resources such as groomers, animal rights groups, and vets if you have it available.
- Offer to help care for the dog if the individual seems unable to fully do so themselves. If they simply seem unwilling, the situation may require professional intervention. Allow professionals to handle the matter, as you taking the dog away could be seen as theft.
2Call law enforcement. If you see a dog being actively abused, call emergency services right away and report what you’re seeing and where the abuse is happening. If you know of a dog that’s regularly abused but not in imminent danger, call your local humane society or animal control as soon as possible.
- Examples of active abuse may include physical abuse, as well as circumstances such as being chained up outside in dangerous or inclement weather, or being left in a hot car.
- Try to document as much as you can about the case. Get down dates, times, locations, and details of suspected abuse. If possible, include photos or video footage as evidence for the authorities.
3Consult an advocacy group. Talk to your local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) or humane society about a suspected case of abuse. They may have legal resources or counselors that can help you determine what does and does not constitute abuse in your area, and what options you have if law enforcement is not responsive.
- Try to use advocacy groups as a resource. They often have limited authority unto themselves, but may be able to put you in touch with others that can better assist a particular situation.
4Assist an abandoned dog. If you spot an abandoned dog, call your local animal control or humane society immediately and let them know where you last saw the dog. While waiting for someone to pick the dog up, you may opt to put out food and water to help keep the dog close and ensure it has some nutrition if it is malnourished.
- Try to avoid coming in close contact with the dog. Leave food and water out front, but do not touch the dog or bring it into your home. You do not know how it will react to you, so the best protective move is to avoid aggravating it.
- If you believe the dog is acting erratic or unsafe, use a barrier such as your bag or jacket in between you and the dog. Allow the dog to distract itself with the barrier while you escape elsewhere.
Assisting at the Shelter
1Volunteer at a shelter. Many animal rescues depend on volunteers, and one of the best ways you can help a rescue pet who experienced abuse is to help the shelter overall. If you have experience working with abused animals, let the shelter know.
- You may not work directly with abused animals if you do not have experience in that area, but volunteering your time helps give trained shelter staff more time to work with these abused animals.
- Go online and fill out a volunteer application for your local shelter or call them and ask to see if they have any volunteer openings.
2Donate supplies or money. If you cannot volunteer with a shelter or rescue agency, consider donating money or necessary supplies. Shelters are often underserved and underfunded. A direct monetary donation can help them get the things they need to operate correctly, while a donation of toys, food, leashes, dishes, or other goods can directly benefit the pets they service.
- Contact your local rescue and ask them, “What are the procedures for donating to your shelter? Do you accept donations of supplies, or just monetary donations?”
- Be sure to follow the rescue’s donation policy. They may not be able to accept items that are gently used, or they may not be able to accept supplies donations at all. Ask them specifically what they need and what they are allow to take.
3Foster a dog. When rescues cannot house an animal, either due to capacity or to due to the abilities of the dog, they turn to foster homes where the animal lives until it has recovered and can be adopted. Volunteer to foster an dog by calling your local rescue and letting them know you are open to working with abused animals in your home.
- Fostering an abused animal may require some commitment beyond a normal foster situation. You may be responsible for getting the animal to and from the vet, physical therapy, and training.
- Abused animals may live in their foster homes for several months before being ready for adoption. They will require extra time and patience from their foster home.
Adopting an Abused Dog
1Be patient. A new dog owner may not understand or be able to predict all of the reactions from an abused dog early on. Be patient if the dog is hesitant, reluctant, afraid, or even aggressive. Most often, these are self-defense responses that will slow or fade after the dog has become more comfortable.
- Do not try to give your new pet too much affection or force physical contact with them. Let them come to you.
- If the dog is exhibiting aggressive behaviors such as biting, try to discourage them without yelling by using stern verbal tones and eye contact.
- If the aggressive behavior continues, you may want to seek the assistance of a professional trainer.
2Create a safe space. You may choose to designate a corner in your home as a safe space for your new dog, or you may opt for a crate. Either way, create a space with access to a bed, water, and comforting items such as toys or a blanket that your new dog knows is just for them.
- This area should serve as a place for your dog to go to rest and recharge. Try not to disturb them too much when they are in their space.
- If your dog is spending too much time in their space and never interacting at all, you may try to coax them out with treats, or by moving the food dish a bit farther out.
3Create success. Help rebuild your dog’s confidence by introducing them to new situations where they can only succeed. If new people scare your dog, for example, have a pet-loving friend come over with treats and plenty of gentle affection for your pup.
- The situations don’t have to be too elaborate, nor do they have to address all your dog’s fears at once. Rather, building success gradually teaches an abused dog to have confidence where there was once fear.
- Reinforce positive responses to these situations with plenty of love and praise. Let your dog know when they do the right thing and they will continue to do so.
4Provide daily care for your dog. It’s important to care for an abused dog’s specific needs, but it’s equally important to make sure their overall needs are met. Building a daily routine helps calm your abused dog because they know what to expect, and it also allows you and your new animal to bond.
- Try to make sure your dog is regularly fed and given clean water, walked, and played with. Keep times as consistent as possible,
- Try to schedule some quiet time for you and your dog. Allow them to be in the same room or encourage them to be near you, but do not look to provide the dog with too much active attention. This allows your dog to become comfortable simply being near you.
How do I get help for a neighbor's dogs? The owners don't feed or water them regularly. They don't come out and see about them either. I've called the animal shelter and they came out three times. They give the neighbor a ticket to go to court. But they said they could not help the dogs.wikiHow ContributorKeep calling. They will either have to keep paying fines or answer to the court, which could be pretty annoying for them. You can also try calling law enforcement and see what they say, or talk to local media.
Whom do I contact if someone is abusing a dog?wikiHow ContributorContact a local animal shelter. They will tell you what to do.
- Before getting the dog, ask the previous owners or rescue organization for as much information as they can provide regarding the dog’s history and personality.
- Let everyone in the house know what he or she is afraid of. Make sure they are prepared to have the dog around and have patience.
- Remember that his emotional trouble can surface at any time, even after the dog seems to be adjusted. Don't be discouraged by that.
Sources and Citations
- ↑ http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/abuse_neglect/facts/animal_cruelty_facts_statistics.html
- ↑ http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/pets/dog-care/how-to-help-an-abused-or-neglected-dog
- ↑ http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/abuse_neglect/tips/cruelty_action.html
- ↑ http://aldf.org/resources/when-you-witness-animal-cruelty/how-to-help-a-neighbors-neglected-animal/
- ↑ http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/what_to_do_stray_pet.html
- ↑ http://www.petful.com/animal-welfare/volunteering-at-an-animal-shelter/
- ↑ https://www.petfinder.com/helping-pets/information-on-helping-pets/unusual-donations-for-shelters-rescue-groups/
- ↑ https://www.rspca.org.uk/findapet/foster
- ↑ http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/features/is-your-dog-emotionally-scarred
- ↑ http://www.pet360.com/dog/adoption/adopting-an-abused-dog/mdCIPxLjPkOA_RCUseqzXQ
- ↑ http://www.petplace.com/article/dogs/behavior-training/understanding-your-dog/how-to-care-for-an-abused-pet
- ↑ http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/pets/q-and-a/a21152/gaining-trust-of-abused-dog/
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