Report Cat Abuse

Prosecution relies on good evidence
It is counterproductive to jump to the conclusion that a cat is abused everytime you see a dead or injured cat. It is one of the reasons why the authorities would not take such cases seriously.

If the cat is dead, only an autopsy can ascertain the cause of death therefore in a case of suspicious death, the body of the cat must be sent to a vet, AVA or SPCA for an examination. Only when the cause of death is confirmed to be unnatural, will AVA launch an investigation.

If the cat is still alive, please send the cat to the vet asap so that the injuries can be looked into and a vet report produced. Only when the injury is confirmed to be unnatural, will AVA launch an investigation.

Eye witnesses must come forward
It is imperative that the eye-witness come forward to help in the investigation. If you are a witness of animal abuse or discovered an animal that is clearly abused:

1. Take photos or videos of the perpetrator or take note of as much details of the abuse as you can e.g. exact location, mode of abuse, description of perpetrator.
2. Take photos of the animal where it lays and the location.
3. If the animal is injured, SPCA can pick the animal up for diagnosis and treatment at their clinic. Time is of the essence, you can also bring it to the vet immediately for medical treatment. While you are there, please tell the vet that you suspect that the animal has been abused and that you would like the vet to give you a written report. You can ask the vet to send the report to AVA.
4. If the animal is dead, take photos first and make as many notes of the scene as possible. Send the body to SPCA who can do a necropsy. The faster you get the body for a necropsy, the more details can be collected. In a tropical climate, decay sets in fast and it may soon be difficult to determine the cause of death.
5. Report to the AVA 1800 476 1600, Police and SPCA 62875355 ext 9. Police and authorised officers from the AVA have the duty to investigate and the power subsequently to arrest, enter and search any premises with reasonable cause. The SPCA conducts animal cruelty investigation as part of its core function and thus provides checks and balances to the authorities’ investigations.
6. When you make a report, get a case number. Also ask which officer is going to be in charge so you can follow up with him or her. Bear in mind, only a witness can make the report – so if someone tells you that they saw a cat abused, only that someone can make the report.

Organise a Citizen Patrol
SPCA can provide “Reward for Information” flyers for abuse cases that are confirmed by a vet or SPCA.

1. Ask your Town Council to put up the Reward for Information Notice on their notice boards.
   As a resident, you are in the position to ask for assistance from the Town Council and Member of Parliament.
2. Seek information through a door-to-door appeal.
   The aim is to flyer the blocks around the location of the abuse with the “Reward for Information” flyer to ask any witnesses to come forward. Any information gathered during the appeal should be reported to the police and SPCA to help them in their investigation. The best person to lead a door-to-door appeal is a resident of the area as you will have ground knowledge of the estate and the neighbours. Let us know when you have set a date for the door-to-door appeal and we will help you call for volunteers. A petition for resident signatures can also be initiated for more frequent police patrolling and CCTVs to be installed.
3. Take the opportunity to educate residents.
   This is also a good time to educate the public about responsible pet ownership and kindness to community animals when you are engaging them through the door-to-door appeal.
4. You have sufficient information to organise a citizen patrol. 
   If you have an idea about the suspect and their mode of operation, recruit online through Facebook closed groups to organise a citizen patrol. The aim is to catch the person in the act through photographic or video evidence. This should be done discreetly. Catching a cat abuser takes vigilance and putting the neighbourhood on high alert reduces the chances of the abuser striking again for fear of being caught.