Report cruelty or neglect
If you're worried about how an animal is being treated — neglect, or an animal left without food, water, or shelter — report it to SBARC by calling 311. An Animal Welfare Officer will follow up. Be as specific as you can about what you've seen.
What to tell us
The more detail you can give, the better an officer can help.
- The exact address where the animal is
- What you've seen, and why you're concerned
- You can report anonymously if you'd prefer
What happens after you report
An Animal Welfare Officer visits the property and checks that the animal is being cared for properly. In most cases they leave an Animal Welfare Alert that gives the owner time to fix the problem, then return to recheck — officers cannot remove an animal on the first visit. This process takes time. Please know that SBARC takes every investigation seriously.
This covers neglect and abandonment alike. An animal counts as abandoned when it's left unattended without proper food, water, or shelter for 48 hours. SBARC is legally required to leave two 24 hour notices over the span of two days before they can pull an animal from an abandoned property or home.
If nothing improves or things get worse, call 311 again — you can report as often as you need to.