Crime, like an earthquake, sends out seismic waves far from the
source of the trouble. Crime can force people to lock
themselves in their homes because they're afraid to walk the
streets, socialize in parks or shop in their business
districts. Crime not only contributes to community isolation,
it also weakens civic ties.
But some people refuse merely to tremble when those
shockwaves roll by. Many have decided to reinforce their own
community foundations with an innovative tool known as the
Neighborhood Crime Watch program, a much-lauded effort that has
helped to revitalize neighborhoods and their residents. Now,
The HSUS would like to see that concept expanded further into a
Neighborhood Watch for Animals.
After all, Neighborhood Watch programs have proven to be
adaptable. Communities have successfully created Park Watches,
Apartment Watches, Boat Watches, and School Watches. A
Neighborhood Watch for Animals can build on these programs that
have, for more than 30 years, empowered citizens to help
prevent crime and take back their communities.
These programs involve a mutual commitment between local law
enforcement and citizens. While citizens serve as the eyes and
ears of law enforcement for their neighborhood, police and
sheriffs' agencies make a commitment to train community members
in home security, crime-prevention techniques, personal safety,
and crime reporting. Residents also learn about the types of
crime that affect their area. Knowledge is power here—if
citizens know the types of crimes that occur in their
neighborhood, they can look out for those suspicious activities
and report them to law enforcement.
The HSUS has long focused on education to foster change, and
that's why we're using the annual Animal Cruelty/Human Violence
Awareness Week to launch the call for the Neighborhood Watch
for Animals. The basic premise: Citizens are often in a good
position to recognize if animal cruelty is occurring in their
community.
"Public involvement is a key to stopping animal cruelty,"
notes Virginia M. Prevas, First Strike® campaign manager for
The HSUS. "There are many ways individuals can make a
difference without risking their safety. We are aware of
cruelty cases in which animals could have been rescued or saved
had neighbors, family members, friends, or concerned citizens
paid attention to warning signs."
Just one example: In late fall 2001, two dogs might have
been saved in South Carolina had neighbors realized that the
canines' constant barking and scratching at an interior
apartment door meant that they were abandoned and hungry. One
of the neighbors testified that he thought the scratching was
coming from squirrels. The dogs, Chloe and Tuck, were
eventually found in a decomposed state in the abandoned
apartment. Melissa Marsh, Chloe and Tuck's owner, was convicted
of two counts of animal abandonment, and sentenced to pay
$2,124 in fines and spend 60 days in jail.
But there are also cases in which citizens took appropriate
action to save animals who were victims of cruelty.
In June 2002, Pamela Winchell happened to be passing through
her Stockton, California neighborhood when she noticed smoke
coming from an abandoned septic tank. When she went to
investigate, she found a female shepherd-mix puppy hanging from
a hose in the tank, which was filled with burning debris. She
rescued the dog, who fortunately did not sustain any serious
injuries. A 12-year-old boy was later arrested and charged with
arson and animal cruelty.
Barbara Scanlon, a humane educator at the Marshall County
Animal Rescue League in Glen Dale, West Virginia, sees the
benefits of involving neighbors to protect a community's pets
and wildlife. "I think establishing Neighborhood Watches for
Animals will help enable individuals to do more for animals in
their communities," Scanlon says. "The tips are simple to
follow, and they empower people to recognize that it's
everyone's responsibility to be mindful of animal cruelty."
Scanlon has educated citizens in her community about animal
protection issues for several years. She even helped create a
program with Marshall County's elementary school teachers to
facilitate classroom community-service projects that benefit
animals, the environment, and other people.
Scanlon is already thinking about how she can share
Neighborhood Watch for Animals tips with students in the
Marshall County School System. "We have a program where
children from local schools decorate bags with pictures and
information about pet care for senior citizens who are
homebound. The bags are delivered to those seniors who
participate in the county's Meals-on-Wheels program, and the
children's messages brighten their day. It would be a great
opportunity to share the Neighborhood Watch for Animals tips
with seniors in our community."
Starting a Neighborhood Watch for Animals program not only
helps protect pets and wildlife in communities, but it also
helps protect people. The HSUS's Prevas notes that there is a
well-documented connection between animal cruelty and human
violence. In homes where an animal is neglected or mistreated,
there is often a child, spouse, or vulnerable adult being
abused as well.
"While we don't always know if our neighbors are the victims
of child abuse, domestic violence, or elder abuse, we may
notice that their dog is chained outside in cold weather, or
appears neglected or abused," Prevas adds. "By being alert to
animal cruelty and reporting it to law enforcement, we not only
help protect the animals in our communities—we may also be
alerting authorities to other victims in the home."
For those interested in starting their own Neighborhood
Watch for Animals program, The HSUS has materials to help. The
Neighborhood Watch for Animals tip sheet offers practical
suggestions for citizens who want to do more to protect animals
in their communities. In addition, The HSUS is also offering
wallet cards so people can keep emergency numbers handy in case
they need to report animal cruelty to the proper
authorities.
"It's important to understand that animal cruelty is a crime
that doesn't happen somewhere else, as many people would like
to believe," Prevas notes. "It can happen anywhere, and by all
indicators, it does."
You can read the 2002 Report of Animal Cruelty Cases
and Neighborhood Watch for Animals tip sheet by following the
links below. To receive a free copy of the report, tip sheet,
emergency wallet card, or First Strike information kit, e-mail
The HSUS at firststrike@hsus.org and
include your mailing address. You can also call First Strike
toll free at 1-888-213-0956.
