There's No Excuse for Animal Abuse

Last year, the highly- trained men and women of the Houston SPCA’s Cruelty Investigation’s Department received more than 17,000 reports of animal abuse, neglect and cruelty and drove more than 185,000 miles protecting the innocent. The work of the Cruelty Investigations Team is featured globally on Animal Planet’s “Animal Cops: Houston” television show.

Additionally, Houston SPCA investigators work closely with other humane organizations, and with law enforcement officials, both locally and nationwide, providing specialized training, assistance for cases involving animal cruelty, and manpower for coordinated rescue efforts.

Though the demand for our services is tremendous, our commitment to the animals we serve never wavers. All reports of animal cruelty, neglect, and abuse are taken seriously and handled professionally.

What Should You Do If You Think You Witness Animal Cruelty? Animal cruelty is a crime in Texas, and is defined as follows:

SEC. 42.092. CRUELTY TO NON-LIVESTOCK ANIMALS A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly or recklessly:

1. Tortures or seriously overworks an animal
2. Fails unreasonably to provide necessary food, water, care or shelter for an animal in his custody
3. Abandons unreasonably an animal in his custody
4. Transports or confines an animal in a cruel manner
5. Kills, injures, or administers poison to an animal, belonging to another without legal authority or the owner's effective consent
6. Causes one animal to fight with another
7. Uses a live animal as a lure in dog race training or in dog coursing

If you are witness to any form of animal cruelty, we encourage you to contact the Houston SPCA and file a report. Click here to file an online Animal Cruelty Report with the Houston SPCA. You can also file a report over the phone by calling 713-869-SPCA.

24 Hour Animal Ambulance 

The Houston SPCA remains the only agency that provides an injured animal ambulance and rescue service 24 hours a day every day of the year. The rescue team responded to over 6700 calls for help in 2007. 
Call 713- 880-HELP to report an injured animal in need.