The SPCA Cruelty investigators can only enforce the Article 26 - NYS Ag & Markets laws as they are written. Our cruelty hotline is available 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year. All reports of cruelty are CONFIDENTIAL, call 585-268-9600.

When you call you must have first hand knowledge of the incident....meaning you can report what you personally have observed. All cruelty reports are held confidential and on-going or open investigations will NOT be discussed publicly.  If there is an emergency, call 911. Please note ALL local or state law enforcement police agencies can also investigate and enforce the NY State Ag & Market Laws ARTICLE 26 LAWS

The SPCA does NOT write the Ag & Market Animal Cruelty laws, and we cannot enforce laws that do not exist.  Please note the SPCA Serving Allegany County will not break the law, to enforce the law, we can only enforce the existing NYS Ag & Market Animal laws as they are written.

To learn more about Animal Cruelty refer to this brochure ANIMAL LAW in NYS

Listed below is the procedure the SPCA follows when an animal cruelty complaint is made by calling the Cruelty hotline 585-268-9600.

How to report cruelty:

- Call the Cruelty Hotline: 585-268-9600 the hotline is available 24/7 - All complaints are CONFIDENTIAL! Dispatch will ask your name and phone number, this info is needed in case our Cruelty Investigator needs to call you back for more information, be assured your contact information and complaint is held CONFIDENTIAL. NOTE: You will not receive a call back with updates on the case, if the investigator needs more information from you, they will call.  If they need further assistance or need you to sign a supporting deposition for the case they will contact you.

- The dispatch center will take down the information from the complaintant, and please provide as much detailed information as you can and include the address of the location of the animal(s) you are calling about. When you call you must have first hand knowledge of the incident....meaning you can only report what you have personally observed.  Do NOT enter a another person's property without permission. If you know the owners name of the pets and their contact info, please provide that info to the dispatch center.

- The complaint then gets dispatched to a Cruelty Investigator (CI)

- The CI conducts his/her investigation to determine if any animal cruelty laws have been violated or not and then the CI will proceed accordingly. Sometimes, in order for us to follow & comply with the NYS Ag & Market Laws ourselves, we are barred from taking further actions on a case with the evidence we currently have.

Possible outcomes in cases are:

- In many instances, guidance and education is given by our cruelty investigators to help correct a situation with the pet owner, and a follow-up or re-check animal welfare visit is conducted to make sure they are in remaining in compliance with the NYS Ag & Market laws.

- In some cases there is a Notice to Comply posted at the residence and contact from the pet owner is required with our Cruelty Investigator to discuss the complaint within 24 hours.

- Other times the offender may get ticketed and they will have to go for a court appearance

- In some cases animals are voluntarily surrendered and signed over to us by the owner and brought to the SPCA

- In more serious cases, animals are seized. Our CI must obtain a Search Warrant and an Order to Seize via the local judge- there must be probable cause provided to the judge.