The Work You Don’t See.
When most people picture an animal cruelty investigation, they imagine the moment responders arrive at a property and begin helping animals.
But some of the most important work happens long before anyone steps out of a vehicle.
Our newly hired role at AIR, Emergency Services Manager and Animal Cruelty Investigator, includes many days where there is no current active response. A day like this may involve no flashing lights, no animal seizure and no dramatic rescue scene. Instead, it may involve hours of research, evidence review, report writing, agency consultation and careful preparation.
And that work can make the difference when an emergency call comes in.
This is a new paid position that works closely with our support team of volunteers on a daily basis. As the need for AIR’s expertise continues to grow, this position allows AIR to be more available, more organized and more responsive when agencies need help.
What does an emergency response look like when there isn’t an emergency happening? A lot more than you might think! Welcome to Episode 1 of this four-part series through North Texas Giving Day.
A newly hired role at AIR – “Emergency Services Manager and Animal Cruelty Investigator” – works daily to review evidence for law enforcement, research specialized cases, vet rescue partners, help agencies prepare resources for seizures and answer calls from communities facing animal emergencies after a natural disaster.
This behind-the-scenes work is what makes a strong response possible when the call comes. We look to YOU to help sustain this important role so we can say YES when our services are required.
Your support helps us to provide more care through roles like this to help save more lives!
Turning Evidence Into Action
One important task is reviewing evidentiary videos and developing professional reports when law enforcement needs added assistance on a case.
Animal welfare cases can be complicated. Law enforcement officers are experts in their own areas, but they may not have extensive training in animal welfare laws, animal behavior or the specific indicators associated with animal cruelty.
One of the duties of This new role could be reviewing video footage provided by law enforcement, identifying relevant observations and possibly preparing a report that helps law enforcement understand what they are seeing and how it may relate to an investigation. That expertise can be especially important when a case involves something highly specialized when dealing with animal crimes.
Recently, our investigations team spent hours upon hours putting together a substantial amount of important information about cockfighting so our Emergency Response Manager can work with our team to develop training for law enforcement and prosecutors. That research includes terminology, different types of cockfighting, what law enforcement should look for at a scene and how to distinguish between a legitimate breeding operation and circumstances involving animal abuse and fighting.
This is the kind of work that may never make a dramatic social media post.
But it is the kind of work that strengthens an investigation.
Building a Network Before the Emergency Happens
Another special project currently in motion is building a comprehensive Placement Partner database for AIR. Nearly 50 different points of information are applied and analyzed against various rescue organizations. Those organizations are then categorized based upon how the potential partner can support AIR during an active response.
Why does that matter? Because when an agency calls AIR about animals that need somewhere to go, responders cannot afford to start from scratch. Animal’s lives hang in the balance.
A complicated cruelty case is already moving quickly. Animals may need temporary shelter. Transportation may need to be arranged. Veterinary care may be necessary. Evidence must be preserved. Law enforcement has its own legal responsibilities and deadlines.
Having a vetted network of potential resources means AIR can spend less time asking, “Who might be able to help?” and more time figuring out, “What is the best plan for these animals?”
That is donor-supported infrastructure.
It may not look like a rescue at first glance, but it makes rescue possible.
Sometimes the Call Comes Before the Seizure
We recently received a late-night call from an agency dealing with a hoarding situation. The agency wanted to move forward with a seizure but did not have the resources to house the animals.
We spent a couple of hours on the phone assisting them through the situation. This included identifying temporary shelter, discussion of the special considerations involved in writing a seizure warrant and helping them understand where AIR can support through the process.
We worked with them to identify potential temporary shelters and helped them evaluate those options and think through the advantages, limitations and logistics of each.
That is what emergency response looks like, too.
Sometimes it is not a truck pulling up to a property.
Sometimes it is a phone call at the exact moment someone needs an experienced person to say, “Let’s figure out the plan.”
Why Having This New Role Matters
Before this paid position existed, AIR mostly depended on volunteers who were also balancing jobs, families and other responsibilities. That meant an agency might reach out and have to wait until a volunteer could get off work to respond.
Today, AIR is building the capacity to respond much faster.
Receiving calls from agencies,
Triaging calls based on level of emergency
Reviewing evidence
Preparing structured reports
Consulting with law enforcement
Supporting agencies in the development of plans for seizure, care, transport and vetting
Providing the resources to support the plan
Coordinating volunteers and resources.
All of these tasks are done with the understanding that every case has to balance three things:
Responder safety.
Animal safety.
Case integrity.
The volume is significant. AIR receives over hundreds of hours of this kind of work in a typical month—nearly a full-time workload. During one major case, the investigative work exceeded 200 hours in a single month, including nine consecutive days on site.
This new position provides volunteers stronger leadership, better preparation and the support they need to do their jobs well.