At Animal Justice League of America (AJLA), we believe local law enforcement has a great opportunity before them. Our experience and research show that a significant portion of people who commit violent or property crimes have committed some type of animal abuse in the past. We believe that by holding animal abusers accountable and bringing them to justice, we can significantly reduce the incidence of violent crimes and property crimes, all while saving the lives of millions of animals.

When we partner with one another, we not only have the opportunity to effect massive change, but we also send a message of respect for the community and surrounding world.

We’ve had the pleasure of working together with law enforcement, lawmakers, and attorneys to make communities safer for everyone. Our recent work with Saline County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Thompson resulted in a positive outcome for all parties involved, and we look forward to continuing this synergy with other prosecutors around the country.

Our Vision For Law Enforcement

We believe in you!  We see a world proud of law enforcement officers and the devotion you have to your communities.  We see people in every community being thankful for and proud of your service. We envision teaming up to make the world a better place and we see your partnership towards ending animal abuse as your commitment to a better future.

Because we believe in you, we:

  • Extend and enhance your community policing efforts through association with the Animal Justice League of America and through tangible outcomes
  • Provide extensive, first-rate investigating experience for future detectives while offering support in creating high-quality, prosecutable cases
  • Help your departments improve its community standing, bring in and retain the best law enforcement officers, and expedite their career path

Research Links Animal Abuse & Violent Crimes

Statistics, as well as our own personal experience and observations, show that individuals who abuse animals have a near certainty of committing other crimes. We’ve seen animal abusers graduate to become rapists, child molesters, domestic abusers, and worse.

Consider the following facts:

71% of women who reported domestic abuse stated that their abuser previously abused or killed the family pet.*
88% of families who reported child abuse reported the abuser previously attacked animals intentionally.**

Violent crime decreased by 65% when law enforcement went after previously ignored crimes.***

65% of those arrested for animal crimes had previously been arrested for battery.****
When 36 individuals convicted of multiple murders were asked, almost half (46%) admitted to torturing and killing an animal for enjoyment.*****

People who abuse animals usually get by with little or no penalty or criminal charges. If there are charges, they frequently end up with a “slap on the wrist” and they usually go right back to the same inhumane behaviors. We want to work with law enforcement to strengthen and enforce animal abuse laws to ensure perpetrators are charged, convicted, and punished for their heinous acts both criminally and through civil suits.

Working Together – AJLA & Law Enforcement

Our mission is to end animal abuse through REAL accountability for everyone involved in animal crimes – from cases of neglect to direct abuse. We believe that local law enforcement is the best group to enforce that accountability and thereby improve the community. We want to partner with you to help deliver the crime-free and animal abuse-free jurisdictions citizens are crying out for.

As we studied possible solutions to our communities’ violent crimes, we looked back on the “broken window” approach to reducing crime in New York in the early 1990s. Violent crime dropped 65% and property crime dropped 56% in a few short years simply from law enforcement going after “small” and previously neglected crimes. ***

What New York (and other cities that followed suit) found, was that by addressing previously neglected crimes and “small” crimes, citizens and potential criminals recognized law enforcement was serious. If people were being held accountable for seemingly small crimes, then potential criminals realized the punishment for larger crimes would be worse and weren’t willing to risk it. This reduced crime across the board.

At AJLA, we want to aid local law enforcement by strengthening and enforcing animal abuse laws. We would untie law enforcement hands by making legal procedures to obtain a conviction and judgment more efficient. AJLA will aid law enforcement, and where criminal charges cannot be filed, we will file a civil suit.

Finally, AJLA supports the implementation of an animal cruelty offenders list similar to the sex offenders list and is actively working with state governments to help pass and implement the Animal Abusers Registry.

We Are All In This Together

We all owe it to ourselves, our families, and our future to work together to bring accountability to those who commit crimes, especially violent crimes. At ALJA, we believe we have a chance to bring abusers to justice and improve the world for animals as well as people.

AJLA is going to do it, and we want you on our side! Register your interest – personally or professionally – now to help increase awareness, action, and accountability.

*Walton-Moss, B. J., Manganello, J., Frye, V., & Campbell, J. C. (2005). “Risk factors for intimate partner violence and associated injury among urban women.” Journal of Community Health, 30(5), 377–389.**DeViney, E., Dickert, J., & Lockwood, R. (1983). ‘The care of pets within child abusing families.” International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems, 4, 3321–3329.

***http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/03/the-crime-fighting-program-that-changed-new-york-forever.html

****Degenhardt, B. 2005. Statistical Summary of Offenders Charged with Crimes against Companion Animals July 2001-July 2005. Report from the Chicago Police Department.

*****Cohen, W. (1996). Congressional Register, 142(141), Oct. 3.

Become an AJLA Investigator