Inaugural conference educates SC officers on handling animal abuse

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — For most of us, the thought of harming an animal is out of the question.

But law enforcement officers know that animal abuse is an all too common occurrence.

“I think people need to understand just how much animal abuse we have going on in our state and nationwide. So this is a training to train those who work these type cases, that’s kind of an unwritten thing that nobody talks about these cases very much so we really need to talk about them more and do more training,” says Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott.

Sponsored by Pawmetto Lifeline and the newly formed SC Animal Advocacy Association, the new two-day training session at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention center is educating officers on how to police the horrors of animal abuse — both intentional and unintentional.

Over 80 law enforcement officers representing 55 different agencies throughout 23 counties came together at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center for the special training.

“It can run from the gamut from maybe somebody that just doesn’t know they moved into the area and aren’t aware that a county ordinance may require them to have a doghouse for their dog, to somebody that is really the kind of people that we want to catch, and those are the people that intentionally harm or abandon or cause an injury to an animal,” says Director of the Association, Steve Collins.

According to Lott, cases of cruelty are seen with a range of animals including dogs, cats, and horses, with cases running the gamut from abandonment and neglect to actual torture.

“Hurting an animal is almost like a child or senior citizen. These individuals and animals can’t take care of themselves, and so we have to take up for them. And that’s what this training is about is encouraging those who work these type cases to don’t give up, keep on working them,” says Lott.

The classes help educate officers on not only the mental state of people who might abuse an animal inadvertently, a hoarder as an example, but also provides mental health tips for officers who witness heartless abuse at the hands of a cruel person.

“We’re gonna see some terrible things when we’re out there and we need to take care of the officers who go out and are under that stress and trauma of seeing what’s been done to these animals, we need to take care of them, so that’s one of the topics I’m going to discuss today,” says Lott.

Officers are taught how to give basic first aid to animals, and are also encouraged to act when they come across an animal being abused.

“Not only should you take action, you’re pretty much expected to take action,” says Collins.

Sheriff Lott says if you believe a neighbor or anyone is abusing an animal — don’t hesitate. Call 911 or the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and report it.

“And don’t think ‘Well it’s not gonna impact me.’ It does. It impacts all of us so make that call,” says Lott.