If you suspect or have witnessed neglect, cruelty or abuse of an animal (to include animal fighting):

If you can safely advocate for the good of the pet and talk with the person who has the pet, please do, especially if the person is someone you know.  Sometimes, people just need a reminder or some help to do what’s right.

Contact law enforcement, providing as much detail on the situation as possible.  Don’t just report it and forget about it.  Follow up to see what was done.  Public attention to these situations can result in appropriate action, so please consider sending a Letter to the Editor of your local paper, and contacting the Board of County Commissioners (bocc@leavenworthcounty.org) if the situation is outside city limits of Basehor, Lansing, Leavenworth, and Tonganoxie.

Email LCHS.  Law enforcement is reluctant to react to third party reports, so the person who SEES the situation is the one who should report it.  LCHS will definitely follow up with law enforcement to make sure the complaint is being investigated, and if warranted, prosecuted, but we aren’t the witness or the complainant.  In cases where a caring owner is simply unable to provide what a pet needs, LCHS may be able to help.