Report Pets in Need
Your Guide to Being a Voice for the Voiceless
Every animal deserves to live a life free from neglect and abuse. We are committed to creating a community where compassion and advocacy come together to protect our animal friends. Reporting neglected and abused animals is not just a responsibility, it's an essential step in creating a safer and more humane world for us all. Here is a guide to the legal requirements food, water, shelter, and veterinary care for animals. Please report animals who are not receiving the required level of care.
Anti-Cruelty Laws
Anybody in possession of an animal in Michigan is forbidden from:
Failing to provide the animal with adequate care
Cruelly driving, working, or beating an animal
Dogfighting
Tying the feet or legs together
Transporting an animal in a crate in which it cannot stand, turn around, or lie down
Abandoning an animal in any place without making provisions for its adequate care
Allowing an animal, including one who is aged, diseased, maimed, hopelessly sick, disabled, or unable to walk, to suffer unnecessary neglect, torture, or pain
Tethering an animal on a tether that is less than three times the animal’s length
Detroit also forbids the tethering of a dog for longer than three hours
Please report cases of animal abuse, neglect, or abandonment to Michigan Humane’s Cruelty Hotline at 313-872-3401 daily 8:00am to 4:00pm or leave a detailed message any time.
Provide Food, Water & Shelter
Food must be appropriate to the species (dog, cat, etc.) and in an amount that keeps the animal at a healthy weight. You should be able to feel the pet’s ribs, but not see them.
Water must be potable and liquid - snow and ice are not adequate.
Shelter must be one or more of the following:
Inside the residence
A pet house that is an enclosed structure with a roof and of appropriate dimensions for the breed and size of the animal. The animal should be able to stand up, lay down, and turn around. The house must have dry straw, not blankets or pillows, which retain moisture.
A structure, including a garage, barn, or shed, that is sufficiently insulated and ventilated to protect the animal from exposure to extreme temperatures or, if not sufficiently insulated and ventilated, contains a house as described above that is accessible to the animal.
Veterinary Care
All pet owners are required to make sure their pets do not suffer unnecessary neglect or pain due to age, injury, or illness.
Additionally, rabies vaccines are required for all dogs and recommended for cats.
