It was recently announced that three organizations will team up to help ensure instances of animal neglect and abuse are reported.

We applaud the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department, Humane Society of the United States and the newly formed Animal Advocates of Pearl River County for their efforts to provide a level of protection to animals that rely on human care to survive.

Pets are unable to call law enforcement when they are abused or neglected. Instead, they rely on people to observe and report these incidents.

The effort will involve training members of AAPRC to notice and report instances of animal abuse.

Through this training advocate members will learn how to properly identify instances of animal cruelty, such as sport fighting.

Dog fighting and cock fighting are forms of animal abuse that sometimes end with the death of one of the animals. Even if both animals survive a fight, they can be severely injured.

Other forms of animal cruelty include neglecting to provide pets with food and water. There have been several instances of pet owners leaving their animals in the hot summer sun without food or water, allowing them to eventually pass away in an emaciated state. Charges have been filed in these instances, but those charges are usually misdemeanors. Stricter laws combined with proper enforcement should be considered by state officials.

There are also people who take on more animals than they can care for, leading to substandard living conditions for not only the pet, but the owner as well. While these people seem to genuinely want to care for their animals, the sheer number of animals kept in and around the home soon overwhelms them, leading to neglect.

So, if you notice instances of animal neglect don’t turn a blind eye, report that abuse to your local law enforcement agency.