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action > report it
Have you witnessed animal abuse or neglect? Visited a Minnesota breeding kennel which concerns you? Purchased a sick dog or cat from a pet store? Report it.
This is a legal matter. No action can be taken by authorities until a complaint is filed. Please follow the law. Contact the agencies below.
ALSO: At this time in Minnesota, there is not "one" hotline number to call to report all concerns below. That makes it more time-consuming for people to file complaints, but please take the time. If authorities aren't aware of the problem, they can't act. Make as many people and agencies aware of the problem as possible.
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REPORT ANIMAL CRUELTY AND NEGLECT
Emergency
If an animal’s life is in immediate danger, call 911.
Sheriff and Police
If you have seen or suspect animal abuse or neglect at a breeding kennel, pet store or other facility, local law enforcement is the key contact. File a complaint with your local sheriff and local police. Also contact the Animal Humane Society, who works with sheriff and police departments, and your local animal control or humane society.
• Contact your local police or sheriff’s department
• Contact the Animal Humane Society
• Contact local Animal Care and Control department
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REPORT CONSUMER FRAUD
If you've been sold a sick animal from a breeder, pet store, website or other facility or have been misled by false advertising, file a complaint with the Minnesota Attorney General and with various consumer protection groups. Most have online complaint forms on their websites.
• Contact the Minnesota Attorney General
• Contact consumer protection groups
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REPORT VETERINARIAN CONCERNS
If you know or suspect a breeder is conducting medical procedures without a veterinary license or the veterinarian is acting improperly, report it to the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine. The Board has an online complaint form and can take disciplinary action.
• Contact the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine
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REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
If you suspect a breeder is polluting the land, water or air through improper disposal of feces, urine and carcasses (or causing noise pollution due to excessive barking), report it to the Environmental Services Department in your county. If it's a large kennel (over 1,000 dogs), also report it to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
• Environmental Services Dept. (contact your county)
• Contact the MN Pollution Control Agency
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REPORT INTERSTATE SALES AND TRANSPORT
If you believe a dog/cat breeder is selling and shipping dogs or cats across state lines without an inspection certificate, report it to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). An inspection (by the veterinarian) of each animal to be transported is required by law, so as to minimize the spread of contagious diseases between states.
• Contact Board of Animal Health: MN State Veterinarian
• Contact the USDA-APHIS regional office
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REPORT TAX EVASION
If you did not pay sales tax when purchasing your dog or cat or if you suspect the breeder/facility is not collecting and remitting sales tax, report it to the Minnesota Department of Revenue. Animal Folks MN conducted a study showing that 74% of sampled breeders, as of 2009, were not paying sales tax. Learn more at: Tax Revenues
• Contact the Minnesota Department of Revenue
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REPORT LOCAL VIOLATIONS
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NOTE: In Minnesota, there is no state regulation of dog and cat breeders. This means there is no State agency designated to receive calls for animal neglect/cruelty. As noted above, consumer fraud, environmental concerns and other issues related to inhumane breeding practices are scattered across various departments. There is also no State fund for training and hiring of agents who would conduct inspections, enforce standards, train local police and coordinate efforts, and work with local or State prosecutors.
PRIOR TO CONTACTING AUTHORITIES ABOVE: GATHER INFORMATION
Be specific. Due to limited staffing and resources, agencies prioritize each call. Proper evidence is needed to successfully build a case for seizure and/or prosecution.
To help, please be prepared with the following:
1. Name of breeder or facility (if pet owner cruelty, name of pet owner)
2. Location (address, city)
3. Date complaint occurred/witnessed
4. A brief and specific account of the facts and circumstances involved, including animal(s) present/involved, description of conditions or incident, advertisements
5. Your name and a daytime phone number, in case follow-up information is needed. All information is kept confidential.
Whether or not you must give your name varies based on the department/agency. Identifying yourself allows authorities to follow-up if he or she has questions.
TIP: Be sure to follow up 2-3 days after the initial call to check status of the complaint.
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