Step 1: Try to talk to the store/breeder/business yourself nicely and ask them questions, voice your concerns on what you are noticing and are concerned about. Offer them your help if you are able to, including holding "Bird Care" type of classes for employees or customers who have purchased birds from them.. Some business's/individuals are just unaware of recently accepted changes on avian and other animal care. It is extremely important to come across as a concerned customer verses a condensending customer who knows everything. Check back at the business after a short time (say, a week) and if things have been changed, even if only slightly, praise the business for their caring and the changes that they have made. At that time you can offer more help and advice, but strive to keep up a good rapport with the owner and the employees. This should always be your first step.
Step 2: If Step 1 does not work, and there is apparent abuse or neglect, do the following: Call up AND write a letter to the Humane Society for your county. Call up and send another letter to the your state's Department of Agriculture. Many county-run Animal Shelters and Animal Controls are not able to help much in this matter, so you usually need to contact the Michigan Humane Society chapter in your area. Try to take pictures of the cage conditions such as water/food dishes, inadequate cage sizes, broken cages, set up of the store, the bird itself if it looks unhealthy/mutilated. Include any answers to questions that you may have asked the employees or owners, the general ambiance of the business, etc...Send copies of the above pictures along with any specific pictures/info. Things that the Dept of Agriculture wants to see are things such as if postings on human contact of diseases are posted in pet stores, if a bird does not have a leg band on, quarantine areas, gross neglect/abuse. If what you witnessed is abuse (not "neglect) then also contact your local Police Department and report it here too. Unfortunately I have found that they are not aware of the Department of Agriculture's licensing standards and regulations so it is a good idea to write a letter to the Michigan Department of Agriculture, Animal Industry Division, PO Box 30017, Lansing, Michigan, 48909 and request their licensing information and standards. Their phone number is (517) 335-7188. A letter should be addressed also to the Department of Agriculture for your state. Here in Michigan the address is the same as the aboves but include Attention Heather Feltenberger.
Tips on Letter Writing: The owners name is public record, and you can obtain it by contacting your local City Hall before you make any contact with agencies to be sure you have the right information. Psittacosis warnings are good but so are OSHA regulations. Since avians at this point do not have the same rights as cats and dogs, include any pictures and write of concerns regarding these animals also to help state your point. Try to avoid "I feel", "I believe", "In my opinion...." statements and stick with the FACTS. Use words such as "aviculturist" rather than "bird lover". Also use any reference materials that you are able to obtain, such as books, other publications, veterinarian information, and magazines, such as BirdTalk or PetBird Report to name a few. Include a clause in your letter that the above is true to the best of your knowledge and you would testify so in court if asked to do so. This could prevent you from having to appear in court if it became necessary and a case was opened to prosecute the individual. Be sure to include the date you visited, full name of the business and full address. Also include what your experience with avians is or your professional status if animal related. It is best to send your letter via certified mail so that you have proof of your contact with them since they have to sign for it to receive it. Keep copies of all your letters, any contacts you made, who you spoke with regarding it, for your own protection/benefit.
Why Pictures? Pictures can speak louder than words in most cases. Pictures are able to show the impact of your letter and if you are reporting what you feel is inadequacies of the business or the FACT that abuse or neglect is really happening. It gives the facts rather than someone's interpretation of the business also. Without pictures, things do change and by the time an investigator goes to the business to check it out, there is a very real possibility that the atmosphere or what you witnessed has changed. If you are able to get pictures from different dates you visited (whether from sending one letter with one set of pictures, another letter with another date of pictures, etc...) this can also show that this is not a one time condition but the normal standard of care received.
If this business is in a public place you may also want to contact your county's Health Department. This letter should be set up in the aspect to focus on zoonotic diseases that are transmittable to the public, using references. Include pictures such as quarantine areas and practices regarding what you witnessed while at the place of business. Any zoonotic disease that is transmittable to a person that has been confirmed through a veterinarian test must be reported to the county's Health Department (your vet does this but you can also and include a letter about the stores conditions, etc...) Unless something transmittable has been actually diagnosed it is my experience that they do not get involved.
Step 3: Keep in contact with the 2, 3, or more, above agencies about the status of your complaint. How far you chose to carry this or stay involved is all up to you.
Do not contact other sources such as groups/organizations/media to become involved. I have found that it is very unlikely a business will be shut down due to their practices so your focus should be more on cleaning the business up rather than closing it down. This usually happens in the more extreme cases such as outright abuse. Repeat offenders continue to receive tickets and citations and hopefully will not want to have the above agencies doing this constantly and paying fines. If things do get to the Prosecuter's Office then at that time you can contact other agencies, media involvement, etc. The Prosecuter's Office is not contacted unless there is substantial evidence that the Humane Society or Department of Agriculture feels will get a judge's attention. At that point a warrant is issued, and animals can be taken. After that it all depends on the judge if the business will be prosecuted. The business may be prosecuted or they may get anywhere from 10 to 90 days in jail, a slap on the wrist or fined. This should not be done until, and if, any legal court proceedings are under way or you can actually hurt the case by having them come in contact with the business/alerting them. This would allow them to be aware of the investigation and make changes, generally temporarily, and nothing is helped for the long run benefit of the avians/animals there. AFTER any court proceedings are under way you can contact animal rights groups who believe in what you do to promote the media and word of this business. It should be noted that most pet stores are not shut down due to their business practices and citations and tickets are given instead. This should not be your ultimate objective in my opinion or you will be sadly disappointed unless it is outright abuse, not neglect. One of those almighty dollars speaking again.
Another idea is to contact your county's Board of Commissioners. Send a letter to them, keeping it brief but enough to get their attention, on what an embarrasment this business is to Macomb County, or your own county. Include a couple of Department of Agriculture's report copies of investigations if you have them. You can obtain copies of the Department of Agriculture's reports of a business by writing to them and requesting all copies of reports that they have regarding this business under the "Freedom of Information Act". I was able to obtain my copies with no charge and in a very timely manner, although they are allowed to charge a fee for sending you the information.
If you are writing and calling the Humane Society and Department of Agriculture due to purchasing a sick animal you should also contact the Better Business Bureau and file a formal complaint with them so that there is a paper trail on this business and other customers who are checking BBB complaints will also know they have had problems in the past.
Report any act of cruelty or neglect you see to the humane investigator at your local humane society, animal control department or SPCA, and demand it be investigated. ALDF does not have an investigative unit, so you will have to rely on your local authorities for investigations.
Contact your local law enforcement and public prosecutor* and provide them with your evidence. Ask them to uphold the laws of the Commonwealth by investigating and prosecuting crimes that occur within their jurisdiction.
In situations that involve unsanitary conditions, contact your health department.
If the above agencies are unwilling to proceed, contact your state attorney and ask them to intervene.
If charges have been filed, contact ALDF at 503-231-1602 about the case. We can contact the prosecutor, offer our assistance and urge vigorous prosecution.
If the perpetrator is a juvenile, do not accept the "boys will be boys" excuse from prosecutors who refuse to charge juveniles with animal cruelty.
Contact the media and ask that they do a story about the situation; write letters to the editor; call local talk radio shows; organize other members of the community to contact the prosecutor's office; talk to your elected officials (mayor, town council, etc.) and ask them for help.
Use the power of the Internet to organize specific actions and contact key law enforcement officials and legislators.
The key to preventing cruelty is education. Teach children from the earliest age that animals deserve humane treatment and respect. Empower children to feel safe when reporting cruel behavior. Become a volunteer or mentor at your local school or humane society ... empathy can be taught.
* Depending on where you live, the City Attorney, County Attorney, District Attorney or State's Attorney is responsible for prosecuting animal cruelty cases. Check with your local government office or contact ALDF to determine which prosecuting office is the appropriate one to contact in your jurisdiction.
This information is courtesy of a friend involved in law enforcement in the Northwest regarding what to do when facing cases of abuse/neglect in general:
First of all, know the laws for your state and HAVE A CLEAR GOAL OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. If your goal is to get all of those birds out of there in one day the it is going to requre planning and preparation. The more witnesses to the neglect or abuse the better.
Then, find a law enforcement officer that is sympathetic to your cause. Preferably one that works that district on a regular basis. Let them know you intend to make this a long term project. If they keep telling you "no this and no that" and "we can't" don't be afraid to "cop shop" until you find someone to work with you. Assume that you are going to have to educate that officer about the signs of abuse. The more people you have involved with the project the better. Keep the pressure on. Get that officers phone number at work and keep in contact asking for updates.
If you suspect law enforcement will have a hard time getting consent to enter, ask them what it will take to get a search warrant. Don't be afraid to think outside the box. Can you line up an avian vet to go in with the officers on a search warrant? Can a avian vet give the officers a quick "what to loook for" class if (s)he can't go in? Can you line up volunteers to help carry the cages to waiting transport vehicles? I don't know how Washington is about the "Community Policing" wave that is sweeping the nation but here in the Portland area it is all about the community and law enforcement working together. You might remind them of that...
It is really hard for any officer to say "no" to a goup of 10+ people standing there with their arms crossed saying "doing nothing is not acceptable". Pressure from the community really works. You just have to convince them you are not going away until the situation is solved.
I have a breeder/city cop friend here who is relentless on animal neglect and abuse cases. I have seen her seize neglected birds & work with animal control. When one owner paid huge fines and got his birds back...I saw her pay a surprise visit a month later and seize the birds all over again. She talked regularly with the courts and the former owner coming to an agreement. (The birds have now been successfully adopted.) There is nothing like pending criminal charges hanging over someones head to encourage them to do the right thing. I seriously doubt there is anything that woman could NOT do when it comes to animal neglect / abuse cases.
