Question
Can I legally remove a dog off a property if I have evidence of abuse? My wife's sister lives in the apartment above these people, and that poor dog has been in 90+ degree weather for weeks locked in a kennel, and they hear them hitting the dog daily.
Answer
The police and other law enforcement officers (including some humane societies and SPCAs) have the authority to investigate complaints of animal neglect/cruelty and to seize mistreated animals. They should be contacted when one suspects that an animal is being mistreated. Also, people who abuse or neglect their animals are sometimes willing to sell the animals to a concerned individual who inquires.
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