Cruelty Investigations  How are complaints filed? Prevention of animal cruelty is a year-round battle that we all must fight. If you witness any form of animal cruelty, please report it to an HSDC staff member, your local humane society, or your county's humane agent. All information is kept confidential and should be investigated on a priority basis. To file a complaint or a concern regarding a Delaware County animal, please call (740) 369-7387, file an online Cruelty Report, or send an email to our Humane Services Department at hsdchumaneagent@gmail.com. What is involved in a Cruelty Investigation? Whenever we receive a cruelty complaint, we dispatch a certified Ohio Cruelty Agent to the scene. The agent always "looks for the worse and hopes for the best." Many times, all that is required is some humane education for the owner. Other times, it is necessary to immediately remove the animal for its own welfare. (This is legal and in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code.) In such cases, a letter will be left for the owner informing them that the animal has been taken into protective custody. In extreme cases, we do prosecute. When should you call? Basically, if you are concerned about an animal's well-being, trust your instincts. If you feel a Delaware County animal is being neglected or abused in any of the ways described below, please contact us immediately! Our animal friends cannot speak for themselves, so we must do it for them. Ways you can help us protect the animals: In addition to being our “eyes and ears” around the county, you can support our efforts in other ways. 1. Donate new or used dog (or cat) houses so we can provide free shelters to outdoor animals. 2. Donate much-needed gasoline cards. 3. Please make a donation to the Cruelty Fund to help us with any expenses related to conducting investigations. 4. Become a member of the 120 Club. (See below)  What are some examples of animal abuse? • ANY physical abuse causing harm • No shelter, no food, no water (must be observed for 15 consecutive hours) • Inadequate shelter (no straw or bedding in the winter, no shade in the summer) • Untreated injury or illness • Constantly confined to a small cage or an extremely short chain • Confined to sit, lay or stand in mud or its own filth • Getting the pet "drunk" or "high" - (both are extremely dangerous and should be reported immediately) • Embedded collars • Pit fighting of any type (dogs, roosters, etc.) If you think you need to file a cruelty complaint regarding a Delaware County animal, please call (740) 369-7387, file an  online Cruelty Report, or send an email to our Humane Services Department. Thank you in advance for caring about the animals. Help Provide Resources for Cruelty Cases  Think animal cruelty can’t happen in your neighborhood? Think again. Every day, animals in Delaware County are beaten, starved, abandoned and neglected. Dogs are forced to live outside in subzero conditions without shelter, and cats are treated like disposable garbage. Horses are confined in knee deep mud without any source of hay or pasture, and all types of livestock suffer in cramped, poorly ventilated barns. It may be upsetting to know this happens in our community, but there are ways you can help make a difference of the lives of these neglected animals. Please join the Humane Society of Delaware County in stopping animal cruelty by making a donation to our Humane Services Fund.  (click to learn more) To report a pet left in a parked car during hot weather, click here.