LETTER: Government should support humane police
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania defines Animal Humane Law as neglect, mistreatment or cruelty perpetrated upon any animal. While state and local law enforcement can investigate and charge, only Humane Society Police Officers (HSPOs) are specifically trained for this. As their title suggests, these sworn police officers must be sponsored by a registered humane society, and they operate within their designated county. The state does not provide funding to support humane law or facilities to support the actions undertaken as part of humane law. Financial assistance is likewise not required by counties, townships, boroughs, towns or cities. The burden of this commonly falls upon nonprofit groups.
The majority of HSPOs are volunteers. They or their nonprofit group are required to pay for training and reaccreditation courses and their own equipment and transportation. If an animal is seized or surrendered, HSPOs or their nonprofit group are responsible for that animal’s veterinary care, costs of re-homing, humane euthanizing, or paying to put the animal in a commercial kennel while awaiting a final court judgement in the case. This can take months or years in some cases, and frequently places great financial burden upon private citizens.
As residents within the commonwealth who have formed a not-for-profit organization in support of humane law enforcement, we believe it is incumbent upon the different levels of government that rely upon our work to also provide financial backing. This responsibility should not be left to private citizens and charitable organizations alone.
Trish Prosser and Rodney Coldren
SWPA Humane Law Enforcement