Deb D’Andrea, Nederland. When I was visiting the State of Virginia, I read that their Attorney General had just created the nation’s first attorney general’s Animal Law Unit. This specialized Unit is comprised of staff attorneys working with law enforcement and state agencies on animal welfare, animal fighting, and animal abuse. They believe that in helping animals, they can help people.

There is a growing body of evidence that animal abuse can lead to other abuses and criminal behavior. “Over the past twenty years, there has been a growing realization that cruelty toward animals is a criminal act that cannot be tolerated in a civilized society. All of the evidence shows a very direct link between animal cruelty and violence against women and children,” said Anthony Spencer, Caroline County Commonwealth’s Attorney.

Here, we have the Boulder County Animal Control Unit that works alongside the police department investigating cases such as animal bites, abuse and neglect, dogs running at large, barking, and sick or injured animals. The Animal Control Unit can be reached at 303-441-3626 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. For animals like bears, deer, elk, and mountain lions, the Division of Wildlife is called in (303-297-1192).

Sometimes it is difficult to make the decision as to what to do if you see an animal abused. The best is to stay calm, assess the situation, evaluate your options, and determine if it’s best to intervene or stay out of it and call the authorities. With phones having the ability to record video, this is a good way to capture the moment for later if you choose not to intervene at that moment and call 911 immediately. For myself, I think “If that were a helpless child, what would I do?”

Till next time. Deb D’Andrea, founder of 4TheLuvOfDogz, provides mobile Canine Massage, Canine Agility and Petz Nanny Services for dogs, cats, birds, fish, horses, and other critters. 4TheLuvOfDogz home-made dog treats are sold at local stores, and K9Birthday Cakes are available direct. Contact Deb at 720-675-7078 or info@4theluvofdogz.com for more information.