Animal Law Enforcement supports local people and pets

Tiffany Wismer
·2 min read

(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Animal Law Enforcement (ALE) Appreciation Week starts on Sunday, April 14. Animal Law Enforcement Officers are an instrumental part of our community and provide a valuable service protecting both humans and pets.

“We love our Animal Law Enforcement Officers,” said Cody Costra, Public Relations Manager, Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR). “They do so much work in the community. Last year alone, they went on over 47,000 calls for service, and that can range from anything from animal cruelty investigations to maybe a dangerous dog, or an animal that is maybe just in an unsafe situation.”

According to HSPPR, Animal Law Enforcement Officers are so much more than “dog catchers”: they provide animal control, and help with animal issues called in by the community.

ALE Officers are responsible for investigations of cruelty complaints, responding to reports of aggressive animals, checking on injured animals, noise complaints, and educating the public on animal laws and ordinances. They execute search and arrest warrants, interview suspects and recommend charges, and appear in court on animal-related cases.

ALE Officers work around the clock and on-call shifts. They are focused on educating pet owners who may be missing information that could help them keep pets safer. Costa discussed some ways the community can help ALE.

“The biggest thing is if you see something, say something,” he said. “If you see an animal in a condition where you think they might be in danger, give our Animal Law Enforcement team a call. They can always do a welfare check and go out there. A lot of typical [calls] are, in the cold weather if you see an animal left outside, or in hot weather that’s coming up here soon if you see a dog that’s maybe left in a hot car—that can be an emergency. So please give our ALE team a call if you see something.”

If you see an animal experiencing neglect or cruelty, bites or attacks, loose dogs, or other emergencies, please call 719-302-8798 to report the situation.

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