Each one of us has a responsibility to report animal cruelty, giving voice to those who have none. If you suspect or witness animal abuse or neglectful conditions, please contact Attleboro Animal Control at 774-203-1862 or one of the following organizations:
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Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) at 800-628-5808
Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) at 401-438-8150, ext. 4
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Humane Society of the United States
On a positive note, Winslow Farm, located in nearby Norton, MA, is a sanctuary for all kinds of abused and neglected animals including cats, dogs, horses, sheep and goats. A great place to visit and learn!
Puppy Mills
Another way to reduce the number of abused and neglected animals is by not buying dogs from puppy mills! All too often, that cute little puppy you saw in the pet store at the mall or the AKC puppy advertised in the breed you want came from a puppy mill.
Dogs born in puppy mills often have severe medical problems which can cost their owners thousands of dollars and severely shortened life-spans, often only a few weeks. New owners find they have no recourse from the elusive sellers.
Breeding dogs who live in mills are confined in squalid cages for their entire lives with no affection, no chance to run, and no socialization. Females are forced to bear litter after litter for their entire lives, their own medical care neglected. Then, when they get too old, they are discarded or worse.
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One organization working to stop puppy mills is Last Chance for Animals. They have successfully closed several mills and had their owners prosecuted. They are sponsoring Puppy Mill Awareness Day on Saturday, September 20.
The Humane Society of the United States has an active campaign against puppy mills at www.stoppuppymills.org.
Other Organizations
There are many other organizations working hard to end animal cruelty and improve the status of animals throughout the United States and beyond. Here are just two groups:
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The first group is the World Society for the Protection of Animals where, among many other activities, they are currently gathering signatures to support the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at Animals Matter to Me.
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A second group is the Animal Legal Defense Fund a group dedicated to processing cases of animal abuse, from companion animals to factory farming to the entertainment industry. They also seek to promote the field of animal law among legal professionals and in law schools nationwide.
You can learn more about these groups on their websites.