In the first half of 2022, animal cruelty and neglect charges were filed in 15 new criminal cases, 114 animals were surrendered during investigations, and three search warrants were executed. One of the warrants was for social media posts, a first for the MSPCA Law Enforcement department.

The animal cruelty and neglect investigations took place across the Commonwealth with the help of local municipalities, veterinarians, and of course, the MSPCA-Angell Animal Care and Adoption Centers. Officers spent countless hours coordinating investigations and recovery, transportation, and care of the rescued animals.

Many of the surrendered and seized animals were large farm animals that were starved and/or ill, including rare Kerry cows from Amherst, MA, and Connemara ponies from Berkley, MA (with the Animal Rescue League of Boston). In one of the MSPCA’s largest animal seizures, 96 goats, a horse, and an emu were taken from Dighton, MA.

In June, MSPCA Law Enforcement worked alongside Cambridge Animal Control to save four coatimundis. These coatis, native to South America, were discovered in an abandoned U-Haul in Cambridge, MA, along with two chinchillas, a rabbit, two rats, three Quaker parrots, and three lovebirds. The MSPCA-Angell is working to find a suitable home for the coatis since they are exotic animals that cannot be owned as pets in Massachusetts and require specialized care.

Most of the animals in these cases are still in the MSPCA-Angell's care and will be for the duration of the legal proceedings.