Collaborative Response Project 2023

The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Criminal Justice Program recently completed its pilot year of the Collaborative Response Project in McHenry County, Illinois, where our partners included McHenry County Animal Control (MCAC), law enforcement agencies, nonprofit animal protection organizations, veterinarians, and prosecutors. The project provided these important allies in protecting animals with in-person training, grant funding, and real-time support and consultation in the following: 

• Criminal animal cruelty investigations  
• Veterinary forensics  
• Safety net services for animals in need 

One of the highlights of the project included ALDF directly supporting a large-scale horse seizure. ALDF’s Criminal Justice Program staff and attorneys guided veterinarians and the Hooved Animal Humane Society in preparing a detailed case packet and reports for prosecution, and guidance and consultation to animal control officers in the investigation of a number of other animal abuse and hoarding cases.  

Another amazing opportunity for our valued partners involved ALDF contract forensic veterinarian Dr. Kris Otteman providing consultation services to McHenry County’s shelter veterinarian on a number of postmortem examinations of animal abuse victims. Veterinarians’ findings provide critical evidence in animal cruelty investigations, as veterinarians possess the training and expertise to identify injuries and explain their significance to the case. The Collaborative Response Project funds also allowed MCAC to purchase needed veterinary forensic supplies and personal protective equipment for use in the field.  

Lastly, just one example of providing safety net services for animals in need was initiated when MCAC officers responded to a call about an injured dog. In speaking with the owner, the officers learned the dog was suffering from a chronic injury that caused a painful limp. The expense of veterinary services necessary was beyond the owner’s means. Criminal Response Project funding was used to provide veterinary care which revealed the need for orthopedic surgery. MCAC staff helped the owner access resources that would allow him to finance a portion of the procedure, and by utilizing Criminal Response Project funds to reach a diagnosis, the owner was able to afford the surgery that enabled his dog to regain a good quality of life and remain with his loving family.  

Project Outcomes  

The Animal Legal Defense fund will continue to collect information from MCAC regarding criminal cases that have not yet gone to trial, but we are able to share some key numbers that help illustrate the positive impact of the project at the time of its completion. Additionally, McHenry County was granted a brief extension for the final distribution of grant funds which have been used to acquire additional equipment and provide more specialized training for field staff and management.  

Animal Cruelty Investigations Manager Linda Fielder had this to say about the pilot year and upcoming efforts in 2025: 

“The Criminal Justice Program is excited to utilize our key learnings and build on the success of our pilot year in McHenry County to support Clark County Washington in 2025. This new jurisdiction, with its multiple law enforcement and animal control agencies, is perfectly positioned to benefit from training, funding, and enhanced collaboration strategies for the benefit of animals and the community.”