Take Action for National Justice for Animals Week!

Veterinarians often play a critical role in achieving successful outcomes in animal cruelty cases, including identifying animals who may have been abused, accurately documenting injuries, correctly preserving evidence, and reporting the abuse.

Fill out the form below to send an email to a veterinarian in your community.

The veterinarian will receive an email from Emily Lewis, a managing attorney in the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Criminal Justice Program, with valuable information about resources we offer for veterinary professionals, and an invitation to sign up to receive more information about trainings and additional opportunities.

Or you can download and print our factsheet, “Veterinarians’ Role in Animal Cruelty Enforcement,” and take it with you to your next veterinary appointment. This is a great opportunity to strike up a conversation with your personal veterinarian about reporting animal cruelty. (Alternatively, you can ask the receptionist if they can hang the factsheet in the clinic’s breakroom for all staff members to see.)

After taking action, read more about Asha, our 2026 National Justice for Animals Week representative, below.

Asha’s Story

Our 2026 National Justice for Animals Week representative is Asha, a cat who survived harrowing abuse and received justice and a fresh start. When Asha’s regular veterinarian noted a troubling pattern of injuries to Asha, as well as another cat in the same household who tragically did not survive, they reported suspected animal abuse to local law enforcement, and an investigation was launched.   
 
Knowing of ALDF’s resources for animal cruelty investigators and prosecutors, the prosecutor in Asha’s case reached out for help connecting with a forensic veterinarian. Fortunately, Dr. Susan Norris of Champaign, Illinois, had recently completed a graduate-level Animal Crime Scene Processing course taught by ALDF Criminal Justice Program staff, and was able to perform an examination of Asha. ALDF funded Dr. Norris’ travel, the forensic assessment, and Asha’s treatment from a veterinary eye specialist. The forensic assessment was critical in bringing justice for Asha.  

Ultimately, the suspect was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, and legal ownership of Asha was forfeited. She has since been adopted into a loving new family. Asha’s abuser received a sentence including a permanent ban on owning or possessing any other animals and a mandatory psychological evaluation and associated treatment. (Possession bans and psychological evaluations and treatment for animal cruelty offenders are among the reforms ALDF works to help pass across the country.)    
 
Asha has made an impressive recovery, and today she’s thriving in her new home. (Her unorthodox new favorite toy? Asparagus!) Her crinkly left ear is a visual reminder of the abuse she suffered; the injury is fully healed, but the physical damage is permanent.    
 
All too often, a lack of communication and collaboration between different animal-cruelty responders can hinder an effective response to abuse. But fortunately, that wasn’t the case for Asha, for whom the successful collaboration of multiple veterinarians, local law enforcement, and a caring prosecutor truly made all the difference.    
 
ALDF welcomes the opportunity to assist criminal justice and veterinary professionals through training, case consultation, grant funding, and other resources to bring justice and protection for animals like Asha.