SPCA: Animal abuse calls spike in Clark County

SPRINGFIELD — The SPCA averages a call a week for possible animal abuse cases. But in the last two weeks, there’s been almost nine times the number of cruelty complaints.

“As soon as the weather started changing it started getting cold and the phones have been ringing off the hook,” Krissi Hawke, director and animal cruelty officer for the Clark County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said.

The SPCA takes every call seriously to watch out for house pets and livestock.

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The dogs at the shelter are mostly strays picked up by the dog warden. The shelter tries to reunite the pets with owners on Facebook.

“The biggest problem that we’re seeing right now are that they are being left outdoors. In the cold,” Hawke said.

Breeds with short coats are particularly susceptible to the elements, she said.

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“A lot of it is just educating the public on what’s proper and what’s not proper,” she said. “The best outcome would be for the animals to be kept in the home.”

Typically calls from community members are concerns about a lack of food, water and shelter for animals outdoors.

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