HUMANE INVESTIGATIONS
Humane Investigators are appointed by the Circuit Court of the counties they serve in to investigate reports of animal cruelty and neglect and to enforce the Virginia State Anti-Cruelty Laws. Humane Investigators are volunteers, and may be contacted when citizens see a situation that needs to be corrected involving abuse or neglect of an animal.
The SPCA of Northern Virginia is the only rescue organization in the area with Humane Investigators. The majority of our dogs come to us as a result of humane investigations.
If you would like to contact one of our Humane Investigators, please email: humane_investigations@spcanova.org, or call 703-799-9390 and select option #1.
Mystery Solved
By Edith von Stuemer
She was a “Leftover” from the search for Billy the Beagle who belongs to “HART” (Homeless Animals Rescue Team) and had run away from his foster home in early spring 2008.Many months of searching and many sightings did not produce Billy, but it did bring into the spotlight another beagle who appeared off and on since April 2008 at some of the places where Billy was seen. People called her “Mystery.” During the winter months there were no sightings but in early March 2009, right after a 4 inch snowfall, one of the volunteers from the original HART team called the SPCA and said she had seen dog prints in the snow. She put food down and, during the night, it was eaten.
We immediately inspected the area and found a perfect place for a feeding station next to the stream bed. Trails of dog kibble were left leading to the food and a surveillance camera was tied to a tree; it takes a photo every minute. Now we were ready, but for whom? Billy or Mystery or another dog?
The first few days we had some interesting visitors: Posey the possum, Rocky the raccoon, Florence the fox, Ralphy the rat, Squeaky the squirrel and Casper the crow. Our menu of beef stew, chicken livers and hot dogs seemed to please their palates since the food was always gone. The word must have gotten around because they were soon joined by two cats and – finally- a dog! IT WAS MYSTERY!!
We set up our large dog trap during the day and closed it down at night be¬cause traps must be monitored every hour and animals may not be left in traps overnight. First we caught an orange tabby cat, who was mad as a hornet and glad to be set free. The next day our volunteer had just finished replacing the food and was returning to her car when she heard a click. She went back down to the stream bed, and there was Mystery in the trap – BINGO!! A dog who has been on the run for almost a year can be very frightened, feral, or even aggressive. Mystery was quiet, friendly, could be touched and just rolled up on a blanket and fell asleep. She was exhausted. After having received the necessary vet¬erinary care she is now up for adoption and acts like any other normal dog. She has been renamed “Mollie.”
We are still looking for Billy who has recently been seen in the Barcroft neighborhood of South Arlington. If you see him, please call us; do not approach him or call him, he is very frightened.
‘Shadow’ The Huntington Metro Dog
By Edith von Stuemer
He had been living in a vacant 3 acre wooded area next to the metro station for 8 months when we received the call. There was an empty abandoned house on the property. Animal Control had set a trap a few times, but the dog would not go in. They said too many people were feeding him.We decided to take this on. Two of us went there several times to scout the area; I even took my rescued beagle “Minnie Pearl” with me as a decoy. We saw him frequently, peeking around trees, and then he would disappear into the shadows (hence his name). He was feral and no one could get near him.
During our wanderings we came across SIX feeding stations! A flyer was put up at each site explaining who we were, what we were trying to do, asking for help and requesting that the dog not be fed. Then WE set up ONE feeding station next to the abandoned house. There was quite a response - 9 people called in to offer their help. We had a meeting up on the hill by the house and everyone received instructions on how to operate a dog trap and when to feed. We left large closed containers with a supply of food and water. The trap was kept closed for a while with food put in front of it. He was seen eating, but when we set the trap he would not go in. We even put up two traps baited with dog food, hot dogs, chicken or McDonald’s hamburgers - no luck. VERY FRUSTRATING!! After one month of this it was just a matter of who would hold out the longest.Everyone in the neighborhood knew about this dog and was on the lookout for him because he often came out of the woods after dark. Then, on Thanksgiving morning (very appropriate) the call came in: he had walked into someone’s garage, and they quickly closed the door. GOTCHA!!!
Now we worried about how Shadow would react, would he be wild, aggressive, a fear biter? Fortunately, he turned out to be very friendly, loved to be petted and walked well on a leash. After having received the necessary veterinary care and being neutered, our dog trainer, ”miracle worker” Tony Orange, worked with him for a while. A 6 foot fence was no challenge for Shadow, so he had to be carefully watched. A young woman, who had been one of the many people feeding him daily, put in an application to adopt him and had a 7 foot wooden fence built around her backyard. She really wanted this dog!Shadow has been in his new home for several months now. Julie has a large 9 year old collie named “Sultan” and the two dogs have become buddies. There have been some issues though - Shadow absolutely adores his new mom and is sometimes overly protective of her. Tony has been giving guidance on how to handle this.
Shadow is young, approximately 2 years old, so we are confident he will become secure with his new happy life.
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Be Careful Where You Shop
Mitzi Finally Learns to be a KittenSelling pet supplies is BIG BUSINESS, but selling pets shouldn’t be! As animal lovers, please be mindful of where you shop so you support only those businesses that treat the animals in their care humanely. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. We recently received a call from someone concerned about a cat in a cage – all by herself – in local pet store. The caller had seen this cat a few months earlier in a cage at the front of the store. When he didn’t see the cat upon returning later, he asked the store owner about her and was told she was “in the back.” When asked why she no longer was at the front where customers could see her, he was given various reasons. The store owner then told the caller that he could have the cat for a discounted price of $50. With two other cats already at home, the caller didn’t feel he could take in another cat but was nonetheless concerned about her. So he called us for help.
An SPCA volunteer went to the store to ask about the cat, insisting on seeing her. When she asked the owner how long the cat had been in the store in a cage she was told TWO YEARS!!! We can't even imagine how lonely she must have been. This kitty had apparently been in this cage since she was a kitten. We don't know if she previously had any feline playmates, but we do know that no cat deserves to be in a cage for two years! Cats are meant to run, jump, climb, and interact with people and other pets. We don’t know why the owner didn’t reach out to a rescue organization to ask for help in placing this cat. Thankfully, the owner agreed to release her to our care. 
Mitzi is now safely in our care and waiting for a special home of her own. In many ways, Mitzi is still a kitten, entering the “real world” for the first time after spending her first two years in a cage. At just eight pounds, Mitzi is a very small tortoiseshell who is timid around new people and in new settings. But, once she feels safe in her surroundings, she is a complete love bug. Mitzi has bonded very well with her foster mom and loves being petted and cuddled. She has even started following her foster mom from the living room to the bedroom when she goes to sleep each evening!
Also like a kitten, Mitzi is learning how to play with toys and has sudden “bursts” of energy, but in very small increments. Initially she couldn’t jump very high because she lacked muscle strength in her rear legs. Now she can jump with ease. Mitzi has a very cute “kitten-like” meow and PURRS a lot! Her foster mom hears her purring at night while she is falling asleep next to her on the bed.Overall, Mitzi is a very affectionate kitty who needs a quiet, nurturing environment where she will continue to flourish. Although she is currently in a foster home with no other pets, we’d like to try introducing her to another kitty – as long as the other cat is sweet and likes other cats. This sweet girl didn't deserve to be locked up in a cage! She's a delightful, loving kitty who will make the right person a wonderful companion.
Please do something if you ever see a situation like Mitzi’s! Here are a few tips on shopping in the RIGHT pet stores and what to do if you encounter a problem:
Only shop at pet stores that offer a venue for reputable rescue organizations to ADOPT cats and dogs. Stay away from pet stores that SELL cats and dogs. Reputable rescue organizations work very hard to match the personality and needs of the pet with the adoptive family. A pet store that sells companion animals is only doing this for money. Selling involves no application process to ensure the pet is going to the right home with the resources to properly care for them.
If you see something that makes you feel uncomfortable or you think is suspicious – do something! For example, if you see an animal that appears sick, overly frightened, without food, water, or shelter, or is depressed or withdrawn, ask to speak with the store manager or owner. If you aren't satisfied with the reply you get, call a local rescue organization or county animal control office for advice or assistance.If all else fails, purchase the animal yourself and seek assistance from a reputable rescue organization if you aren’t able to keep the animal yourself. This is precisely what I did a few years ago when this same pet store was selling a lonely deaf kitten to anyone for $90. I had gone into this pet store precisely because I heard they were selling cats and I wanted to see the situation for myself. Needless to say, I purchased this special-needs kitten who was later adopted out through SPCA NOVA.
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Housing Department Asks For Guidance
This summer the Fairfax County Housing Department approached us with the request for a speaker who could provide information on animal situations found in their line of work.
We have successfully handled several neglect cases for them within the last two years: one involved nine pit bulls living in outside pens that were incredibly filthy, belonging to a man who wasn’t supposed to be living there. Another concerned an elderly woman who was a hoarder and had seven cats that were allowed outside, all without shots and not spayed or neutered. She started out with one female, but then the neighborhood Tom came by. Well – you know what happened after that.
Housing Inspectors, who check on people living in subsidized homes or apartments, sometimes come across animal situations which seem unacceptable to them. We came to inform them what to look for and when to file a complaint.
One of our Humane Investigators made a presentation to fifteen inspectors. They received a packet of information which contained some of the following subjects:
1. How to tell if an animal might need veterinary care.
2. Guidelines for proper care: shelter, water, food, cleanliness, space, veterinary care.
3. Signs to watch for when you suspect neglect or abuse.
4. Dog and cat body condition information: from too thin, to ideal, to too heavy.
5. Animal hoarding – a mental illness.
It was pointed out that the Virginia State Law requires a tethered animal to have a tether which is at least three times the length of the animal, as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail.
Each subject was discussed, and the presentation was followed by a question and answer period.
We encouraged the inspectors to call us, even if they were not sure they were dealing with a legitimate complaint.
We would rather check on an invalid complaint than miss one that is valid.
Contact us:
If you would like to contact one of our HIs, please email: humane_investigations@spcanova.org, or call 703-799-9390 and select option #1.