Federal officials in Los Angeles Wednesday announced a new task force to prosecute animal abuse cases, including “animal crush” videos that depict extreme cruelty.
The federal Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump during his first term in 2019.
“Animal abuse is among the most heartbreaking and despicable type of crimes that law enforcement sees,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. “Together with our federal and local partners, my office intends to root out and punish those who profit from hurting animals.”
The new task force will be led by federal prosecutors in the environmental crimes and consumer protection section working in partnership with the FBI, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles Police Department, L.A. City Animal Control, and other state and local law enforcement officers.
The task force will focus on charging serious animal abuse throughout the Central District of California, the most populous federal district in the country.
The seven-county district is home to mearly 20 million residents and is comprised of the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura.
On Wednesday, the group conducted a community outreach operation in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles, and conducted welfare checks on a dozen dogs ensuring they had access to clean water and food, looked for evidence of animal neglect and abuse, provided resources, collars, and leashes, and seized one dog who was abandoned by his owner, authorities said.
To report animal abuse, visit tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.