Investigations

Minnesota Federated Humane Societies has helped countless of Minnesota community members and animals since 1987. Our investigations team consists of both paid and volunteer appointed Minnesota statewide humane agents, investigators and animal health and welfare professionals. Our professional team is comprised of trained law enforcement and experienced animal welfare professionals, who investigates hundreds of suspected animal cruelty cases annually. Every communication we receive is addressed whether it be questions about rehoming animals, veterinary services and animal care, or concerns of suspected animal welfare violations. We are here to help you address your animal related questions and concerns. Go to our menu and check out all the RESOURCES listed on our website.

The thousands of animals and the people we help may never be a media story or posted here. They are no more or less important than those that are on this page. Each case, every animal and person-is important. We work tirelessly for each individual in hopes of helping them to live better, safer and healthier lives. Some reported concerns turn out to be nothing (we love those) and some cases are correctable (we like those) and some unfortunately are cases of abuse, neglect, torture, cruelty and/or mistreatment. Not all case work results in charges or convictions. Those decisions are typically up to the discretion of law enforcement officials. It's incredibly frustrating and disheartening to put together a strong case, animals are being harmed, only to not have that case charged or if charged, the punishment does not match the crime. In addition, recidivism is very real, and in our experience, violators will continue to violate and victimize. Those are the cases, the faces, that keep us up at night, wishing we could help them all. We do our best to get the victims the help they need and when charging recommendations are provided to law enforcement officials, we include Minnesota Statute 343.21 Subd. 10 Restrictions. We do our best to help enforce the 343.12 statute as well, when cruelty is determined-no animals are to be left to behind. Day in and day out we do our best to respond and address every report and inquiry. Our hearts and souls are invested in this work. We are very good at what we do, and we take our role in Minnesota statutes very seriously. We always strive to be better and provide a better service statewide. The work is as challenging as it is rewarding and we are proud to serve you, the animals and your communities in all 87 Minnesota counties.

Crow Wing County, Minnesota

SeaQuest, Roseville, Minnesota

It takes a village. - Minnesota Federated Humane Societies | Facebook

Peacebunny, Savage, Minnesota

Rabbits remain at Peacebunny farm after dead animals recovered during search | FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

102 Cats, Crosby, Minnesota

Hero

Hero is now a healthy five-year old German Shepherd that life has not always treated so kindly. As a puppy and young dog, he lived with his elderly owners, who began to experience health issues and found themselves unable to properly care for him. So they chained him up. Not outside, but inside, where they could still be with him.

Hero remained chained inside their home. He sat and laid in his own filth. His owners tried to keep his small area cleaned, but eventually the floor started rotting away. His owners fed him well and gave him treats and toys, but never took him for a walk or brought him outside. He persevered, despite these conditions, for more than three years until one day a woman heard and saw the dog, the conditions in which he was living and cared enough to call Minnesota Federated Humane Societies to report the case of animal neglect that she had seen.

When a MFHS state humane agent went to the home to do a welfare check, they found Hero in very unsanitary and dangerous conditions. The kitchen table had been overturned and bolted to the floor. The dog had three chains, each around three feet long, around his neck, securing him to the table. The chains had cut deeply into his neck; the wounds were so deep that his neck tissue had begun to grow over the wounds.

After removing Hero from the home, the chains were surgically removed from his neck, and he began his many month healing process. He had suffered nerve damage where the chains had worn his flesh. He experienced complications from a blockage in his intestines caused by pieces of two tennis balls that were removed from his stomach and intestines. Hero is now about 5 years old and while he has no socialization experience with other dogs, cats or animals and hasn't quite yet learned how to walk on a leash, he is grateful and continues to heal in the foster home that has welcomed him and is bringing him back to health.

There are so many heroes out there, surviving in so many different situations and circumstances. Help us, help them become the found heroes and please consider donating to MFHS.

Captain Jack

To a young, lost and injured kitten, facing on his own the perils of predatory animals, severe heat and drought, and infection, the world can be a very daunting, and dangerous place. This little tiger tabby was found in the woods on the edge of a property in northern MN in late July. It was very hot and very dry. He was seen hanging around for several days when the property owner saw the kitten was injured. They put out food for him and he returned often; he didn’t allow them to come too close, however; he always left before they could catch him.

They reached out for help. A volunteer from the Retrievers responded and offered to try to catch the kitten. She and another volunteer caught him after several hours. He proved to be a determined fighter. They saw the kitten was in bad shape. He was very thin and had a front leg dangling with what we later discovered to be compound fractures of the radius and the ulna. The leg was showing signs of infection. In spite of this, he put weight on it and moved as fast as he possibly could, when he thought he had to.

The volunteers contacted the local MFHS Agent, to explore options and next steps. While there was no evidence available to find out how the kitten was injured or whether he had a family, the Agent offered to care for the kitten while more information could be gathered and funds could be raised for his care. While he was a quiet and hardy soul, his eyes reflected the pain and fear he was trying to manage. Extreme bravery is sometimes found in the smallest of hearts.

After an initial vet visit, it was recommended the leg be amputated. Because this little guy weighed only 2.1 pounds, the local veterinarians couldn’t safely anesthetize a kitten that small. A veterinary hospital was contacted immediately and they scheduled him for surgery the next day (in spite of their overloaded schedule). His leg was successfully amputated and he was on the road to recovery.

One of the volunteers who caught him offered the name of ‘Captain Jack’. It seemed fitting. The community stepped up for this little Captain and has supported him through his journey to healing. Today those little eyes reveal joy, happiness and an innocent playfulness with absolutely no idea that he only has three legs, or that it even matters.

Sassy

Sassy is now a happy and good girl who suffered horrible neglect that led to severe matting of her fur, nails that hadn't been cut in years and were several inches long and had damaged the tendons in her legs, open lesions, and infections in both ears that led to odorous discharge and open wounds.

Remington and Cara: Victims of Abuse

We felt the violence toward the dogs in this video may be too disturbing for some to see. We opted to post a still image from that video instead. The dogs in this case were rescued and placed with professionals to help ensure their safety and to provide them the care they required. The suspect in this case was charged and convicted.