File a Complaint
Complaint Disclaimer
Before filing a complaint, please review the disclaimer below:
*** Filing a complaint which you know or should have known is false (for example to bother your ex-husband/wife, neighbor, former friend, etc) is a violation of the New York State Penal Law (section 240.50 and 240.55 and 240.60) and subjects you to arrest and a year in the county jail (longer if while responding to your false complaint one of our law enforcement officers is injured). We aggressively investigate false reports of animal cruelty as it is a waste of our limited resources that we can not and will not tolerate. Reports made in good faith and not meant to be malicious are welcome and encouraged. When in doubt call but if you are in a divorce and you are thinking about calling on your estranged spouse you should think twice to ensure you are not the person placed in handcuffs *** We want to hear from you. Those who can’t speak for themselves need you to help…. please. Make sure of your facts and call us…. we will use every effort to preserve your anonymity…. The Schenectady County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is here to investigate animal cruelty complaints WITHIN Schenectady Counties. Each county has its own SPCA to investigate complaints within their own county. If you are unable to locate the particular SPCA in your area, please call your local police department and ask them who handles the animal cruelty complaints for your area — they will be able to provide you with that information. We can’t legally and thus we will not investigate any complaints based outside of Schenectady Counties. We are a law enforcement agency that handles animal cruelty complaints relating to the mistreatment of animals. If your complaint relates to a vicious animal or an animal causing a disturbance in your neighborhood, then that complaint should be filed with your local police department and/or animal control officer.What complaints should be filed with the Schenectady County SPCA?
- The situation in question is occurring within Schenectady Counties
- It involves the mistreatment of an animal
- It involves inadequate food and/or water ( especially in the heat ) for an animal
- It involves the lack of proper shelter from rain, snow, or extreme heat
- It involves the physical abuse to the animal
- It involves the abandonment of the animal
- It involves any other evidence of animal neglect and/or an animal left in dangerous conditions including, severe weather conditions hot or cold, or being left in a car in the heat
- It involves animal fighting
What complaints should NOT be filed with the Schenectady County SPCA?
If the situation is NOT occurring within Schenectady Counties, you can contact your local SPCA or your local police department for more information- A barking dog in your neighborhood that is annoying or a nuisance
- A vicious animal in your neighborhood
- A person has been bitten
What information should you include in your complaint?
- Be prepared to provide your name, address, and telephone number ( this information will be kept in strictest confidence and is for our records only — it will NOT be shared with the person you are making the complaint about )
- Be ready to give the name and address of the person(s) about whom you are making the complain
- Be prepared to give a full description of the complaint along with dates and specifics of what has occurred/is occurring
- If you have other witnesses to a specific abuse, be prepared to provide their names, addresses, and telephone numbers ( the more witnesses you have to an abuse, the better )
- In order to assist us, especially in severe cases such as abuse or neglect, please be willing to testify in court and/or make a sworn written statement to what you have witnessed — we are unable to arrest someone without evidence either witnessed by one of our officers or another witness
