SPCA of Texas Offers $5,000 Reward to Assist Law Enforcement with Animal Cruelty Case in Van Zandt County

(VAN, Texas); June 6, 2024 – The SPCA of Texas, through generous funding from an anonymous donor, is offering $5,000 as a reward to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of any individual(s) who has perpetrated the animal cruelty crime of abandoning 10 newborn puppies at a car wash in Van, Texas.

At approximately 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 5, 2024, the Van Police Department was dispatched to a car wash located at 130 Cedar Street, where an unknown person had abandoned the puppies in a wire crate without access to food or water. The puppies were taken to the Van Police Department where they were housed and cared for overnight. The morning of June 6, 2024, the Van Police Department contacted the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations (ACI) Unit for assistance. The ACI Unit picked up the puppies and transported them to the Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center where they are being evaluated and are receiving veterinary care.

Anyone with information should contact the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit at 214-742-7722 (option #4) or email aci@spca.org.

“Abandoning animals can be so dangerous, especially in the extreme weather that we’ve been experiencing recently,” said SPCA of Texas Chief Investigator, ACI Unit Courtney Burns, CAWA. “Thankfully these puppies were discovered quickly, and we were able to get them some help before it was too late.

“For someone to abandon these helpless, newborn puppies is outrageous,” Burns noted. “Once their health is stable, we have trained and devoted fosters who will make loving homes for them until they are old enough to be adopted into forever homes.”

The SPCA of Texas points out that animal cruelty is often an early warning sign of violent tendencies that will be acted out against people. Childhood cruelty to animals has been linked to later antisocial and aggressive behavior in several retrospective studies. The SPCA of Texas is committed to stopping this cycle by maintaining an active ACI Unit that responds to reports of abuse and neglect in North Texas counties.

The SPCA of Texas ACI Unit partners with Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN) as they lobby at the city and state level to strengthen animal cruelty statutes and laws, encourages the community to get involved in their local and state government to advocate for animals, and urges individuals to report all suspected animal cruelty to their local law enforcement agency. To report suspected cruelty or abuse in Van Zandt or Hunt County to the SPCA of Texas, call 214-742-SPCA (7722) or visit www.spca.org/abuse.

The SPCA of Texas will do everything in its power to assist law enforcement as they work with prosecutors to take any cases of animal cruelty as far as possible under state law and bring this individual(s) to justice.

To help support the SPCA of Texas and its efforts to help abused, neglected and homeless animals and to support the SPCA of Texas’ other programs and services, please visit www.spca.org/helptheanimals. To learn more about the SPCA of Texas, please visit our website at www.spca.org.

About SPCA of Texas

Founded in 1938, the SPCA of Texas is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization that operates two shelters, one spay/neuter clinic, one mobile adoptions vehicle and an animal rescue center, all located in Dallas and Ellis Counties, and maintains a team of animal cruelty investigators who rescue hundreds of animals from cruelty each year in North Texas counties. Moreover, the SPCA of Texas serves as an active resource center for an array of services that bring people and animals together to enrich each other’s lives.

The SPCA of Texas is not affiliated with any other entity and does not receive general operating funds from the City of Dallas, State of Texas, federal government or any other national humane organization. SPCA of Texas is dedicated to providing every animal exceptional care and a loving home. To learn more about the SPCA of Texas, visit www.spca.org.

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