§ 133.379 Duty of peace officer to arrest and prosecute violators of cruelty to animals laws

If a police officer finds out that someone has broken Oregon's animal cruelty laws, the officer must act on it. This means the officer has to arrest the person responsible and help move the case forward through the legal system.

This rule doesn't give officers a choice about whether to get involved. If the officer becomes aware of animal cruelty, they are required to step in and enforce the law. This covers several specific animal cruelty laws in Oregon, including rules about neglect, abandonment, and other forms of mistreatment.

For everyday people, this means animal cruelty complaints should be taken seriously by police. If you report suspected animal abuse and give an officer solid evidence or firsthand knowledge of it, the officer is legally obligated to investigate and pursue charges rather than ignore the situation.