Effective 'citizen intervention'

Question from Bette:
Do you have any tips for how an 'ordinary citizen' can respond when they see
animals being abused? An ideal response would cause the abuser to alter their
behavior and outlook, without angering the offender. For example,one time a
couple brought their dog for an initial exam at the vet clinic where I work in
the front lobby. While they were waiting to check out, the dog was whining and
acting energetic and antsy. The man hit (spanked) the dog on the butt and
verbally reprimanded him. We're used to our clientele cherishing their animal
companions, not striking them just for being anxious to go! Without thinking, I
said in a very authorative tone, "We don't allow that here!" Well, actually, I
was too upset to remember precisely what I said, it might have been, "That's
unacceptable!" Either way, they both got very offended, said it was none of my
business, and never came back. I can hope that even though they acted that way
to my face, they went home and thought a little harder about how they were
treating their friend. My fear is that I didn't do the dog any good. Any
advice?

From No More Homeless Pets Forum 2/11/05
Articles archived at http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/weeklyforum/forumarchives.cfm

Effective 'citizen intervention'

Question from Bette:
Do you have any tips for how an 'ordinary citizen' can respond when they see
animals being abused? An ideal response would cause the abuser to alter their
behavior and outlook, without angering the offender. For example,one time a
couple brought their dog for an initial exam at the vet clinic where I work in
the front lobby. While they were waiting to check out, the dog was whining and
acting energetic and antsy. The man hit (spanked) the dog on the butt and
verbally reprimanded him. We're used to our clientele cherishing their animal
companions, not striking them just for being anxious to go! Without thinking, I
said in a very authorative tone, "We don't allow that here!" Well, actually, I
was too upset to remember precisely what I said, it might have been, "That's
unacceptable!" Either way, they both got very offended, said it was none of my
business, and never came back. I can hope that even though they acted that way
to my face, they went home and thought a little harder about how they were
treating their friend. My fear is that I didn't do the dog any good. Any
advice?

Response from Alison Gianotto:
Dealing with pet owners is often challenging. Just as no parent wants to be
told how to raise their children, most pet owners don't want to be criticized on
the way they handle their pets. This situation is actually somewhat similar to
the tethered dog question that was asked earlier this week - and the pet owner's
reactions will vary. Some people just won't listen, no matter how you approach
them. On the upside however, you will probably find that most pet owners, when
approached in a non-critical and friendly manner, will be receptive to learning
more about their pets.

The toughest part for you may be stifling your gut reaction to be stern and
upset with them. After you have a handle on that, everything else is relatively
easy! Since you work in a vet clinic, approaching people about their pets will
be even easier for you. Keep a few brochures of local obedience classes and
dog-training tips at the reception desk. If you see another situation like
that, rather than getting upset with them, you might try politely recommending
an obedience class for their pet. This applies even if the dog has not done
anything wrong, as was the case in your situation, because most good obedience
classes teach the pet and the owner. In your scenario, the obedience classes
would actually be more for the owner than for the pet - but there's no reason to
mention that to them.

The dog training behavior handouts can be as detailed or broad as you feel will
be effective - just be sure to put heavy stress on positive reinforcement, and
make it clear that negative reinforcement does not have to (and should not be)
painful to the animal. If you have a behaviorist handy, ask them to help you put
together this handout. If not, good base information can be found here:
http://www.dogmanners.com/punishment.html

You may wish to simplify some of the terms and concepts mentioned in the above
url, but it should get you started.

It may take some practice to train yourself not to "freak out" when you witness
these situations, but it important to remember that if the pet owner's behavior
is unappropriate but NOT criminal, your ability to keep cool will give you a
much better chance at improving the animal's life (if the behavior is criminal,
call your local department of animal control, humane law enforcement department
or the police to report it immediately).

If you witness criminal animal cruelty, try to find a non-confrontational way to
get the information you need to be able to report it. Several years ago, while
visiting my local dog beach, I came across a dog without a collar that was
barely more than skin and bones. I happened to have half a roast beef sandwich
on me, so I gave it to the dog, who quite literally inhaled it. When I went back
to my bag to see if I had any other food I could give the dog, a man came
running up to me, yelling at me not to feed his dog. Now, I will interrupt
myself here and mention that my reaction to this situation was not the most
effective. I quickly snapped back at him "Well someone has to, since you're
clearly not!" It escalated from there. He told me that the reason the dog was
so skinny was because he had just rescued it. I asked for the name of the
shelter he adopted it from, making it clear that I would report him to humane
law enforcement if his story didn't check out. He then quickly changed his story
and told me that that the dog was so skinny because it had recently undergone
brain surgery. I replied that I was unaware that accepted post-operative care
for brain surgery was starvation. (I told you - I did not handle this well.) I
asked him for his vet's name, brandishing my cell phone. He was evasive and
continued to lie to me, changing his story with one poor excuse after another.
I truthfully cannot remember how the altercation ended (I think my cell battery
was dead), but I wound up back on my beach blanket, shaking with anger, and the
man walked further down the beach. My husband, bless his heart, had witnessed
the argument, and while I was composing myself on the blanket, he disappeared
for a minute or two and then returned with a small slip of paper with six
letters written on it. Yep, you guessed it. He wrote down the man's license
plate number.

I relayed this story for several reasons, the first of which to demonstrate
exactly how not to handle a situation. By confronting him, I put myself in
danger and accomplished absolutely nothing on behalf of the animal. My husband
on the other hand, who had not exchanged a single word with this man, was able
to quietly obtain the information we needed to be able to report him. His
reaction was the better of the two, since it was not only safer for everyone
involved, it also yielded something useful by which we could actually make a
difference in the dog's life. Fortunately, I have since learned better
techniques for these situations, but it is very easy to find yourself caught up
in a situation like this one - especially if you're an outspoken loudmouth like
me. Your frustration, anger and outrage will only escalate the confrontation so
it is critical that you keep a clear head.

Ultimately, there is a time and a place for everything. Your question related
to spanking, which may or may not be considered criminal, depending on where you
live - but I cannot express enough the importance of allowing the authorities to
handle the situation if you have witnessed a violent animal crime. As we have
discussed, animal abuse has many close ties to human violence, and you need to
recognize the fact that animal abusers can be dangerous to you if you attempt to
confront them. As animal advocates, we must place value on our own safety as
well, for if anything were to happen to us, we would be unable to continue the
work we do to help animals. You will have to use your judgement in these
situations, but be sure to be as careful as possible and always err on the side
of caution.

Posted on SHARE Yahoo group Feb. 11, 2005