Animal Cruelty in Greenwood

Last month a resident witnessed neighborhood boys throwing stones at the Canada Geese by the pond in Greenwood, then noticed one of the birds attacked dying.



While Canada geese are often seen as a nuisance, they are living creatures; and attacking and killing animals that are unable to defend themselves can be a sign of other aggressive tendencies.
According to a 1997 study done by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Northeastern University, animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people and four times more likely to commit property crimes than are individuals without a history of animal abuse.
http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/abuse_connection.php

Animal Control Officers are trained law enforcement officers responsible for enforcing county ordinances and state laws that pertain to animals and their treatment. The primary function of a Fairfax County Police Department Animal Control Officer is to help protect county residents while dealing with pets and animals as humanely as possible.

Animal Control Section hours of service:
Seven days a week, 6 a.m.- 12:30 a.m.
Call 703-691-2131 to report an incident

What to report and how to make a report:
Call the Fairfax County Police non-emergency dispatch number at 703-691-2131 to report:

• Dog bites
• Animal cruelty or neglect
• Sick or injured wildlife
• Human exposure/encounters with potentially rabid wildlife

At this time, it is not know what charges can be pressed against a person who commits such crimes in Fairfax County, but a person found guilty of killing geese in NJ was given a six-month jail term, a year of psychotherapy, fined $4,100, placed on a year's probation and banned from owning any animals for five years.
http://www.pet-abuse.com/cases/13800/NJ/US/