Historic Partnership Formed to Help Animal Abuse Victims
DETROIT, June 15, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the first partnership of its kind in the United States, the Michigan Humane Society and Crime Stoppers of Michigan have teamed-up to combat animal abuse and neglect. The new venture was announced today at the MHS Dresner Foundation Animal Care Campus in Detroit with representatives from both organizations.
Baron, the maimed Rottweiler rescued by MHS earlier this year, also attended. Despite public outcry, Baron's abusers have yet to be brought to justice. His case proved to be the catalyst for partnership announced today.
"There is a demonstrated link between violence toward animals and violence toward human beings," said Matthew Pepper, president and CEO of MHS. "People who abuse animals are a threat to public safety, and these crimes need to be taken seriously. That's what makes collaboration between the two organizations so important."
"We are very happy to work with the Michigan Human Society to provide a way that people can safely and anonymously report crimes of animal abuse," said Dan DiBardino, president of Crime Stoppers of Michigan.
MHS will use Crime Stoppers' anonymous tip line to gather information about potential animal abuse and neglect from the Crime Stoppers' seven-county service area, which includes Wayne, Oakland, Washtenaw, Livingston, St. Clair, Macomb and Monroe. The information will be given to the MHS cruelty investigation department to determine appropriate action. MHS investigators will also lend their expertise to other local law enforcement as needed.
Crime Stoppers will offer up to a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for the abuse, which can be matched by MHS. Anonymous benefactors are donating seed money for the reward for Baron, which stands at $25,000.
Both organizations encourage more community members to speak up about what is going on in their neighborhoods given the guaranteed anonymity of the Crime Stoppers model.
Anyone who witnesses possible animal cruelty can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAKUP or visit 1800speakup.org.
The Michigan Humane Society, founded in 1877, is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that places more than 10,000 homeless animals each year. MHS has three shelter and veterinary centers?in Detroit, Rochester Hills and Westland. Learn more at michiganhumane.org.
Crime Stoppers is the largest crime-fighting organization in the world, operating in 22 countries. Crime Stoppers of Michigan is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization.
The mission of CSM is to empower people to make their neighborhoods, schools and businesses safer through anonymous reporting of crimes. Tips can be submitted by calling 800-SPEAK-UP, at www.1800speakup.org or text CSM and your tip to 274637. Since 2013, Crime Stoppers has received more than 24,000 anonymous tips from the public and has awarded more than $300,000 in cash rewards to anonymous tipsters.
SOURCE Michigan Humane Society
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