A Common Bond - The National Link Coalition

Chapter 2: Ask Questions About Care and Treatment of AnimalsIn addition, The Humane Society of the United States’ publication “TheViolence Connection” has proved to be a useful training tool for child protectiveservices agencies and animal control units, as well as law enforcement andmental health professionals. Contact Mary Lou Randour at mrandour@humanesociety.org to learn how to obtain copies.Guideline 4Understand the system of animal cruelty investigations,as well as the relevance of animal cruelty laws, asthey relate to child welfare goals of child safety andwell-being.Animal cruelty investigations. Animal cruelty investigations may be conductedby a humane society or SPCA cruelty investigator, a municipal or countyanimal control officer, a police officer, or a sheriff’s deputy. To provide qualitycontrolledand standardized training, the National Cruelty InvestigationsSchool (NCIS) was established at the Law Enforcement Training Institute at theUniversity of Missouri in 1990. Below is an outline of the current curriculumoffered by NCIS.Level I Topics• The Professional Investigator• Search & Seizure• Communication Skills• Case Preparation for Court• Written & PhotographicDocumentation• Veterinarian Documentation• Biosecurity & Zoonosis• Practical ApplicationLevel II Topics• EnvironmentalAssessments• Commercial Animal Sales• High Volume Breeders• Livestock Investigations• Animal Fighting• Body Condition Scoring• Officer Survival• Search Warrants• Civil Liability• Juvenile Law• Case Studies16Level III Topics• Family Violence• Traveling Shows• Exotic AnimalInvestigations• Clandestine Labs• Cultural Diversity• Ritualistic Animal Abuse• Hoarders• Disaster Planning• Large Scale Impounds• Case StudiesLevel IV Topics• BioSecurity & Zoonosis• Body Condition Scoring• Clandestine Labs• Hoarders• Digital Photography• Search & Seizure• Cultural Diversity• Dog Fighting• Ritualistic Animal Abuse• Practical Exercises• PPCT Collapsible Baton