Animal Rescue and Investigation
Sometimes, the best way to get the job done well is to roll up your sleeves, put on your boots and head to where the animals need us most. Enter our professional teams of animal rescuers. Whether we’re saving a cat from neglect in New York or pulling a Dachshund from a puppy mill in Kentucky, we’ve got the experts for the task.
More about Animal Rescue
Our responders save animals from abuse and build cases against abusers. And at the end of every case, our placement specialists ensure that animal abuse survivors find loving homes.
Video of a puppy mill rescue »
Our 2011 Joplin tornado response »
The anatomy of a raid »
Animal Cops
Humane Law Enforcement
That’s right—these are our animal police officers! ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents enforce animal cruelty laws in the five boroughs of New York City.
Cruelty Intervention Advocacy
Part of Humane Law Enforcement, the Cruelty Intervention Advocacy program aims to stop crimes before they start.
Field Investigations and Response Team
What the Team Does
From rescuing cats in the wake of a tornado to pulling hundreds of dogs from a hoarding house, here’s what the FIR Team does every day.
Meet the Team
The men and women of the Field Investigations and Response Team can do it all, from setting up a temporary shelter in a single day to rescuing birds, horses and, of course, dogs and cats from horrific conditions.
Investigations
Learn where the FIR Team has been and get updates on cases.
Forensics
What the Team Does
ASPCA forensic scientists deploy to animal crime scenes to use hard science against animal abusers. Learn more about the team’s work.
Meet the Team
The ASPCA Animal Forensic Sciences Team works alongside our rescuers and various agencies to collect and analyze evidence that local, state and federal law enforcement may use to clinch convictions.
Investigations
See which ASPCA cases the Forensics team has investigated.