OTTUMWA -- For our Facebook story of the day our fans wanted to know who they should contact when they are witnesses to animal abuse.
KTVO spoke with officer Jeff Williams of the Ottumwa Police Department. Williams handles all animal abuse or neglect cases. Williams says 80 percent of his cases begin with tips from members of the community. Anonymous tips are helpful and those that call in won’t have to worry about their names being released.
“I realize neighbors don't want to talk on neighbors but we're talking about an animal here that needs help,” Williams said. “So if I can just work on that case and see it, and I can investigate it without using their information, that's what really helps out the best."
Many times on police reports a person who originally notified law enforcement about a neglected or abused animal is named concerned citizen. Williams wants to make sure that everyone that sees animal abuse contact some type of law enforcement agency.
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