Emergency Animal Protection Services

How to Report Animal Cruelty or Neglect

To report a suspected situation involving an animal that may be abused or neglected, and in distress, please contact us at 613-725-3166 ext. 224 or email us and provide the following information:

  • Your name, address and telephone number for our records.
  • The date, time and place (address) of the offence.
  • The registration number and description of any vehicle involved.
  • The investigator will need to ask you questions about the animal(s) involved to establish the full situation (i.e. the basic who, what, where, when, and why if possible). These will relate to what you have seen in relation to the animal's environment and its body condition.

It is OHS policy to treat all complaints in the strictest confidence. Your name will not be disclosed without your permission, but the OSPCA investigator will need to contact you if they need additional information.

The Ottawa Humane Society always aims to prevent cruelty through education and opts for court proceedings only as a last resort.

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Animal Abuse and Interpersonal Violence

Cover of HSUS publication about link between human and animal violence

The link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence has long been proven, and increasingly, the Ottawa Humane Society is working with other social agencies in Ottawa to make sure that efforts are coordinated in situations where violence exists in a household that may have children and animals.

If you think a child is being hurt

If you think that a child is being hurt, please contact the Children's Aid Society in Ottawa at 613-747-7800.

Report on link between human and animal violence

For more information on the link between human and animal violence, please check out the information at the Humane Society of the United States' website.