HAMPTON, Va. - There were 51 calls for animal cruelty in July in Hampton, including one where a man was arrested for dog fighting. Authorities say his wife, a Hampton Sheriff's Office lieutenant, was arrested on related charges.
The unit that handled that case and many others is the Hampton Animal Response Team (HART). Angela Taylor is the manager.
“If someone is mistreating an animal, when we get that call, we’re able to step in and actually show that we care,” said Taylor.
She said HART's mission is to investigate crimes against animals, whether it be domestic animals or even livestock.
“They have no voice. They can’t tell you how they feel," said Taylor. "It’s not like they can pick up the phone and dial 911.”
Taylor said HART handles things like stray animals, vicious animal complaints, and neglect. She explained the animal control officers assigned to HART have the power to issue a summons, meaning they can bring charges against someone for not caring for an animal.
“If an owner fails to protect and care for an animal, especially if we have a history with them, that would be a situation in which potentially neglect charges would be brought against them,” said Taylor.
She told News 3 the team receives 15-20 calls a day. At least two of those are for animal cruelty. In June, there were 51 calls for animal cruelty; the same number as in July.
