How to Report Animal Cruelty in Louisiana: Laws, Steps, and Penalties

Animal cruelty happens across Louisiana every day — in backyards, on rural properties, and inside homes — and the people who witness it are often the only ones who can stop it. Whether you saw a dog chained without water in the summer heat or suspect a neighbor is harming animals behind closed doors, knowing how to take action matters.

Louisiana law gives you clear options for reporting suspected abuse, and agencies across the state rely on residents like you to bring these situations to their attention. This guide walks you through what the law defines as cruelty, who can and must report it, how to file a complaint, what happens after you do, and what penalties offenders face.

What Counts as Animal Cruelty in Louisiana

Louisiana’s primary animal cruelty statutes are found under Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 14, Sections 102 through 102.4. The law divides offenses into two tiers: simple cruelty and aggravated cruelty. Understanding the difference helps you recognize and describe what you’ve witnessed when filing a report.

Simple cruelty to animals covers a wide range of harmful acts and omissions. Under the 2025 Louisiana law, simple cruelty includes overdriving or overworking a living animal, tormenting or cruelly beating any living animal, and failing to provide an animal in your custody with proper food, drink, shelter, or veterinary care. Abandoning any animal also qualifies as simple cruelty.

Aggravated cruelty involves more severe conduct. Aggravated cruelty includes torturing, maiming, or mutilating any living animal; tampering with livestock at a public exhibition or private sale; causing or procuring another person to commit such acts; mistreating an animal in any way that causes unnecessary or unjustifiable physical pain, suffering, or death; and failing to provide proper care that ultimately results in the animal’s death.

The law also provides statutory definitions for key terms. Under Louisiana law, “cruel” means every act or failure to act whereby unjustifiable physical pain or suffering is caused or permitted; “abandons” means to completely forsake an animal without making reasonable arrangements for its care; and “proper food,” “proper water,” and “proper shelter” each require daily provision of sufficient quality and quantity to prevent unnecessary suffering.

Important Note: Louisiana law also prohibits tethering a dog or cat in a manner that exposes the animal to extreme weather conditions during declared flood or hurricane emergencies. Local parishes may have additional ordinances that go beyond state law, so check with your parish animal control office for local rules that may apply in your area.

There are statutory exemptions. The cruelty statutes do not apply to the lawful hunting or trapping of wildlife as provided by law, herding of domestic animals, accepted veterinary practices, and activities carried on for scientific or medical research governed by accepted standards. Additionally, fowl are not defined as animals under this section, with the exception of certain birds in the order Psittaciformes, including parrots, parakeets, lovebirds, macaws, cockatiels, and cockatoos.

If you live in Louisiana and want to understand the state’s broader wildlife context, our guide to venomous animals in Louisiana covers native species you may encounter.

Who Can Report Animal Cruelty in Louisiana

Any person who witnesses or suspects animal cruelty in Louisiana can make a report. You do not need to be a professional, a property owner, or directly involved in the situation. Reporting animal cruelty is important, and if you know or suspect an animal cruelty situation, you should speak up — agencies rely on the public for help.

Anonymous reporting is accepted. The Humane Society of Louisiana accepts anonymous complaints, though having your name and contact information is useful in case investigators need further details. The identity of a witness or complainant is kept strictly confidential. That confidentiality holds unless the complainant is willing to testify in court or specifically gives permission to have their name revealed during the investigation.

Veterinarians and veterinary technicians occupy a specific position under Louisiana law. Licensed veterinarians and licensed veterinary technicians who make a report in good faith, based on a reasonable belief that an animal has been the subject of a criminal violation, are afforded immunity from civil liability or criminal prosecution. This protection was established through Act 59, effective August 1, 2022, now codified at La. R.S. 9:2800.28.

You can also report cruelty involving animals in other states. See how laws compare in our articles on animal cruelty laws in Texas and animal cruelty laws in Georgia.

Who Is Required to Report Animal Cruelty in Louisiana

Louisiana does not impose a broad mandatory reporting requirement on the general public for animal cruelty. Louisiana remains a state that does not compel reporting in the same way some other states do. However, certain professionals and officials carry heightened responsibilities.

Any authorized law enforcement agent may make arrests for animal cruelty under La. Rev. Stat. § 14:102.3. Law enforcement officers who encounter suspected cruelty in the course of their duties are expected to act. Animal control officers, sheriff’s deputies, and municipal police all have authority to investigate and enforce the state’s cruelty statutes.

Veterinary professionals occupy a unique position. Prior to the 2022 legislative session, Louisiana was one of the states without veterinarian-based reporting laws. With the passage of Act 59, effective August 1, 2022, now La. R.S. 9:2800.28, Louisiana began to address these issues. The law grants immunity to veterinarians and veterinary technicians who report suspected cruelty in good faith, but it does not formally mandate that they do so.

Key Insight: Because Louisiana does not have a universal mandatory reporting law for animal cruelty, the burden falls heavily on private citizens and community members to bring suspected cases forward. Your report may be the only one filed.

There may also be local or parish anti-cruelty laws in your area, which your local enforcement agency may choose to utilize. State laws carry tougher penalties, but they are sometimes more difficult to bring to trial. Local ordinances can create additional obligations for certain categories of people, so it is worth checking with your parish government directly.

For comparison, see how mandatory reporting works in other states, including our coverage of animal cruelty laws in Pennsylvania and animal cruelty laws in New York.

How to Report Animal Cruelty in Louisiana

When you are ready to report, act promptly and gather as much information as you can before contacting authorities. The more specific your account, the more effectively investigators can respond.

Step 1: Document what you observed. If applicable, photograph or take video of the animal or animals to help investigators better assess and document the abuse or neglect situation. Note the date, time, location, and a description of the animal and the person responsible, if known. Do not trespass or put yourself in danger to get this information. Do not put yourself in a dangerous situation to obtain information, and do not enter another person’s property without permission.

Step 2: Contact your local animal control agency or law enforcement. The first step is to report your concern to your local animal control agency or local law enforcement agency that assists in animal-related issues. The National Link Coalition’s Louisiana page maintains a parish-by-parish directory of animal control contacts. For example, if local law enforcement or an animal control agency is unable or unwilling to investigate, you can contact the Humane Society of Louisiana at 888-648-6263.

Step 3: File your complaint clearly and factually. When filing your complaint, provide a concise, factual narrative of what you observed. Stick to what you directly witnessed rather than speculation. Provide as much detail as possible, including location, animal description, and witness statements.

Step 4: Use additional reporting channels if needed. Several organizations accept reports statewide:

• Humane Society of Louisiana: File a report online at humanela.org/report-cruelty or call 888-648-6263.
• Louisiana SPCA (Orleans Parish): The Louisiana SPCA’s New Orleans Humane Law and Rescue partners with the City of New Orleans to provide animal control services for Orleans Parish. Reach them at 504-368-5191 x100.
• Lafayette Animal Services: Cruelty calls can be placed to the shelter Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (337) 291-5644. Calls remain anonymous, but be as detailed as possible.
• Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry: File a complaint at ldaf.la.gov for cases involving livestock or agricultural animals.
• My Mobile Witness App: One additional way to report animal cruelty or abuse is the My Mobile Witness app, part of Homeland Security’s See Something Send Something program, which allows witnesses to send photos or videos of criminal activity instantly to law enforcement agencies within the state.

Pro Tip: If you are reporting in a parish that has its own animal control office, start there. If that agency is unresponsive, escalate to the Humane Society of Louisiana or the Louisiana SPCA. You can also contact the Louisiana Animal Control Advisory Task Force at lacatf.la.gov for guidance.

For context on how reporting processes differ elsewhere, see our guides on animal cruelty laws in Michigan, animal cruelty laws in Ohio, and animal cruelty laws in North Carolina.

What Happens After You Report in Louisiana

Once a complaint is filed, the receiving agency — whether animal control, a sheriff’s office, or a humane law enforcement officer — will assess the information and determine whether an investigation is warranted. Response times and procedures vary by parish, but the general process follows a consistent pattern.

An officer will typically visit the location to observe the animal’s condition firsthand. If the situation appears to meet the legal threshold for cruelty or neglect, the officer may issue a warning, require corrective action, or make an arrest depending on the severity of what they find.

If cruelty is confirmed, the animal may be removed from the premises. When a person is charged with cruelty to animals, that person’s animal may be seized by the arresting officer and held pursuant to Louisiana law. The seizing officer must notify the owner of the seized animal by posting written notice at the location where the animal was seized, or by leaving it with a person of suitable age residing there, within twenty-four hours of the seizure.

Documentation follows the seizure. The seizing officer must photograph the animal within fifteen days after posting the notice of seizure and shall appoint a licensed veterinarian or other suitable custodian to care for the animal.

A search warrant can also be obtained. If a complaint is made by affidavit to any magistrate authorized to issue search warrants, stating that the complainant has reason to believe an animal has been or is being cruelly treated, the magistrate — if satisfied there is reasonable cause — shall issue a search warrant to any authorized law enforcement officer to search the building or place and arrest any person found violating the statute. That warrant may also authorize the officer to seize any animal believed to be cruelly treated and take custody of it.

Upon a person’s conviction of cruelty to animals, the court may order the forfeiture and final determination of custody of any animal found to have been cruelly treated as part of the sentence. If the accused is acquitted, the court shall direct the delivery of any animal held in custody back to the owner and order the return of any bond posted, less reasonable administrative costs.

Penalties for Animal Cruelty in Louisiana

Louisiana’s penalties for animal cruelty scale significantly based on the nature of the offense and whether the person has prior convictions. Courts also have authority to impose non-financial consequences that can affect an offender’s life long after any fine is paid.

Offense	Classification	Fine	Imprisonment
Simple cruelty — first offense	Misdemeanor	Up to $1,000	Up to 6 months
Simple cruelty — second or subsequent offense	Felony	$5,000–$25,000	1–10 years (with or without hard labor)
Aggravated cruelty	Felony	$5,000–$25,000	1–10 years (with or without hard labor)

These figures come from Louisiana Revised Statutes § 14:102.1 (2025 version) as published by Justia. Whoever commits the crime of simple cruelty to animals shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both. A second or subsequent offense of simple cruelty carries a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $25,000, or imprisonment with or without hard labor for not less than one year nor more than ten years, or both. In addition, the court may issue an order prohibiting the offender from owning or keeping animals for a period of not more than five years.

Beyond fines and jail time, courts impose several additional consequences. In addition to any other penalty, a person who commits simple cruelty to animals shall be ordered to perform five eight-hour days of court-approved community service, and that community service requirement cannot be suspended. The court may also order a psychological evaluation or anger management treatment for a first conviction; for a second or subsequent offense, the court shall order such an evaluation or treatment.

Courts can also require offenders to cover the costs of caring for the animals they harmed. The court may order the offender to pay for any expenses incurred for the housing of the animal and for medical treatment of the animal, pursuant to Code of Criminal Procedure Article 883.2.

When multiple animals are involved, the charges multiply. If more than one animal is subject to an act of cruel treatment by an offender, each act constitutes a separate offense. This means a person who mistreats five animals in a single incident can face five separate charges.

For a broader look at how other states structure their animal cruelty penalties, see our articles on animal cruelty laws in California, animal cruelty laws in Illinois, and animal cruelty laws in Tennessee. You can also explore our guides on animal cruelty laws in Colorado, animal cruelty laws in Arizona, and animal cruelty laws in Indiana for additional state-level comparisons.

If you witness animal cruelty in Louisiana, the most important step is to report it. Agencies depend on the public to identify situations they cannot find on their own. Your report — even an anonymous one — can be the reason an animal gets help.