Cruelty to Animals: Prosecuting Anti-Cruelty Laws | 159 Systematic prosecution of animal cruelty cases did not begin until there were well-defined laws protecting animals, as well as agencies with the authority to enforce these laws In England, the first comprehensive animal protection law was the Act to Prevent the Cruel and Improper Treatment of Cattle in 1822, which also protected horses, sheep, cows and mules, providing for fines of up to five pounds and up to three months in prison for mistreatment of such livestock The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was founded in England in 1824 to ensure that this legislation would be enforced It funded its own constables and eventually earned the support of the Queen, becoming the Royal SPCA in 1840 Inspired by the success of the RSPCA in England, Henry Bergh and his associates founded the American SPCA in 1866 to promote the enforcement of new laws in New York similar to those in England The animal cruelty law was revised in 1867 to apply to any living creature, a major move away from concern only for animals with commercial value and the first step in protecting pets and wildlife from cruelty The law was applied regardless of ownership of the animal, recognizing that people are capable of cruelty to their own animals The list of illegal acts was expanded, until it looked very much like most state anticruelty laws today It also made all forms of animal fighting illegal for the first time, including bull, bear, dog, and cockfighting The law comprehensively addressed neglect, and imposed a duty to provide “sufficient quality of good and wholesome food and water,” and empowered any persons to enter premises to provide for these needs Most significantly, the law gave the ASPCA arrest powers to enforce these provisions Bergh himself acted as a special prosecutor, successfully bringing many cases to court In the United States, it has been difficult to assess the impact of the rapid increase in the number of stronger laws on the actual number of prosecutions, since there is no centralized tracking of animal cruelty arrests In some states where data have been available, rising arrest rates have been related primarily to stronger animal fighting statutes As of 2008, dogfighting is now a felony in every state in the United States Successful prosecution of crimes against animals often requires specialized knowledge not only of the relevant laws, but also of veterinary medicine, veterinary forensics, animal care, and the practices used against animals in organized crime, such as dog-fighting and cockfighting Animal care and control agencies, humane societies and SPCAs, and veterinary associations are important allies to prosecutors in successfully investigating and pursuing animal cruelty cases These cases are given an unusually high degree of scrutiny by the general public Prosecutors often receive tens of thousands of letters in support of the prosecution of high-profile animal cruelty crimes The effective prosecution of animal abuse has many benefits It can provide an early and timely response to those who are, or who are at risk of becoming, a threat to the safety of others It can provide an added tool for the protection of those who are victims of family violence Finally, it can provide an opportunity for prosecutors to develop new, strong, and helpful allies in the protection of their communities and in helping build a truly compassionate society