Our Mission: to protect the health, safety & welfare of people & animals

We value: Integrity, compassion, teamwork, innovation & operational excellence.

Our vision is to become: An animal services organization known for its transparency, and effectively promoting the humane and responsible care of companion animals, reducing the euthanasia of sheltered animals, and responding to the needs of the community.

619-767-2675

Humane Law Enforcement

San Diego Humane Society is dedicated to protecting animals throughout San Diego County, either by enforcing animal cruelty and neglect laws, so that all animals are treated with respect, or by placing them in appropriate homes. 

San Diego Humane Society's Humane Law Enforcement has officers in the field seven days a week, handling a variety of animal cruelty complaints. Humane Officers get their enforcement powers from the California Corporations Code 14502, and can exercise the powers of a peace officer while investigating animal-related crimes. 

While our primary focus is educating owners about proper care for their animals, we use the authority that we have been given to ensure every animal receives care as required by law. Animal cruelty encompasses behavior harmful to animals ranging from neglect or hoarding to malicious killing. Most cruelty investigated by Humane Officers is unintentional neglect that can be resolved through education. Intentional cruelty, or abuse, is knowingly depriving an animal of food, water, shelter, or veterinary care, or maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating, or killing an animal. 

Our Humane Officers also respond to and rescue animals from disasters in San Diego and surrounding areas with the assistance of the Humane Society's 24-hour volunteer-operated Animal Rescue Reserve. 

On average we respond to nearly 2,000 reports of animal cruelty annually. Our Humane Officers work daily to promote humane law to the public and the animals we serve.

Abuse Hotline

619.299.7012

800.98.ABUSE