Houston Animal Cops: An Interview with Charles Jantzen

If you have ever seen the show Houston Animal Cops then you know how hard the SPCA of Houston works. The amount of animal cruelty and neglect in the greater Houston area is staggering but thanks to heroes like Charles Jantzen (and his cruelty and neglect team) at the Houston SPCA, dogs at least have a chance of a better life. As the Houston Dogs Examiner, I had a chance to interview Jantzen in person at the Houston SPCA.

At the end of the interview I felt sick to my stomach thinking about the ignorance that human beings have when it comes to the welfare of animals; however, I had a new found respect for people like Jantzen (and his team at the Houston SPCA) and anyone who works diligently to help save animals - dogs in particular.

Who Are Animal Abusers?

When you think of animal abusers you might think the majority are male but as it turns out, women as just as culpable. In fact, the majority of animal hoarders are female. When I asked Jantzen why he thought people engaged in animal cruelty and neglect, he explained that many do it because it is what they were taught growing up. Some people neglect animals simply because they are not aware of what the laws are, hence the reason education is key.

What Constitutes Cruelty and Neglect?

A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly or recklessly:

1.Tortures or seriously overworks an animal.

2.Fails unreasonably to provide necessary food, water, care or shelter for an animal in his custody.

3.Abandons unreasonably an animal in his custody.

4.Transports or confines an animal in a cruel manner.

5.Kills, injures, or administers poison to an animal, belonging to another without legal authority or the owner's effective consent.

6.Causes one animal to fight with another.

7.Uses a live animal as a lure in dog race training or in dog coursing.

Which Animals Are Typically Involved in Cruelty and Neglect Cases?

Most of the reports the Houston SPCA receive involve companion animals (e.g. dogs) but surprisingly, there are cases involving livestock and exotic animals like bears - yes, bears and even tigers. Apparently it is not illegal to buy an exotic animal if the person you purchased the animal from has a USDA license to sell. How insane is that law? Not only is it cruel to the animal but think about the consequences to the humans when the cute bears and tiger cubs grow up.

*Look for part 2 of my interview with the Houston Animal Cops in an upcoming article.