São Paulo and Caxias do Sul see surge in animal abuse reports

The electronic Animal Protection Police (Depa) of São Paulo’s Civil Police recorded 14,288 animal‑abuse complaints between January and June, an average of about 78 reports per day. Delegada Jeanette Sanjar said each tip is forwarded to the nearest police unit for investigation, adding that the platform’s ease of use has helped rescue many animals.

In the city of Caxias do Sul, the municipal Department of Animal Protection (DPA) logged 1,609 complaints in the first half of the year, nearly three times the number reported in the same period last year. Coordinator Elisa Zanolla linked the rise to broader publicity on social media and noted that 70% of the cases were acted upon, resulting in 33 seizures, 354 rescues, 10 arrests of owners in flagrante delicto and 40 fines. The DPA also reported 162 adoptions, 23 returns to owners and ongoing care for dozens of animals awaiting homes.

Both agencies attribute the increase to growing public awareness of animal‑rights issues and the availability of online reporting tools.