- An animal-cruelty investigator may work as part of either the police department, the local ASPCA, or for themselves, lending their services out on a contractual basis. Depending on which of these situations the particular investigator is in, their duties throughout the workday may change dramatically. However, we'll look at a typical day in the life of an animal-control officer for the police, since this is the type of cruelty investigator most often seen on TV shows such as Animal Planet's "Animal Cops", and it has the highest potential for a livable wage.
- The first order of business in an animal cruelty investigator's workday will be to go through the cases pending for the day. These cases will have come in through complaints to the police department. In most situations, these complaints have been lodged by neighbors and/or housemates of the offenders. The investigator will follow up on these complaints by visiting the residences in person, usually accompanied by a police officer, if they are not certified to carry a sidearm. Once there, the investigator will asses the situation and determine if animal cruelty is present.
- If the animal-cruelty investigator comes upon a situation where cruelty is definably present, they must take steps to remove the animals from the home. This would usually entail bringing the animals to the local shelter or ASPCA where they would either receive medical care or be euthanized, if the problem is too severe to be corrected. The investigator would leave the offenders' arrest to the cops, or possibly perform the arrest themselves, if they are licensed to do so.
- As with any government job, much of an animal-cruelty investigator's workday consists of filling out paperwork. In any case, a great deal of paperwork must be filed for the possible impending court case. If it is a court day, the investigator must also attend court sessions and possibly testify against the offender.
