Although we frequently hear stories of animal abuse or neglect, reporting of these acts to authorities is not mandatory in many municipalities or states. As such many cases go unreported and the prevalence of these problems in dogs and cats has been largely unknown. Veterinarians and other animal care professionals are on the front lines and may encounter animals with known or suspected histories of neglect or physical or emotional abuse. In addition to the animal's health and welfare, intervening on behalf of the animal could have far-reaching effects to other animals as well as the people living in the household. Read more: https://www.vetvine.com/forums/topic/992/animal-neglect-and-abuse In this Specialty Update we discuss the issue of neglect and abuse of dogs and cats including information recently reported on the prevalence of these problems as well as risk factors for pets. Discussion includes what animal care professionals need to know about state laws regarding the reporting of known or suspected animal abuse cases. Running time: 18 mins Free registration for Premium Membership subscribers http://vetvine.com/article/181/evidence-based-update-subscriptions). Basic Member Fee: $9.95