What do I do if I know or believe an animal is abandoned?

If you believe an animal has been abandoned within city limits of South Bend, contact the South Bend Animal Resource Center by calling 311. Be sure to give the exact address of where the animal is believed to be abandoned and why you believe or know so. 

When is an animal considered abandoned? 

An abandoned animal means that the owner knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly left the animal unattended, without proper food, water, or shelter, for twenty-four (24) hours or more, in or around a building or structure on or around any property.

How will abandoned animals be handled?

Animal Welfare Officers will go to the residence and address the situation. An Animal Welfare Alert will be left at the residence and the owner of the animal must contact us within 24 hours. Notices and rechecks will be done repeatedly over the first 48 hours before the animal can be seized. Officers cannot immediately take an animal on the first visit. 

311 Process Notes

Landlords and property owners who report that an animal is abandoned on their own property, must provide eviction paperwork that is signed and dated by a judge. If a pet is abandoned with a family member or roomate and they keep the pet without reporting for more than three weeks, they must pay to surrender the animal to SBARC, per Lindsey.

Please enter a case in PetPoint for an officer to review the property.

1. Login to the PetPoint webpage with your credentials
   1. Shelter ID: USIN57
2. From the top ribbon, click on
   1. Case
   2. Add Case
3. Under the Details tab in Case Details, please enter:
   1. Case Category: Incident
   2. Case Type: Enforcement
   3. Case Subtype: Abandonment
   4. Case Status: Open
   5. Case Officer: Call for Service
   6. Additional Information: Any applicable call notes
   7. Street Address: Location of the incident
      1. If needed, utilize 311 Reference Map to find address
   8. Zip Code: Enter Zip Code for the location and click on the green arrows button
      1. Clicking on the green arrow button will populate the city and City Alias
   9. Cross Street: Enter the nearest cross street to the listed address, keep blank if reporting an intersection
   10. Type of Location: Enter applicable location type from the dropdown
   11. Number of Animals: Number related to the case
   12. Person Reporting Info: Add name and/or Phone Number
       1. If wanting to report anonymously, please enter “Anonymous”
   13. Click the green “Save” button at the bottom of the page
4. Under the Activities tab in Activity Details, please enter:
   1. Activity Type: Dispatch
   2. Activity Subtype: Abandonment
   3. Priority: Normal is standard, adjust for situation
   4. Activity Owner: Call for Service
   5. Click the green “Save” button at the bottom of the page
5. After clicking the green “Save” button, the page should refresh and the case has dispatched to SBARC