One of the main missions of the MHWC is to assist law enforcement officials across the state with suspected cruelty, neglect and abandonment cases involving equines. We can assist in a number of ways, including hay assistance, horse placement, welfare guidelines, veterinarian opinions and prosecutorial assistance.

Emergency Assistance: 734-476-2552 (law enforcement officials only)

The Michigan Legislature has designated primary provisions related to cruelty to animals: intentional infliction of pain and suffering and duty to provide care. The intentional infliction of pain and suffering provision carries the most severe penalties for animal cruelty and a violation is automatically a felony. A violation of the duty to provide care provision is initially a misdemeanor, which becomes a felony for a second or subsequent violation.

See provisions in detail at MSU’s Animal Legal & Historical Center.

MDA Licensed Shelter Facilities – Michigan – Listed by County
Henneke Body Condition Scoring Chart
Henneke Body Condition Scoring Chart – video
Henneke Body Condition Scoring Chart – printable

Michigan Animal Laws
750.50 – Michigan’s standard animal cruelty statute, which includes horses:http://legislature.mi.gov/(S(z3ae2r55dkdehhj4ll530445))/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-750-50.pdf
750.50b — the felony torture statute, which makes it an automatic felony to knowingly kill, torture, mutilate, maim, or disfigure an animal: http://legislature.mi.gov/(S(z3ae2r55dkdehhj4ll530445))/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-750-50b.pdf