How it works in 8 simple steps
Step 1
Identifying Risk
You identify an animal or person may be at risk, or you want to check someone is not a risk before you rehome an animal with them/buy and animal from them.
Applying for Abuse Records
You apply to the police under the Animal Protection Disclosure Scheme for information about an individuals history of abuse and/or neglect of animals. All you need is their name, address and date of birth.
Step 2
Step 3
Police Consideration
The police receive your request and consider whether there is a “pressing need” for this information to be shared and whether they can share the information with you.
Police Decision
- The police consider information should shared and will make a disclosure of information directly relating to animal abuse and/or neglect – see below for details of typical offences which could be disclosed.
- The police consider information cannot be shared and will provide an explanation for their reasoning.
- The police confirm there is no information to be disclosed (i.e. there are no records held).
Step 4
Step 5
Confirming Confidentiality
The person receiving the information must confirm that any information shared must remain confidential and cannot be disclosed to any other third party.
Police Disclosure
Police disclose the information to the person best placed to safeguard the animal or person (this may or may not be the person who made the request).
Step 6
Step 7
Making an Informed Decision
The person safeguarding the animal or person can now make an informed decision
Preventing Abuse
An animal and/or person has been saved from potential domestic abuse, animal abuse and/or neglect
Step 8