1. Where do you get the power to make arrests, serve search warrants and generally act with police power?
   
   Just as on the TV shows on Animal Planet, Animal Cops and Animal Precinct*, etc., we are a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals and we have incorporated in a special way, under the California Corporations Code in order to have the right to appoint Humane Officers. It was not easy and it took our legal team almost a year to jump through all the appropriate legal hoops, but we now have the privilege of being the unique sort of Corporation that may appoint trained Humane Officers. By California law, all of the individuals we appoint must receive approximately 120 hours of training and be free of any felony convictions. Additionally, the BHLE will require its Humane Officers to attend in-house training sessions and pass tests regarding animal law and BHLE policy periodically. Finally, BHLE Humane Officers must pass physical and psychological fitness tests.
   
   
   
2. How can I become a Humane Officer?
   
   To become a California Humane Officer, the law simply requires that one must complete 120+ hours of training (and then work under an approved agency such as the BHLE):
   
   
   • Attend an Animal Law Enforcement Academy for the requisite 80+ hours of animal related training in animal law and veterinary medicine. (This is a 2 week-long, M-F, 8am-5pm training offered only once a year in April in Marin and offered only once a year in September in San Diego)
     
   • California Penal Code section 832 training (40 hours) in proper arrest and search and seizure procedures required of all law enforcement officers. (This course is offered at many community colleges and police academies, year round, throughout the state at various times and days of the week—just ask Lt. Keeve for a list of these classes offered near you)
   
   BUT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH TO QUALIFY AS A BHLE HUMANE OFFICER!
   BHLE Humane Officers complete additional training and pass tests regarding:
   
   1. Psychological Fitness/Empathy
   2. Evidence Law and Constitutional Evidence Collection Procedures
   3. Animal Law
   4. BHLE Procedures
   5. Basic Physical Strength and Agility (must be able to lift 50 lbs, drag 150 lbs, climb fences and run at a good speed) Note: persons who pass all but the physical requirements may still qualify for field-work in limited situation
   
   We are proud to be the MOST HIGHLY TRAINED HUMANE OFFICERS WITH THE GREATEST EXPERTISE IN ANIMAL AND LEGAL ISSUES AROUND.
   If you truly care about animals and are willing to take the time and put forth the effort to meet the above requirements, the BHLE will offer whatever help you may need every step of the way. The first step is for you to contact the BHLE’s Director of Humane Officer Programs, Lieutenant Natalie Keeve, via email at training@bhleonline.com and tell her where you live and why you want to be a Humane Officer.
   
   
   
3. If I donate money to your organization, where will it go?
   
   As you can imagine, training and outfitting officers to properly enforce animal law costs money. There are training, equipment, and office expenses that we must cover in order to operate. Since the BHLE is a non-profit, we receive no funds from any other source but donations from people like you who believe that every penny spent on stopping animal cruelty by enforcing the law to protect all animals is well worth it. We receive nothing from the government. Our operating budget is relatively small, especially considering all of the complicated legal matters we handle. That is because our officers and our legal team work for us for free. In fact, our Executive Director works an average of 70+ hours per week and receives no compensation whatsoever. But even with all of the donated time and effort, money is often scarce because we are such a new organization. If you want to see an end to animal cruelty, please send us a donation today so that we can continue to train officers and assist other law enforcement officers to enforce animal law to protect all animals as has never been done before. (Financial records are available for $1,000+ donors). For more information, please see our donations page on this website.
   

*The BHLE is in no way affiliated with Animal Planet or any of its television shows-- although we watch them and recommend that others watch them as well!