Hi, Melissa... [In a nutshell, it looks like you should contact the sheriff of the county in which the Petland store is.] I found this at http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stuswvst61_8_19.htm in regards to West Virginia: West Virginia Chapter 61. Crimes and Their Punishment. Article 8. Crimes Against Chastity, Morality and Decency. Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers. Article 10. Humane Officers Citation: WV ST Sec 7-10-1 - 5; 61-8-19 - 23 Citation: W. Va. Code, Sec 7-10-1 - 5; 61-8-19 - 23 Summary: These West Virginia statutes comprise the state's anti-cruelty and animal fighting provisions. If any person cruelly mistreats, abandons or withholds proper sustenance, including food, water, shelter or medical treatment, necessary to sustain normal health and fitness or to end suffering or abandons any animal to die, or uses, trains or possesses any domesticated animal for the purpose of seizing, detaining or maltreating any other domesticated animal, he or she is guilty of a misdemeanor. If any person intentionally tortures or maliciously kills an animal, or causes, procures or authorizes any other person to torture or maliciously kill an animal, he or she is guilty of a felony. The provisions of this section do not apply to lawful acts of hunting, fishing, trapping or animal training or farm livestock, poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife kept in private or licensed game farms if kept and maintained according to usual and accepted standards of livestock, poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife or game farm production and management. The section also prohibits animal fighting as a misdemeanor unless the animals involved were wild game or fur-bearing animals, in which case it becomes a felony. Statute in Full: Chapter 7. County Commissions and Officers. Article 10. Humane Officers Sec 7-10-1. Deputy sheriffs as humane officers The sheriff of each county of this state shall annually designate, by a record made in the office of the clerk of the county commission, one of his or her deputies to act as humane officer of the county; or, if the county commission and sheriff agree, the county dog warden may be designated to act as the humane officer or as an additional humane officer; any person designated to act as a humane officer and all peace officers designated by law as a humane officer or an additional humane officer shall investigate all complaints made to him or her of cruel or inhumane treatment of animals within the county and he or she shall personally see that the law relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals is enforced. The wilful failure of such designee to investigate any complaint made to him or her and to take proper measures in such case or to perform his or her duty in any other respect may constitute good cause for removal from employment. Acts 1901, c. 4; Acts 1919, c. 118, Sec 14a; Acts 1923, c. 47, Sec 14a; Acts 1989, c. 44; Acts 1992, c. 102. Tracy Tye Stephens [log in to unmask] http://www.gcfa.com I GoodSearch for The Greater Chicago Ferret Association. Raise money for your favorite charity or school just by searching the Internet or shopping online with GoodSearch - <http://www.goodsearch.com> - powered by Yahoo! Change Online Shopping for Good! Please consider making online purchases through iGive.com with The Greater Chicago Ferret Association as your selected cause. Just follow this link - <http://www.iGive.com/html/refer.cfm?memberid=559081&causeid=2566> [Posted in FML 6146]