FAQ

What is
See it? Stop it!?

See it? Stop it! is a national initiative that confirms the culture of care that farm owners and managers demand of every person who comes in contact with their animals. See it? Stop it! highlights the integrity of the farm’s philosophies on responsible animal care, helps staff understand their important role in animal protection and provides clear direction on how to report instances of animal abuse, neglect, harm or mishandling.

Why is See it? Stop it! important?

Though it is uncommon on farms, when animal abuse, neglect, harm or mistreatment takes place, it is essential to give animal care providers an opportunity to swiftly report what they have witnessed. This initiative provides several options to enable employees to speak up to stop animal abuse.

Who is participating?

The Center for Food Integrity encourages participation by anyone working in a setting where farm animals are raised or transported. Funding for the initiative was provided by the U.S. pork and dairy industries.

What are the guidelines for participation?

The See it? Stop it! initiative operates with the following values:

Animal abuse, neglect, harm and mishandling are all unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Proper animal care is the responsibility of every individual who is around animals.
Individuals working with or around animals have an obligation to immediately report any signs of deliberate animal abuse, neglect, harm or mishandling to a supervisor or other individual responsible for enforcement of proper animal care.
Thorough, ongoing and consistent employee training and re-training are critical to responsible animal care and are necessary components of a comprehensive animal care program.
Employers have an obligation to:

i. Provide education and promote the importance of proper and responsible animal care.

ii. Encourage and enable employees to immediately report any signs of animal abuse, neglect, harm or mishandling.

iii. Provide accessible and reliable contacts that have immediate authority to address reports of animal care concerns.

iv. Take swift action to correct all instances of inappropriate animal care.

v. Ensure employees who raise concerns in good faith are not penalized.

How do I participate?

Simply click on the materials tab to access all resources for participation.

What is the cost to participate in the See it? Stop it! initiative?

There is no cost to participate in the See it? Stop it! initiative. The initiative is not an animal care program or a certification program. It is a directive that requires immediate action if an employee suspects or witnesses animal abuse, harm, neglect or mishandling.

What is my role as a farm owner/manager?

As a leader, it is your duty to convey the level of commitment you have to responsible animal care as well as empower employees who work with or around animals to pay attention and immediately report any signs of animal abuse, neglect, harm or mistreatment.

How is See it? Stop it! different from other animal care programs that already exist?

See it? Stop it! is not an animal care program – it is a directive that demands immediate action if an employee suspects or witnesses animal abuse, neglect, harm or mishandling. The initiative empowers employees to contact any of several authorities to ensure their concern is heard and addressed, and the employer affirms that no individual will be penalized for speaking up. To learn more about livestock care programs, click the species-specific links below.

Dairy Farmers: N ational Dairy FARM Animal Care Program
Hog Farmers: Pork Quality Assurance Plus Program

I treat my animals humanely already; why do I need to participate?

See it? Stop it! is not a program to certify proper animal care. It is a confirmation of the culture of care that farmers demand of every caretaker who comes in contact with their animals. It highlights the integrity of the farm’s philosophies on responsible animal care, helps staff understand their important role in animal protection and provides clear direction on how to report instances of animal abuse, neglect, harm or mishandling. If animal care is a priority for you and your farm, participating in See it? Stop it! is an easy choice. Get started by clicking on the materials tab.

What is my part as a farm owner or manager in See it? Stop it!?

As a farm owner or manager, you agree to investigate each employee report and take full action to correct any instances of animal abuse, harm, neglect or mishandling.

If deliberate animal abuse or harm (as defined by industry standards) has taken place, the employee(s) should be suspended or terminated immediately and local law enforcement officials should be notified to ensure the appropriate penalty is given. Re-training of all staff should take place to ensure every employee understands proper animal handling and care, as well as the company’s commitment to the highest standards of animal care and protection.
If an animal has been neglected or mishandled, take complete steps to ensure the employee is retrained on proper animal handling and care. Administer a probationary period to confirm the employee understands proper handling techniques and can perform all duties properly, as outlined by industry animal care guidelines or standards.

How is this information going to be shared with the public?

All initiative information is available on the www.SeeItStopIt.org website. No list of participating farms will be published, but farmers are encouraged to promote their participation and advocate for others to join the initiative.

See it? Stop it! will be promoted to agriculture influencers, media and the farm community to encourage and expand farm participation. The Center for Food Integrity will also ask animal advocacy organizations to support the values of the initiative.

If I do not work on a farm, but suspect abuse is taking place, what should I do?

You should immediately contact the state veterinarian’s office or local law enforcement authorities.

How do I implement the initiative on my farm?

Visit the materials tab on this website to gain access to all initiative resources.
- The employer checklist will provide you with guidance on how to raise awareness, empower employees and, if necessary, take action.
- Utilize the PowerPoint presentation to help employees understand how the initiative serves as an extension of your animal care goals and commitments.
- Incorporate the employee agreement into the hiring and re-training/annual paperwork to ensure employees understand their role in maintaining initiative outcomes.

Which poster should I use?

There are two versions so that you can use the one that is right for your company – and both versions are available in English and Spanish. Find all posters on the materials tab.

Toll-Free Hotline Poster: For companies that have an anonymous toll-free hotline to report abuse.
Multiple Contacts Poster: For companies that want to customize the poster to include individual names, titles and phone numbers of those who should be notified of animal abuse (e.g. farm owner, barn supervisor, human resources director, veterinarian, etc.)

Who should I list as the contact person on my See it? Stop it! poster?

For companies that have a toll-free phone number, all employees should use the hotline to report concerns. This will ensure that company procedures for research and evaluation of the situation, as well as addressing instances of abuse, neglect, harm or mishandling, are followed.
For companies that do not have a toll-free phone number, it is recommended that you include contact information for the immediate supervisor of that barn/farm/department, the farm owner, the human resources director (or whomever is responsible for employee hiring) and the farm’s veterinarian.