From Observation to Structured Reporting: Development and Preliminary Evaluation of an Online Animal Abuse Reporting System

Animal abuse and substandard animal care may be difficult to report when members of the public are uncertain about the seriousness of their observations, the competent authority, or the information needed for further assessment. This study aimed to develop and preliminarily evaluate a structured online reporting interface for suspected animal abuse and animal welfare concerns in Hungary. Two public online questionnaires assessed reporting-related knowledge, experiences, and preferences, and a separate professional questionnaire examined the experiences of actors involved in animal protection procedures. Based on these findings, the Hungarian legal context, and international reporting models, a browser-based prototype was developed and professionally tested by staff members of the National Food Chain Safety Office. Public respondents significantly differentiated between suspected criminal animal cruelty and substandard animal keeping: the police were selected more often for animal cruelty cases, whereas the notary was selected more often for substandard keeping cases (p < 0.001). Substandard keeping conditions were observed significantly more frequently than direct animal abuse (p < 0.001). Professional testing indicated that the prototype was understandable, transparent, and potentially useful, although further refinement, institutional integration, and field validation are required.