ATLANTA — Atlanta Police Investigator Joseph Latosky leads the Animal Cruelty Enforcement and Prevention (ACEP) unit of the Atlanta Police Department.
"We've got a job to do," Latosky said, "and it is to benefit the welfare of the animal."
His unit investigates cruelty cases around the city, while also finding opportunities to educate animal owners on ordinances and laws.
"We sit there and talk with them and say we noticed this many infractions. Let's work on it. What help do you need to get this right?" Latosky said. "We usually give them a week-and-half to correct it."
He added in the cases involving more severe neglect though, quicker and more drastic steps can be taken.
Currently, Latosky is handling many cases across the city, including a search for the people who stole two dogs named Mine and Rex in the Buckhead area. Atlanta Police suspect the thefts of these dogs are unrelated, with different people behind each crime.
Social media helped reunite each dog with its owners.
Both owners said they left their dogs in their vehicles and quickly ran into businesses. When they came back outside, their dogs were gone.
A healthy Mine was stolen along with the vehicle she was left in. She was found with cigarette burns and bruises after possibly being thrown from the car.
Rex was stolen out of the car he was left in.
"We are trying to prevent the thefts and car break-ins," Latosky said. "We just simply ask our citizens that if you're going to take your animal out, that you're not going to leave them in the car. If you have to run into a store and you know you can't take them with you, just leave them at home."
With the return of the summer heat, Latosky also wants to remind pet owners of the danger the high temperatures can bring.
"PETA did a study where it only takes 15 minutes for a dog to start feeling the effects of heat stroke," he said.
Earlier this year Governor Brian Kemp signed a bill into law, protecting officers statewide from being responsible for damages if they break into a car to save a person or animal in danger.
The city of Atlanta passed a similar ordinance in 2017 and, according to Latosky, it benefited officers.
"A lot of officers which I was proud of were stepping up and I've seen reports with them actually making the charge on the individual and getting the dog removed out of the vehicle," Latosky said.
In his role with ACEP, Latosky investigates a wide range of animal-related crimes, but he also tries to prevent tragic situations and he never has a slow day at work.
"Between educating our community and outreach that we do, along with the enforcement side, it is never-ending," he said.
He added that they receive tips from officers on the streets, APD supervisors, other first responders, the public and social media posts they come across and work to verify in case there is a case to investigate.
If the people responsible for stealing Mine and Rex are found, Latosky said they could face animal cruelty charges.
Neither dog, he added, was microchipped. A microchip is a small implant that allows a dog to be identified.
While Mine and Rex have both been reunited with their owners, other non-microchipped dogs aren't as lucky.
Latosky said more than 100 dogs at the Fulton County Animal Services shelter were reunited with the owners in May using the information on microchips.
The ACEP unit was created by the Atlanta Police Department in 2017 in an effort to decrease or prevent officer-involved dog shootings, dog attacks on people and animal cruelty cases.