State profile
Kentucky
257 animal cruelty offenses were reported in Kentucky in 2025, or 5.6 per 100,000 residents served by NIBRS agencies, the 37th highest rate of 49 comparable states.
Trend
Reported offenses over time
Lighter bars mark years when NIBRS agencies served less than 60% of residents.
Offenses per year
Monthly offenses
| Year | Total offenses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 22 |
| 2017 | 152 |
| 2018 | 192 |
| 2019 | 273 |
| 2020 | 185 |
| 2021 | 229 |
| 2022 | 296 |
| 2023 | 305 |
| 2024 | 254 |
| 2025 | 257 |
| Year | Offenses | Per 100,000 | Clearance rate | Coverage | Agencies in FBI tables | Agencies with cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 257 | 5.58 | 41% | 100.0% | 447 | 110 |
| 2024 | 254 | 5.54 | 40% | 100.0% | 450 | 111 |
| 2023 | 305 | 6.74 | 29% | 100.0% | 422 | 100 |
| 2022 | 296 | 6.57 | 25% | 99.9% | 417 | 89 |
| 2021 | 229 | 5.08 | 32% | 99.9% | 426 | 86 |
| 2020 | 185 | 4.14 | 33% | 99.9% | 336 | 80 |
| 2019 | 273 | 6.12 | 32% | 99.8% | — | — |
| 2018 | 192 | 4.31 | 36% | 99.7% | — | — |
| 2017 | 152 | 3.42 | 24% | 99.8% | — | — |
| 2016 | 22 | 0.50 | 46% | 100.0% | — | — |
Source FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), via the Crime Data Explorer. Retrieved September 30, 2026. Methodology & downloads.
Agencies
Agencies reporting the most cases in 2025
| # | Agency | Type | County | 2025 | 2020–2025 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville Metro Police Department KY0568000 | City police | Jefferson | 27 | 102 | |
| 2 | Glasgow Police Department KY0050100 | City police | Barren | 8 | 58 | |
| 3 | McCracken County Sheriff's Office KY0730000 | County | McCracken | 8 | 36 | |
| 4 | Bowling Green Police Department KY1140100 | City police | Warren | 8 | 30 | |
| 5 | Hopkinsville Police Department KY0240100 | City police | Christian | 7 | 34 | |
| 6 | Lexington Police Department KY0340200 | City police | Fayette | 6 | 26 | |
| 7 | Richmond Police Department KY0760200 | City police | Madison | 6 | 26 | |
| 8 | Oak Grove Police Department KY0240500 | City police | Christian | 6 | 23 | |
| 9 | Montgomery County Sheriff's Office KY0870000 | County | Montgomery | 6 | 14 | |
| 10 | Warren County Sheriff's Office KY1140000 | County | Warren | 5 | 17 | |
| 11 | Cynthiana Police Department KY0490100 | City police | Harrison | 5 | 11 | |
| 12 | Florence Police Department KY0080200 | City police | Boone | 5 | 7 | |
| 13 | Madison County Sheriff's Office KY0760000 | County | Madison | 4 | 20 | |
| 14 | Ashland Police Department KY0100100 | City police | Boyd | 4 | 11 | |
| 15 | State Police: London KYKSP1100 | State police | — | 4 | 11 |
Source FBI NIBRS Tables: Offense Type by Agency, 2020–2025; ORIs from the FBI agency directory. Retrieved September 30, 2026. Methodology & downloads.
Official animal abuser registries
We are not aware of a government-run animal abuser registry in Kentucky. Know of one? Tell us.
IROPO links to these registries and does not copy their listings.
Agency directory
The FBI lists 465 law enforcement agencies in Kentucky, 458 of which report through NIBRS.
Browse Kentucky agencies