The National Sheriff's Association, with development funding and roll-out assistance from the Humane Society of the United States, has introduced a new feature within a smartphone app designed to aid in the fight against animal cruelty.

National Sheriffs' Association spokeswoman Susan Crow said the new feature within the ICE BlackBox app, which was launched earlier this month, allows users to create a short video record of suspected animal cruelty incidents, as well as to establish GPS coordinates of the alleged crime. Users can then email information directly to the National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse, maintained by National Sheriffs' Association, Crow said.

“They'll determine where to go from there and which agency is best to handle the incident,” she said.

Currently, sheriff's offices in Pinal County, Arizona, and Calhoun County, Alabama, are also testing a compatible portal that allows law enforcement personnel to directly receive videos and other details relative to alleged animal abuse, Crow said