One day after announcing a new task force to prosecute animal cruelty cases, federal officials Thursday began patrols near downtown Los Angeles to look for abused or neglected animals.

The task force operates under the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2019, and is prioritizing cases involving so-called “animal crush” videos that depict extreme abuse.

“Animal abuse is among the most heartbreaking and despicable type of crimes that law enforcement sees,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. “Together with our federal and local partners, my office intends to root out and punish those who profit from hurting animals.”

Los Angeles police said they joined animal control officers, FBI agents and the U.S. Attorney’s

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