One aspect is an animal injured/abused with no owners present.
This allows them to receive immediate help without a warrant.
How is this not to be considered a great thing?
If one of *my* critters was in need of medical attention and I was not home to help hem, myself, I would be overjoyed that someone saved them.
Case in point, when my little female pygmy goat got her horns caught in the fence while we were gone, a neighbor heard her cries and freed her.
in your example no government was needed. if govt was involved they may hgave stuck aroubd to fine you for unsafe conditions.
common sense and stewardship is what your neighbor did. unfortunately govt doesn’t always operate that way. but obvious abuse/neglect cases are what this court case was about. hoarders for one. breeders keeping sh1tty conditions. yards fullof dead and dying animals. these are seen by humane officers all the time.