Animal-cruelty cases are being brushed aside because neither the ASPCA nor NYPD is taking the reins on enforcement.

The ASPCA laid off its law-enforcement investigators last month after announcing the NYPD was taking over “the lead role” in protecting animals — but police now insist they aren’t in charge, either.

“It’s outrageous,’’ said animal-rights advocate Christine Drakatos, who rescues dogs in Queens.

“Cops don’t know they’re supposed to be handling [the cases]. Animals are suffering out in the freezing cold with no shelter or food or worse.”

The ASPCA began referring all animal-abuse calls to cops on Jan. 1, noting under an agreement with the NYPD that the police force is better equipped to handle the 4,000-plus animal-abuse and -neglect calls that come in every year.

Last week, the ASPCA released a statement saying, “The NYPD will now take the lead role in responding to all animal-cruelty complaints in the five boroughs . . . All eight NYPD patrol boroughs have been trained.”

But the NYPD has not yet rolled out the program or trained cops — and says it may never do so.

“The expansion of the program is under review . . . Staffing questions should be referred to the ASPCA,” NYPD Deputy Chief Kim Royster said.

“The NYPD will properly investigate abuse against animals.”

Drakatos said she has seen at least three cases in the past three weeks in which cops did a poor job investigating animal abuse.

“It’s ridiculous,” she said.

In one case, she said, dogs were left on a supermarket rooftop in Queens amid 2-degree temps. The cops came and went without believing there was a problem, Drakatos said.

During the same deep freeze, a Queens woman reported her neighbor’s dog was left outside and crying, but cops only made sure the owner knew about it and left, Drakatos said.

The switch over to the NYPD was put into motion in August, when the ASPCA’s newly appointed president, Matthew Bershadker, said the police had more manpower for handling the flood of calls his agency normally gets.

An NYPD pilot program began in The Bronx in September, and cops racked up 14 arrests in the next few months. It was then announced that the NYPD would launch the program citywide at the start of 2014.

But one cop recently told The Post, “We’re waiting for marching orders.”

The NYPD would not comment on the delay.

Insiders say it may be a result of the NYPD having its first new commissioner in 12 years.

ASPCA spokesman Bret Hopman said: “This partnership is a process, not simply the flipping on of a switch. Animal-cruelty law enforcement is something [the NYPD] has been doing all along and will continue to do.’’

Since Jan. 1, “there have been 12 investigations across the five boroughs, two arrests and 20 animals rescued. You can see that there is activity and NYPD is responding accordingly.”