Violence
has become one of the defining characteristics of our age.
We are confronted daily with its effects on our lives. We
fear becoming its victims, if we have not been touched by it already.
We
all want to know what we can do to reduce violence in our communities,
but it seems so widespread, so random. Is there anything
that we can do?
Yes.
We can become more vigilant about reporting and intervening in
animal cruelty. Intentional animal cruelty, or abuse, is
often a warning. It indicates either that an individual
has already experienced violence or that the individual may be
predisposed to committing other crimes such as vandalism, arson,
domestic violence, and even murder. The Humane Society of the
United States (HSUS) has launched the First Strike Campaign to
increase public awareness of the animal cruelty/human violence
connection and to help you and your community identify some of
the origins of violence. and prevent its escalation. The
first strike against an animal may be the first strike in a lifetime
of violence.
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What is Animal Cruelty? Animal cruelty encompasses a
range of behaviors harmful to animals, from neglect to malicious
killing. Most cruelty investigated by humane officers is
unintentional neglect that can be resolved through education.
Intentional cruelty or abuse, is knowingly depriving an
animal of food, water, shelter, socialization or veterinary care
or maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating, or killing an animal.
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Why is it a concern? Animal cruelty can be one of the
earliest and most dramatic indicators that an individual is developing
a pattern of seeking power and control by inflicting suffering
on others.
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Is there any evidence of a connection between animal cruelty and
human violence? Absolutely. Many studies in psychology,
sociology and criminology during the last twenty-five years have
demonstrated that violent offenders frequently have childhood
and adolescent histories of serious and repeated animal cruelty.
The FBI has recognized the connection since the 1970s, when bureau
analysis of the life histories of imprisoned serial killers suggested
that most, as children, had killed or tortured animals.
Other research has shown consistent patterns of animal cruelty
among perpetrators of more common forms of violence, including
child abuse, spouse abuse and elder abuse.
*Who
abuses animals? Most animal abusers are adolescent
or young-adult males, although children as young as four have
been known to harm animals. Many animal abusers have a history
of other antisocial or criminal activities, including vandalism,
assault, and arson, and many are the victims of physical or sexual
abuse. Animal cruelty is often associated with children
who do poorly in school and have low self esteem and few friends.
*Why
would anyone abuse an animal? There can be many reasons.
Animal cruelty, like any other form of violence, is often committed
by a person who feels powerless, unnoticed, and under the control
of others. The motive may be to shock, threaten, intimidate,
or offend others or to demonstrate rejection of society's rules.
Some who are cruel to animals copy things seen or that have been
done to them. Others see harming an animal as a safe way
to get revenge on someone who cares about that animal. In
some extremely serious cases, animal abuse is associated with
deviant arousal.
*
As natural "explorers", don't all children sometimes
harm animals? Absolutely not. While some children
kill insects, few torture pets or other small creatures.
If allowed to harm animals, children are more likely to be violent
later in life. Animal cruelty, like any other violence,
should never be attributed to a stage of development.
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What kind of children are cruel to animals? Serious
or repeated animal cruelty is seen more often in boys than girls.
Children as young as four may harm animals, but such behavior
is most common during adolescence. Cruelty is often associated
with children who do poorly in school and have low self esteem
and few friends. Children who are cruel to animals are often characterized
as bullies and may have a history of truancy, vandalism, and other
antisocial behaviors.
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What should I do if my neighbor's child has harmed an animal?
Explain that animal abuse is often a sign of other serious problems
and should be addresses by the proper authorities. Knowing
that a friend has serious problems can be quite troubling for
a child, as can witnessing animal cruelty. Your child may
need to sort out the feelings the incident raises.
*
What should I do if an otherwise "good" child harms
an animal one time? Though innocent exploration may
be corrected simply by talking with the child, any time a child
causes an animal pain or suffering you should be concerned.
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What is the difference between innocent exploration and calculated
animal cruelty? Innocent exploration may come of simple
curiosity, but calculated animal cruelty is motivated by a desire
to harm. While even innocent acts of cruelty should be addressed,
it is particularly important to intervene when a child is insensitive
to the obvious distress of an animal, repeats a harmful behavior,
or derives pleasure from causing an animal pain.
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What happens when authorities prosecute an animal-cruelty case?
Appropriate sentencing can include individual or family counseling,
community service, or diversion programs. It is rarely the
goal of the authorities to imprison a child for cruelty to animals.
Law enforcement officers and judges recognize that cruelty to
animals is one part of a complex problem. Sometimes the
official response to animal cruelty provides a family its first
opportunity to get help.
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Can reports be made anonymously? While many jurisdictions
will respond to an anonymous complaint, successful prosecutions
often depend on an identifiable witness who can authenticate evidence.
*Will
I be required to testify? If a case goes to trial and
you have identified yourself as the complainant in either a written
or an oral report, you may be called to testify.
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How can I teach my child to respect animals? Teach by
example; use real-life situations to instill a sense of respect
for all life. Invite your child to help you feed the birds
or rescue a bug. With older children, discuss animal-cruelty
publicize in the news. Encourage children to speak up for
animals.
*How
can my child's school incorporate humane education?
Humane education should be part of every school curriculum.
The Youth Education Division of the Humane Society of the United
States (HSUS) publishes materials that establish a theme of kindness,
respect, and tolerance. For subscription information
contact The HSUS Youth Education Division, P.O. Box 362,
East Haddam, CT 06423-0362
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Are other violent behaviors associated with animal cruelty?
Recent studies have identified connections between animal cruelty
and many different forms of family and societal violence.
A 1983 survey of fifty-seven pet owning families under treatment
by New Jersey's Division of Youth and Family Services for child
abuse revealed that in 88% of the families at least one person
had abused animals. In two thirds of those cases, the abusive
parent had injured or killed a pet; in the remaining cases, children
were the animal abusers. Several surveys of women seeking
protection from domestic violence report that up to 70% of the
women with pets indicated that their pets had been threatened,
hurt, or killed by their abusive partners. Patrol officers
should be aware that pets are often the first victims of family
or neighborhood disputes that escalate into violent and even fatal
encounters between people. Intervention at an early stage might
prevent these conflicts from becoming more serious.
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Is animal cruelty recognized as a sign of mental disorder?
Yes. In The diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM) , the American Psychiatric Association lists
animal cruelty as one of the behaviors signaling conduct disorder.
Clinical evidence indicates that animal cruelty is one of the
symptoms usually seen at the earliest stages of conduct disorder,
often by the age of eight. This information has only recently
been included in the DSM, so some psychiatrists, and social
workers are just becoming aware of it.
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Why is it important to stop animal abusers when they are young?
A 1994 report released by the National Council states that early
intervention is more likely to reduce adult crime than criminal
sanctions applied later in life. The report further states
that childhood behavior is more important than teenage behavior
in predicting future violence.
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What can be done to prevent young animal abusers from developing
into violent adults? Crimes against animals are not isolated
events. FBI experts advise all appropriate agencies to share
case information with one another. A comprehensive approach
with cooperation from the family, support from the school, and
counseling by a psychologist or social worker is essential.
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How do law enforcement agencies use this evidence? The FBI
identifies animal cruelty as one of a cluster of juvenile behaviors
associated with increasingly violent behavior and uses animal
cruelty in analyzing the treat potential of suspected and known
criminals.
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How can law enforcement officers and humane investigators work
together? Upholding anticruelty laws is usually the
responsibility of local police, although in some communities,
humane investigators have law enforcement powers.
Law enforcement officers should be thoroughly familiar with
anticruelty laws. They should get to know local humane investigators,
who may be aware of potentially violent situations that have not
come to the attention of the police. Humane investigators
may also be able to provide helpful information relevant to ongoing
investigations. Other important contacts for law enforcement
officers include school teachers, child-welfare professionals,
crisis-intervention teams, family-shelter personnel, social workers,
and veterinarians.
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Is Animal cruelty a crime? Yes. Anticruelty laws exist
in all states. In many states animal cruelty is a felony
offense under certain circumstances.
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What is the key to prosecuting an animal-cruelty case successfully?
Preparing an animal-cruelty case is similar to preparing any case
of criminal violence. The testimony of an identifiable witness
and expert testimony addressing the nature of the injury and the
physical condition of the animal are vital. Contact The Humane
Society of the United States for information on professionals
who can provide expert testimony.
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What does animal cruelty indicate about family dynamics?
Researchers have discovered that a child's violence against animals
often represents displaced hostility and aggression stemming from
the family's neglect or abuse of the child. Animal cruelty
committed by any member of a family, whether parent or child,
often means child abuse occurs in that family.
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Can the family pet be of comfort to an abused child or adult victim?
Yes. However, in some cases the bond between victim and pet makes
the pet a target. A child's silence may be bought with the
threat to harm or destroy a pet or a spouse may refuse to leave
an abusive situation for fear of risking a pet's safety.
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How should I report suspected animal cruelty? If you know
or suspect that an animal is being neglected or abused, report
your information immediately to the local animal welfare agency
or police department. Social-service field workers are often
the first to see cases of animal neglect; family shelter workers
may hear reports of animal cruelty from the people they take in.
Report possible animal cruelty if you see or learn of an animal
who lacks adequate food, water or proper shelter; appears particularly
thin, dirty or matted; is living in filth; is chained and cannot
reach food, water, or shelter; has mange or hair loss; is scarred
from apparent bite wounds; is frightened or shy or cowers when
someone raises a hand; is reported to be abused by a family member;
appears sick or injured; or appears to be in danger. If
you are in a home addressing a complaint of human violence and
animals are present, notify the local animal-welfare agency.
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What questions could my agency add to risk-assessment materials
to help assess animal cruelty? Questions similar to
those inquiring about human violence should be standard. They
should include at least the following. 1. Are there any animals
in the home? 2. Has anyone in the house ever hit, kicked, punched,
beaten, or thrown an animal or threatened to do so? 3. If the
animal is left behind, is there someone who will provide food,
water, and basic care? Intake personnel do not need to identify
specific acts of animal cruelty but should be able to determine
if any animals are in danger. Probably the most important question
is the first one as animals are not always in plain view. Animals
may be kept in the basement, a cage, the garage, a rear yard,
or off premise.
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Are there mandated animal-cruelty reporters besides humane investigators?
There are no laws that require social service workers to report
animal cruelty, but professional boards and organizations are
moving in that direction. Laws in four states require veterinarians
to report animal cruelty. The American Veterinary Medical
Association, in its Model Practice Act, states that it "considers
it the responsibility of the veterinarian to report (animal cruelty)
to the appropriate authorities." A precedent setting
1995 policy in San Diego requires the city's Department of Social
Services and the Children's Services Bureau to report animal cruelty
to the San Diego Department of Animal Control. All emergency responders,
including humane investigators, should cross-report all forms
of abuse.
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Do humane investigators report child abuse and other forms of
violence in a community? Yes. Social service agencies
confirm that humane investigators are accurate reporters of human
violence.
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How can victims of domestic violence find shelter for their pets
if they need to leave an abusive situation? "Safe
house" programs provide shelter for the pets of victims of
domestic violence PetSafe, a Purdue University program shelters
the pets of victims of domestic violence and temporarily houses
pets from households experiencing other types of emergencies.
A cooperative program in Virginia between battered women and a
county animal-welfare agency provides emergency shelter for the
pets of domestic violence victims who are forced to leave their
homes. Other jurisdictions have similar programs as well.
Call the animal-welfare agency in your area to find out if a safe-house
program exists in your community, county, or state.
*
How can social service and animal-welfare agencies work together?
Initiating a cross-reporting and cross training agreement between
agencies can increase the number of animal cruelty and human-violence
reports investigated. Agencies can also help each other
by maintaining informal relationships. An interagency approach
to case management will better serve all of those- both humans
and animals- who need help.
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How can humane agencies help stop human violence? People
who abuse animals may harm their partners or spouses, children,
or elderly members of their households. Because humane agencies
have experience dealing with animal cruelty, they are best prepared
to teach other emergency responders and social service workers
about it. Humane agencies can play a vital role in shaping
interagency networks your community develops to prevent violence
of all type and intervene when violence occurs.
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What patterns of violence should humane investigators be aware
of? The FBI advises anyone investigating animal cruelty
to look for possible continuums of violence in a situation. Initially
many abusers fantasize about violence, then act it out against
inanimate objects. If this chain of violence is not broken,
animals are often the next object of attack. Violence that
increases in severity or frequency should be brought to the attention
of law enforcement officials immediately.
*
How can humane investigators respond to the comment, "It
is more important to prevent child abuse than animal abuse?"
Both are serious and should be investigated at first report.
Because of the strong connection between animal cruelty and human
violence, preventing one may also prevent the other. Animal
cruelty may actually fuel an abusers appetite for violence, and
abusers sometimes do not differentiate between two- and four-
footed victims.
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Should humane investigators report child abuse, spouse abuse,
and elder abuse in their communities? Absolutely.
Humane investigators should establish a working relationship with
local social-service agencies so that cross reporting of all abuse
becomes routine. They should report any information that
indicates that any members of a household are in danger.
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Do reports need to be filed in writing? Most animal-welfare
agencies will take complaints by phone.
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For more information about the First Strike Campaign, call
toll free, 1-888-213-0956 or write The Humane Society of the United
States, 2100 L street, NW, Washington, DC 20037
A
Volunteer Spokesperson for "First Strike" program is
needed. Duties would include; training with Phil Schneider
from HSUS Learning the "First Strike" program.
Giving talks and workshops for law enforcement agencies, social
services, child welfare organizations and animal welfare organizations
throughout Kentucky showing the link between animal abuse and
human violence. Some public speaking experience helpful, but not
necessary. Contact Melody Zentall at 859-252-8262
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