Animal Cruelty Often Tied to Family Abuse - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), August, 2001

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has released the findings of a yearlong study on animal cruelty. It compiled information from over 1,600 high-profile animal cruelty cases nationwide that occurred during 2000. More than 900 involved intentional violence toward animals, with the balance consisting of animal cruelty that resulted from neglect.

Among the findings, 94% were committed by males; 31% by perpetrators age 18 and younger (four percent under age 12); and 21% involved family violence as well. Of the animals abused, 76% of the cases involved pets, 12% farm animals, seven percent wildlife, and five percent multiple types of animals. In 63% of the cases, animals were killed as a result of violence or euthanized due to extensive injuries.

"The high percentage of male teenagers perpetrating intentional acts of cruelty against animals, and the large number of cruelty cases in which animal cruelty and family violence coexisted, should be a red flag to anyone concerned about reducing violence in our society," asserts Claire Pounder, HSUS First Strike Campaign manager. (The campaign is an educational initiative launched in 1997 to increase public and professional awareness of the connection between animal cruelty and human violence and to encourage professionals involved in antiviolence to work together towards solutions.) "You don't have to be an animal lover to see that animal cruelty is a warning sign that an individual could be involved in other violent crimes and could pose a risk to family members as well as the larger community. Our best hope for preventing violence against both animals and people is early identification and intervention with violent perpetrators."

Many criminals in America, from young school shooters to the most notorious serial killers, have had a history of cruelty to animals before turning their violence against people. Intervening early with a child who is abusing animals can help prevent violent behavior from escalating. Tackling animal cruelty usually involves a multitude of resources, including social workers, mental health and law enforcement experts, and animal care and control professionals.

More and more lawmakers across the country are cracking down on animal cruelty through state and local laws. Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia have adopted felony-level animal anticruelty laws, the majority having passed in the last few years. Several states have passed laws mandating psychological evaluation and counseling for convicted abusers of animals. This year, 18 states are working on felony cruelty legislation and improving provisions within current laws. Five states--Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, and Massachusetts--have introduced bills that mandate crossreporting between animal control officers and child protective services.