Animal abuse or cruelty is divided into intentional and unintentional. The latter can usually be resolved through education. The Humane Society of the United States defines intentional cruelty is “knowingly depriving an animal of food, water, shelter, socialization, or veterinary care or maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating, or killing an animal.
Animal abuse is not easy to prosecute, because animals can’t speak for themselves. Also, although laws exist against animal abuse in all states, few treat it as a felony. Animals are still considered property, just as children and women were, not so long ago. So harming an animal is considered destruction of property rather than an act of cruelty. But there are things you can do to protect abused animals and the community at large from abusers and future violent criminals.
There is a strong connection between childhood animal cruelty and childhood, adolescent, or adult criminal behavior. Also, people who abuse children, spouses, and even elders often abuse animals as well. The FBI, which recognizes the relationship between animal abuse and violent criminal behavior, advises that family cooperation, support from the child’s or teenager’s school, and psychological counseling are vital in preventing young abusers from turning into violent criminals. Local and state anticruelty laws cannot be upheld without cooperation from police and humane investigators. Other important sources for information on animal abusers are schoolteachers, child welfare professionals, crisis intervention teams, family shelter personnel, social workers, and veterinarians.
If you discover that your child has abused animals, discuss it with him and try to figure out what caused him to do it. But it’s also necessary to get help from the outside. Find a family counselor, a school counselor, a pediatrician, or even a member of the clergy to talk to. If you are aware of another child harming an animal, report it to your local animal welfare organization or police department, and inform the child’s school principal or guidance counselor. And in order for children to get the message that animals should be treated with respect, you must teach by example. It’s important that you, also, treat animals well, and educate yourself about them.
You may be concerned about reporting abuse because you don’t want to see a child or adolescent imprisoned. In most cases, law enforcement officers and judges will recommend individual or family counseling, or community service rather than incarceration. In addition, creative dispositions are used for first-time offenders. They are a way to control the outcome of an abuse case and avoid possibly losing the case. For example, it may be decided that the abuser should not have animals for a prescribed period of time or be subject to unannounced veterinary examinations if his animal is returned to him.
If you happen to be a victim of domestic violence, don’t ignore abuse of yourself, your children, or your pets. It isn’t something that just goes away; in fact, it usually gets worse, especially if the perpetrator thinks he can get away with the abuse. Don’t isolate yourself if you’re living in a violent home. Get help from friends and family, and contact agencies and support groups trained in the dynamics of abuse.
As a concerned citizen and animal lover, there are things you can do to protect the animals and the people in your community. These include:
1) Encouraging awareness in the community that animal abuse and domestic violence are interrelated,
2) Talking to local shelters (humane associations and battered women’s shelters) about developing programs for taking care of pets of abuse victims,
3) Volunteering for programs that provide safe housing for pets,
4) Learning about the local agencies that handle domestic violence and animal abuse, and become familiar with abuse reporting procedures, and-
5) Reporting human or animal abuse to authorities when you suspect it.
If you suspect animal abuse, here are some steps you can take:
1) Try to talk to the animal’s caretaker; he may just be the victim of ignorance.
2) Take photos of the scene, if possible (a picture is worth a thousand words in court).
3) Take detailed notes and keep them. Make sure you answer the following questions:
- Who (animal caretakers, witnesses, officers who respond to your report);
- What (the situation in detail, and why you were concerned);
- When (the dates and times of observations, weather conditions, temperature);
- Where (on what part of the property is the alleged abuse occurring);
- Why (why you think it is a violation of the law);
- How (all actions taken at the scene, including whom you spoke to, what they said, what you observed, the condition and attitude of animal, response of animal to owner, etc.).
Don’t trespass on private property or take evidence from the scene. Only authorities with search warrants can do that legally. The important exception is if you think the animal is in imminent danger of dying, or you doubt its chances for survival. If the animal is already dead, arranging for a veterinarian to come to the scene is a good idea.
Prosecuting a successful animal cruelty case involves testimony from a reliable witness, plus expert testimony which addresses the nature of the animal’s injury and its physical condition. It does a court case no good if you report abuse anonymously; a successful prosecution depends on testimony from an identifiable witness who can authenticate evidence. So be willing to testify in court. But also be aware that the animal will probably be kept in confinement until the case is settled, and this may result in mental or physical problems for the animal.If you are a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE.
