Ha Ha, but NOT a joke! The Link between Animal Cruelty and Violent Crime Analyses by sociologists, psychologists and criminologists during the past 25 years show that perpetrators of animal cruelty frequently do not stop with animal victims. Many will move on to commit acts of violence against humans. A 1997 study by Northeastern University and the Massachusetts SPCA reported that nearly 40% of animal abusers had committed violent crimes against people. A FBI survey of convicted serial killers found that most serial killers tortured or killed animals as children or teens, before moving on to human victims. Among them were Jeffrey Dahmer, who had impaled dogs heads, frogs and cats on sticks as a teen, as well as Columbine High School students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who bragged about mutilating animals to their friends, before shooting and killing 12 classmates and taking their own lives. Studies also show a strong correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence. National surveys have found that among battered women who owned companion pets, as many as 71% reported that their male partners had threatened to harm their pets, or had in fact injured or killed their pets. Survey results also show a detrimental effect on children who witness animal abuse in their families: among the same group of battered women, 32% reported that one of their own children had also engaged in animal cruelty. domestic violence The Humane Society of the United States estimates that nearly 1 million animals a year are abused or killed in connection with domestic violence. Acknowledging the significance and severity of this problem, 22 states have passed laws empowering courts to specifically include pets in domestic violence protection orders.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 16:28:44 +0000