Animal Abuse

Over the past 25 years, several studies have confirmed the link between animal cruelty and human violence.

The American FBI analyzed the lives of serial killers and discovered that virtually all of them, as children and teens, had killed or tortured animals. Other research indicates consistent patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of wife abuse, child abuse and elder abuse.

Maltreatment of pets is often another way that abusers exert control over their victims. Abusers may harm – or threaten to harm – an animal in order to intimidate, re-affirm their position of power in the household, or keep their partners from leaving.

Intake interviews with women in shelters revealed that a high proportion of them delayed leaving an abusive home – thus putting themselves in greater danger – for fear of what might happen to their pets. Increasingly, shelters are taking steps to resolve this problem. Nova Vita Women’s Services, for example, has arranged with the local SPCA to take in a woman’s pet while she resides at the shelter.

Intentional animal cruelty/abuse can involve depriving an animal of food, water, shelter, socialization or veterinary care, or maliciously torturing, maiming, mutilating or killing an animal. Cruelty to animals can be exhibited in children as young as four years, and should never be ignored or minimized. If your child has deliberately harmed an animal, seek help from a counsellor or pediatrician.