This article is taken from "The NewsReporter" put out by Hugs For Homeless Animals (H4HA). It's rather long, but so important to read.....it confirms what a lot of people believed all along, that the connection between animal cruelty and human violence exists.
There is a link toward the bottom for "FIRST STRIKE". Please take the time to go there
and especially read the INTRODUCTION & NEWS. Thank you so much for your time and consideration in this serious matter
HSUS Releases Yearlong Study on Animal Cruelty
(US Newswire)
WASHINGTON, April 12 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Humane Society of the
United States (HSUS), as part of its First Strike(r) Campaign, has
released the findings of a yearlong study on animal cruelty in the
United States. Results from the study show an extremely high number
of intentional cruelty cases were committed by male teens under the
age of eighteen. The research also shows that a large number of cases
of intentional animal cruelty also involved some form of family
violence whether domestic violence, child abuse or elder abuse.
The HSUS, the nation's largest animal protection organization with
more than seven million constituents, is releasing this information
in recognition of the first annual Animal Cruelty/Human Violence
Awareness Week, April 15-21. The HSUS is the first organization to
conduct a national study examining the prevalence of human violence
as it relates to animal cruelty incidents. The HSUS seeks to turn the
nation's attention to the connection between abuse towards animals
and violence towards people, which as the study reveals, is a clear
and present problem in our society today.
The HSUS compiled information from more than 1600 high-profile
animal cruelty cases nationwide that occurred between January and
December 2000. Reports came from well-documented sources such as
media reports and local humane societies. Of these cases, more than
900 involved intentional violence toward animals. The balance
consisted of animal cruelty that resulted from neglect.
Among the findings
-- 94 percent of intentional animal cruelty incidents were
committed by males.
-- 31 percent of the animal cruelty incidents were committed by
perpetrators age 18 and younger. (Four percent of those were under
age 12).
-- 21 percent of intentional animal cruelty cases also involved
family violence.
Of all the animals abused in these cases, 76 percent of the cases
involved companion animals, 12 percent farm animals, 7 percent
wildlife, and 5 percent involved multiple types of animals. In 63
percent of all 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," said Claire Ponder, HSUS First Strike(r) campaign manager.
"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."
The First Strike(r) 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.
Many criminals in this country, from the young school shooters to
the most notorious serial killers, have had a history of cruelty to
animals before turning their violence onto 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, to
address the associated problems with animal cruelty.
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
anti-cruelty laws, the majority having passed in the last few years.
Several states have passed laws mandating psychological evaluation
and counseling for convicted animal abuses. This year, 18 states are
working on felony cruelty legislation and improving provisions within
current felony cruelty laws. Five states, Arizona, Florida, South
Carolina, Virginia and Massachusetts, have introduced bills that
mandate cross reporting between animal control officers and child
protective services.
For more information on Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness
Week, including case updates and profiles on organizations making a
difference in their communities, go to The HSUS First Strike(r) Web
site at FIRST STRIKE
For Webring Index, click on "Home"
Created 04/18/2001
Updated 11/08/2005
