Animal cruelty, domestic violence and child abuse: the many victims of violence.

Violence within families is, of course, well recognized as a serious social problem--involving specific elements such as spousal violence, child abuse, and elder abuse. Another aspect of family violence that often gets overlooked, however, is cruelty to animals. This might be dismissed by a perception that "they're only animals" and the view that scarce resources need be directed to human victims. However, numerous studies in Canada and the US have shown that there are definite links between animal cruelty and human violence. Some of the key findings are the following:

Violent offenders frequently have histories of serious and repeated animal cruelty in their childhood and adolescence.

Children who are allowed to harm animals without penalty are more likely to be involved in bullying, vandalism, and more violent acts later in life.

Family pets are often targets in domestic violence, and threats of violence toward a pet are often used as a means of control by an abusive spouse.

Many victims of domestic violence remain in an abusive situation out of concern for the safety of their pets or livestock.

In the past decade there has been a growing awareness of this link, and increasing interest in cooperation among violence prevention agencies. Studies conducted by the Ontario SPCA in 2000 and the Calgary Humane Society in 2001 in women's shelters presented a vivid picture of how animal cruelty impacts abused spouses and children. Workshops on the subject held in Edmonton and Fredericton in late 2005 each attracted close to 100 participants from law enforcement, social services, humane societies, veterinary and educational fields. Further work is ongoing, both in research and cross-agency cooperation.

What We Know

One of the clearest connections concerns violent offenders, many of whom start out abusing animals. Virtually all serial killers began with the torture and killing of animals before graduating to human victims. One such killer, Keith Jesperson, the "Happy Face Killer" from British Columbia who murdered more than 160 victims, had previously killed dozens of cats and other small animals. As he stated "All this did is spawn in me the urge to kill again. I began to think of what it would be like to kill a human being. The thought stayed with me for years, until one night it happened. I killed a woman by beating her almost to death and finished her off by strangulation. No longer did I search for animals to mistreat. I now looked for people to kill. And I did. I killed over and over until I was caught." Other serial killers had similar backgrounds ("Serial Killers who Started Animals").

Besides the sensational stories of serial killers, other more frequent forms of violence also demonstrate a link. Pets (and livestock in rural areas) play a significant role in domestic conflict situations, and with over half of Canadian households reporting one or more pets, this can't be ignored. Pets are often threatened or harmed as a means of the abuser maintaining control over the abused spouse. In the Calgary and Ontario studies, in which at least 100 women in emergency shelters were interviewed, between 56 and 61% of those with pets reported that their abuser had either threatened to and/or actually hurt their pet. One participant stated that once she entered the shelter her cat disappeared and she subsequently received photographs in which the cat appeared to have been killed. Another woman noted that her partner threatened to hurt or kill her pets, and when she entered the shelter her cats went missing.

Ironically, pets, which provide such positive benefits as unconditional love and acceptance, can become used against those who care for them. Concern for the safety of their pets frequently kept victims in abusive situations: 25% in the Calgary study and 43% in Ontario delayed leaving the violent home because there was no safe place for their pet. Most women's shelters don't accept pets, citing potential health problems such as allergies and concern for residents who may be afraid of animals, among other reasons. It is also difficult in many smaller communities to conceal the presence of a dog, which needs to be outdoors on occasion.

When children are present, they are also impacted by animal abuse. In the Calgary study, 65% of those women with both children and pets whose partner had abused their pet reported that their children were aware that their pets were being abused. The same number believed that their children were impacted by witnessing the abuse of their pets (though only 6% discussed it with a counsellor or social worker). One participant reported that her partner shot the family dog in plain view of his four-year-old son. Another woman indicated that her children hated their father for hurting the family dog, and felt bad because the dog was trying to protect her.

Other participants noted a change in their children's behaviour after witnessing abuse of their pets by a family member. One noted that her son became more hurtful to others, withdrawn and emotional. Another stated that her young son began to show traits similar to those of her abusive partner, and had a "total disregard for life, even humans." Yet another participant noted that her children "hurt animals when they are angry, because they think this is normal, because they don't realize it can be different."

Not Really New

While the past decade or so has seen a resurgence of interest in the connection between animal cruelty and human violence, this link has been understood by those in the humane movement for over a century. Most humane societies and SPCAs encourage humane education as a means of developing attitudes of compassion and responsible behaviour toward all living beings--both animal and human.

Others have recognized it too. In 1905 Louise McKinney, one of the "Famous Five" who would go on to become the first woman to sit in office in the British Commonwealth upon her election to the Alberta Legislative Assembly, encouraged the formation of humane societies and humane education as a means of preventing violence. In Child at Risk, its 1980 report to Parliament, the Senate Standing Committee on Health, Welfare and Science also recommended humane education to help reduce juvenile delinquency: "If we are to teach children how to respect their human and natural environment and all its elements, they must be taught they are a part of nature ... One of the objectives of education from nursery school onwards must be to give children a balanced sensitivity to life--a humane education."

Despite these occasional shows of support, humane education remains on the fringe. While environmental education took off in the late 1960s and became an established part of curricula across the country, humane education has not been able to become an integral part of the educational system in Canada (though it is mandated in many US states).

There are several current initiatives in Canada attempting to address the problems uncovered by the recent studies. The Calgary Humane Society, for example, has been conducting several projects for the past few years. These include a pet safekeeping project, where volunteer foster families care for pets of women who enter emergency shelters. They also work with other agencies to increase cross-reporting between agencies (for example, child protection workers who notice neglected pets will report to the humane society, and vice versa). Such cooperation often allows for earlier intervention.

What Needs to be Done

As awareness of the connections between animal cruelty and human violence increases, so do the opportunities for cooperation between crime prevention, social service and animal welfare agencies.

Those who gathered last November in Edmonton at the Cruelty/Crime Connections Workshop sponsored by the Alberta SPCA learned of several ways for increased cooperation. According to keynote speaker Dr Randall Lockwood, Senior Vice-President for AntiCruelty Initiatives and Training for the American SPCA, there are many simple steps that can be taken. For instance, some police departments in the US are instructing their members to remain alert for signs of abuse to any family pets encountered during domestic situation calls, and notify the animal shelter when abused family pets are encountered. Also, intake forms at emergency shelters can be amended to include questions about pets and whether they have been threatened or harmed. Other cooperative measures are also in the works as a result of the workshop.

The connection between animal cruelty, domestic violence and child abuse is very real, but one that is not always obvious until it is pointed out. Once it is, it is generally easy to accept. More research and more inter-agency cooperation will help to provide a basis for a more cohesive response to violence at its roots. Addressing cruelty to animals does not detract from preventing violence against people, but enhances efforts to prevent all violence.

Serial killers who started with animals.

Albert DeSalvo (the Boston Strangler) killed 13 women and was convicted of armed robbery, assault, and sex offences. As a youth he trapped dogs and cats in orange crates.

David Berkowitz, New York's "Son of Sam" admitted to 13 charges of murder or attempted murder. He had previously shot a neighbour's Labrador retriever, and claimed that the dog was the spiritual force that compelled him to murder.

Jeffrey Dahmer confessed to killing and dismembering 17 men and boys. As a child he had killed frogs, dogs, and cats.

Ted Bundy terrorized college campuses in the 1970s and was convicted of killing two women but suspected of killing more than 40. During his childhood he was known to have tortured animals after witnessing his father's brutality toward their pets.

Eric Smith, at age 13, bludgeoned a four-year-old boy to death. A year before, he had killed his neighbour's cat. He was told to apologize and do some yardwork as a consequence.

Eric Harris and a classmate killed 12 students and a teacher at Columbine High School in 1999. He had previously been known to smash the heads of mice with a crowbar.

References

Note: Links to more references can be found at www.albertaspca.org.

McIntosh, Sue C. (2001). Research Study: Exploring the Links between Animal Abuse and Family Violence, as Reported by Women Entering Shelters in Calgary Communities (used with permission).

Millar, Nancy. The Famous Five: Emily Murphy and the Case of the Missing Persons. Cochrane: Western Heritage Centre, 1999, p. 85.

Bonnell, Hon. M. Lorne, Chairman. Child at Risk: A Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Health, Welfare and Science. Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada, 1980, p. 63.

Tim Battle is the Director of Education for the Alberta SPCA in Edmonton, Alberta. He can be reached at [e-mail].