The Big issues – Animal Abuse
What’s the issue?
Animal abuse takes many forms and may include cruelty, death, neglect, and terror. Animals that are abused are physically hurt, they have trouble trusting humans and may show difficult behaviours. BUT those people who deliberately abuse animals often have signs of deeper issues. Child animal abusers often become adult abusers of children, their partners or people in the community, as well as animals.
Pets Australia members can LOG IN to see the rest of this article – on kinds of abuse, the effects on families, what to do next, where to voice your opinion and where to get additional help
The Big issues – Animal Abuse
What’s the issue?
Animal abuse takes many forms and may include cruelty, death, neglect, and terror. Animals that are abused are physically hurt, they have trouble trusting humans and may show difficult behaviours. BUT those people who deliberately abuse animals often have signs of deeper issues. Child animal abusers often become adult abusers of children, their partners or people in the community, as well as animals.
For veterinarians presented with an abused animal, the question is whether people in the house are also being abused.
Animal abuse also includes those people who cannot or will not care for their pets – abuse by neglect. Pets owners who present pets to shelters/vets/groomers with fur matted to the skin with maggots or skin loss beneath the mats are guilty of animal abuse. Animals that spend all day scratching and becoming anaemic because of blood loss from really high flea loads, are abused. These animals suffer just like those that are hit, hurt or locked in small spaces. Neglect issues are generally easier to deal with unless the owners are hoarders (see separate sheet)
Where’s the science? Where’s the proof?
[private_passionate pet owner]
There is a wealth of published information on “active abuse” of pets – outright cruelty – and what drives it, and how to manage it. There appears to be a strong and increasing body of research linking pet abuse with domestic violence towards a partner.
One journal article states that “batterers who also abuse [pets](a) use more forms of violence and (b) demonstrate greater use of controlling behaviors than batterers who do not abuse their pets. Likewise, ..correlations are found between specific controlling behaviors and cruelty to pets” (1)
It appears that abused pets are an indicator of domestic violence. There is also good evidence that abuse of pets may be a good indicator of abuse of children in these families as well. (2)
In addition, women may fail to leave an abusive relationship because of threatened or actual abuse of pets by the battering partner, and continue to worry about their pets afterwards (3)
This situation is so significant and well studied that veterinarians and the pet industry associations in most countries have debated at length whether they should report pet abuse to authorities. However this can result in pets not receiving the treatment they desperately need (and perhaps the affected families as well). In most countries veterinarians and the pet industry choose to deal with the immediate animal welfare concerns – treating the pet. They tend to report only when they think that immediate and decisive action will be taken – because the consequences of the pet not being presented for treatment are so dire.
In some countries recently veterinarians have petitioned and won mandatory reporting legislation – so they are obliged to report such cases. This option will only work when there is active and effective follow up at both animal welfare AND “community services” levels, to reduce the risk of the people in the household suffering even more hurt.
Cruelty to pets – either by active abuse or by neglect, is against the law in all states and territories of Australia under “Prevention of Cruelty to Animals” (or similar) legislation. RSPCA and Animal Welfare League are VERY active in prosecuting cases that come to their attention.
Where can I voice my opinion?
See our members only blog and talk to other members on this issue and if you see abuse, REPORT IT to the Animal Welfare League or RSPCA.
References
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Vol. 22, No. 9, 1211-1222 (2007)
International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems, Vol 4 (4) 321-329 (1983) - Violence Against Women Vol 6, No 2 162-177 (2000)
[/private_passionate pet owner]