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Animal Abuse & Childhood Deviance, Child Abuse and Elder Abuse


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	A child may intervene to try to prevent a pet from being abused.

An abundance of research reveals a close link between violent behavior toward animals and violent behavior toward people.

These studies show the connections between the abuse of defenseless animals and two of our most defenseless human populations: children and the elderly.

They also show how childhood acts of animal cruelty can indicate future violent behavior.

Childhood Deviance

Children who are cruel to animals exhibit more severe conduct disorder problems than other children. [1]
Childhood acts of animal abuse are one of the earliest indicators for a diagnosis of conduct disorder, often beginning as young as age six. [2]
Of children entering shelters for battered women, 13 percent reported that they had hurt pets, and 7.9 percent said they had hurt or killed animals. Fifty percent said they had protected their pet by intervening against the abuser. [3]


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Animal abuse in childhood can be a predictor of criminal behavior in adulthood.

Child Abuse

Children often intervene to protect their mothers and pets from being battered, and some children can even allow themselves to be victimized to save a pet from being harmed or killed.[4]
A New Jersey study found that animal abuse occurred in 88 percent of homes being investigated for physical child abuse. In one-third of the families, the children had abused the animals.[5]

Elder Abuse

Forty-five percent of adult protective services caseworkers have encountered intentional animal abuse or neglect.[6]
Thirty-five percent of adult protective services caseworkers report that their clients talk about pets being threatened, injured, killed or denied care.[7]

References

1. Luke, E. S. L., Staiger, P. K., Wong, L., & Mathai, J. (1999). Children who are cruel to animals: A revisit. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 33, 29-36.

2. Ascione, F. R. (2001, September). Animal abuse and youth violence. Juvenile Justice Bulletin. Washington: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

3. Ascione, F. R., Weber, C. V., & Wood, D. S. (1997). The abuse of animals and domestic violence: A national survey of shelters for women who are battered. Society and Animals, 5(3), 205-218.

4. Edelson, J.L., Mbilinyi, L.F., Beeman, S.K. & Hagemeister, A.K. (2003). How children are involved in adult domestic violence: Results of a four-city telephone survey. Journal of Interpersonal Violence 18(1), 18-32.

5. DeViney, E., Dickert, J., & Lockwood, R. (1983). The care of pets within child abusing families. International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems, 4, 321-329.

6. Humane Society of the United States & State of Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services Division of Disability and Elder Services, Bureau of Aging and Long Term Care Resources. (2003). Creating safer communities for older adults and companion animals. Washington, DC: HSUS.

7. (Boat, B. W., & Knight, J. C. (2000). Experiences and needs of adult protective services case managers when assisting clients who have companion animals. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 12(3/4), 145-155).

Related Links

Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence

Animal Cruelty and Sexual Abuse

Resources to Fight Cruelty to Animals

A Common Bond: Maltreated Children and Animals by Mary Lou Randour