Selected Research: Connections Between Violence toward Animals and toward People

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	Stopping animal abuse is important to protect both people and animals.

"...The custom of tormenting and killing other animals will, by degrees, harden their hearts even toward men; and they who delight in the suffering and destruction of inferior creatures, will not be apt to be very compassionate or benign to those of their own kind."

-John Locke, Some Thoughts on Education (1693)

An abundance of research shows the close link between violent behavior toward animals and violent behavior toward people, including:

• Serial killers and other violence
• Domestic violence
• Elder abuse, child abuse and childhood deviance
• Sexual abuse

Other research cruelty to animals includes:

• The demographics of animal cruelty
• Animal cruelty facts, statistics and trends
• Animal cruelty laws by state 

Related Links

Resources to Fight Cruelty to Animals

Frequently Asked Questions about Animal Cruelty

What You Can Do About Animal Abuse

What To Do If Your Pet Is Abused or Killed

Animal Cruelty Laws by State

Animal Abuse & Childhood Deviance, Child Abuse and Elder Abuse

Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence

Animal Cruelty and Sexual Abuse

Animal Cruelty Demographics

Animal Cruelty Facts, Statistics and Trends

Animal Cruelty, Serial Killers and Violence

Animal Hoarding Fact Sheet

Animal Neglect