WASHINGTON—A year after The Humane Society of the United States
(HSUS) first released its findings on animal cruelty statistics
in America, teen offenders continue to have a significant
presence among reported cases. The HSUS, as part of its annual
Animal Cruelty/Human Violence Awareness Week, April 14–20, says
there is an urgent need to reach children and teens, and teach
them about the connection between cruelty to animals and
violence to people.
"After looking at more than one thousand reported cases of
animal cruelty in the year 2001, we see that the presence of
teen offenders is alive and well," said Virginia M. Prevas,
manager of The HSUS First Strike® Campaign. The First Strike
Campaign is an educational program designed to increase public
and professional awareness of the connection between animal
cruelty and human violence.
Among the nationwide snapshot of cases The HSUS looked at,
20 percent of intentional cruelty incidents were committed by
teens. Of that group, 95 percent were males. While prevention
and intervention of animal cruelty is critical at all levels of
society, reaching youth may be the best way to break a
potentially escalating cycle of violence. "We have to reach
this generation now with the message that cruelty to animals
isn't some benign right of passage," Prevas said. "It's a very
serious crime. And animals aren't the only ones affected."
Among the cases:
• February 2001: Two 18-year-old teenagers in Florida were
charged with several counts of animal cruelty including
shooting bulls with arrows, killing one, and savagely killing
one pet llama and maiming two others. In the bull case, one of
the perpetrators, Robert B. Pettyjohn, received a 10-year jail
sentence, to be suspended after three years with two additional
years of house arrest and five years of probation. He is also
ordered to complete 150 hours of animal community service work,
and is barred from owning animals without the permission of the
court. He must also pay the owner of the dead bull $15,000 in
restitution. He is scheduled to go on trial on animal cruelty
charges involving the llamas.
• May 2001: Two Colorado boys, ages 16 and 17, served two
days in jail, were fined $500 and given 18 months probation
after setting a stray cat's tail on fire and throwing the cat
out of a moving car. The cat survived despite having third
degree burns over 25 percent of his body and first and second
degree burns over 10 percent of his body. The cat, named
"Westy" by hospital staff, had several skin grafts and lost his
ears, tail and one leg.
• May 2001: Four males from Louisiana, ages 18-20, tied a
dog to the back of a car and dragged him to his death down a
gravel road at speeds as high as 80 mph. The four then dragged
the dog to a church where they threw his mutilated body into a
side window. All four of the young men were convicted of animal
cruelty and received sentences ranging from probation to 13
years in prison.
The HSUS' findings show that teen offenders harmed companion
animals in 75 percent of the cruelty cases, wildlife 14
percent, and farm animals 8 percent. "While this is only a
sample of animal cruelty incidents nationwide, we believe the
true number of cases far outnumbers the ones that are reported
in the media," Prevas said.
All of the findings in The 2001 Report of Animal Cruelty
Cases are available on the HSUS Web site: www.hsus.org.
Animal protection groups have recognized the connection
between animal cruelty and human violence for some time, and
others, including the FBI, see its validity. Many criminals,
from young school shooters to the most notorious serial
killers, had a history of cruelty to animals before turning
their violence onto people.
"We've identified the problem. Now we have to figure out how
to solve it," notes Prevas. Part of the answer lies in
encouraging professionals involved in antiviolence, such as
social workers, mental health and law enforcement experts and
animal care and control professionals, to work together towards
solutions. But even that's not enough.
"Everyone who has an influence on teens has to start getting
involved in stopping crimes against animals," Prevas said.
"That includes parents, schools, youth organizations, the
clergy, celebrities who teens admire—anyone who can make a
difference in the lives of young people. We're calling on
everyone to join the First Strike effort," she said.
The HSUS plans to reach teens via broadcast and the Internet
with a new public service announcement (PSA) created by a
journalism class at The University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill. "What's so unique about this PSA is that is coming from
the students themselves, speaking peer to peer," Prevas said.
"We want to see this type of outreach on a national scale. We
want teens talking to teens and younger children about animal
cruelty awareness and prevention."
The HSUS has also created a special flier, "10 Things Teens
Can Do To Stop Cruelty to Animals." Single copies are available
free with a business-sized self-addressed stamped envelope sent
to First Strike, HSUS, 2100 L Street NW, Washington, DC
20037.
In addition, the National Association for Humane and
Environmental Education (NAHEE), the youth education division
of The HSUS, publishes a 23-page book, "Understanding Animal
Cruelty," written for the teenage reader. Cost for a single
copy is $3. Order online at www.nahee.org, or send a check or
money order (payable to NAHEE) to NAHEE, P.O. Box 362, East
Haddam, CT 06423-0362. There is also a Web site, www.humaneteen.org, which is a
source of information on animal protection for teens.
While teens are clearly a critical audience for the
antiviolence message, Prevas stresses that prevention should
begin before a child hits the teen years. "The sooner kids get
the message of prevention, the less there will be the need for
intervention later on."
Editor's Note: To receive a copy of the 2001 Report of
Animal Cruelty Cases, call the HSUS Media Relations office at
301-548-7778 or 301-258-8255.
