Domestic Violence and Pet Abuse

Domestic violence occurs in all cultures and in every economic class.  When we think about domestic violence we usually only picture the victim and children (if the victim has children) who are affected by the violence.  However, research has shown that family pets can also be affected by domestic violence.  According to the American Humane Society, 71% of pet owning women entering women's shelters reported that their abuser had injured, maimed, killed or threatened family pets for revenge or to psychologically control their victims.  More than half of the animal abuse cases occur in the presence of the abused women, and 75% of the cases happened in front of the children.  Between 25% and 40% of the abused women do not leave their abuser because, they worry about what will happen to their pets if they leave. 

The American Veterinary Medicare Association (AVMA), American Medical Association (AMA), National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), local governments, communities, and animal shelters have recognized the impact of domestic violence on family pets and the abused women.  Social workers now recognize that domestic violence victims may be hesitate to leave their abuser because of their pets. Some veterinary schools have also added abuse recognition training to their curriculum.     

In America 98% of Americans consider their pets to be a member of their family, and they provide strong emotional support for the people being abused.  If we feel so strongly about our pets, some kind of action needs to be taken to help these victims safely leave with their pets.  The American Humane Society lists some great things advocates can do for these victims with pets.

·         Help victims retrieve animals left behind

·         Help victims find pet friendly transitional and permanent housing

·         Work with animal shelters, veterinarians, and rescue groups to establish “safe haven” foster care programs for the animal victims of domestic violence

To view the complete list visit the American Humane Society’s website.

I believe it is great how more people are taking notice to the relationship between domestic violence and animal abuse.  No person should have to subject themselves to a violent household, and a pet should not be abused or used as a way to control or threaten the victim.  

Top 10 Ways to Save on Vet Care

As our economy suffers, the ASPCA has provided us with 10 ways to save money on vet care. The website is listed below.

Top 10 Ways to Save Money on Vet Care

A Win and Possible Loss for Animals

With the United States economy doing so poorly, the housing market has taken a large hit with foreclosed homes.  Due to the increasing number of foreclosed homes, there is an increase number abandoned pets.  Many of the homeowners have to leave their homes without their pets.  When bank employees enter the deserted homes they are told to leave the property, including pets, untouched until the foreclosure process is completed.  As a result many of the animals are left alone, abandoned or left to die.  But, now there is hope for the abandoned animals because of the Animal Abandonment law, or Assembly Bill (AB) 2949.  This AB introduced by Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier and signed by Governor Schwarzenegger, requires the owners of a property (bank or their agents) to notify animal control officers if a pet has been left behind (Associated Content and ASPCA).

The passing of AB 2949 is a great success for abandoned animals.  But, now with California’s state budget facing a billion dollar deficit, the Governor is now trying to propose a new tax on veterinary services.  This will supposedly help our budget deficit by placing a nine percent tax on veterinary services.  If this measure passes, veterinary care will be the only medical service taxed in California.  Both the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) are against this measure along with other animal rights groups (DVM 360). 

A nine percent tax is not a great hardship for people in the higher income bracket but, for people who are struggling, a nine percent tax increase can be a hardship.  Animal shelters are already at capacity, and the number of homeless pets continue to rise during our economic crisis.  Animal abandonment, starvation, neglect, and neglect of needed veterinary services are all forms of animal abuse and, are considered a crime in California.  With the passing of this measure it may increase the number of animal abuse cases which are punishable by law.  This will result in a burden on our already congested court system, costing our state to spend the revenue from the tax increase on animal abuse cases. 

Here are websites where you can, thank the Governor for the passing of AB 2949, and another urging him to not pass the veterinary tax.  

 

Animal Abuse is Linked to Interpersonal Violence

Research conducted by Christopher Hensley and Suzanne E. Tallichet, has shown that people who engaged in violent acts against animals when they are children, are more likely to engage in interpersonal violence as an adult.  Interpersonal violence is violence between individuals, and is subdivided into family and intimate partner violence and community violence (Violence Prevention Alliance).  A study conducted at a southern state prison on 261 inmates revealed that more than half of the sample engaged in violent acts against animals.  The violent acts that the prisoners said they engaged in towards animals were drowning, kicking, hitting, shooting, choking, burning and having sex with the animal. The table below lists the researcher’s findings.

Animal abuse is no longer recognized as incidental venting and related emotions toward animals.  It is now seen as a complex incident that is determined by multiple factors.  It is now understood that people, especially youth, who commit animal cruelty are more likely to commit violent acts against humans.  Now that we know this, what do we do with the people who are guilty of sadistically abusing an animal?  Hensley and Tallichet, note that because animal abusers come from a variety of backgrounds, we need to identify the qualitative nature that links the motives, methods of abuse, and types of abuse.  By having a better understanding of this, it will aid in the intervention and prevention of the violence that these people may commit later on in life. 

It is costly, but I believe that when we find people, especially children guilty of animal abuse, some sort of therapy needs to be used.  This will hopefully deter them from abusing animals and harming people later on.  By not acting on this we are basically just waiting for those individuals to commit some other type of violent act.  We cannot wait for those people to go to prison for their acts of violence, because of overcrowding and the appalling recidivism rates of inmates.  Hopefully, with prevention we can deter those people from engaging in violent acts and going to prison.  

http://jiv.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/24/1/147