IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 191 

Expressing support for the designation of May 2009 as ‘‘National Link 

Awareness Month’’ and recognizing the link between animal cruelty and 

other forms of societal violence. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2009 

Mrs. DAVIS of California (for herself, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. KUCINICH, 

Mr. COHEN, Mr. GERLACH, Mr. FARR, and Mr. HINCHEY) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be 

subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of May 2009 as ‘‘National Link Awareness Month’’ and recognizing the link 

between animal cruelty and other forms of societal violence. 

Whereas the link between animal cruelty, child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse is a nationally recognized 

fact; 

Whereas each year, defenseless companion animals face the 

grim reality that they will be victims of domestic abuse; 

Whereas in a nationwide study, more than 71 percent of battered women reported that their abusers harmed, killed, 


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•HRES 191 IH 

or threatened their pets, and more than 75 percent of 

those incidents occurred in the presence of the women or 

their children; 

Whereas the American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 98 percent of Americans consider pets to be 

companions or members of the family, and that pets live 

most frequently in homes with children; 

Whereas abusers kill, harm, or threaten children’s pets to 

force the children to remain silent about sexual abuse; 

Whereas women and children remain in violent households 

out of fear that their abusers will harm their pets if they 

leave; 

Whereas children who grow up in an environment of animal 

abuse live in constant fear that a beloved family member 

will be harmed, and may even allow themselves to be 

abused to save their pets from harm; 

Whereas young children growing up in an environment of 

abuse may become desensitized to the inhumane treatment of animals, and research indicates that children exposed to domestic violence are nearly 3 times more likely 

to treat animals with cruelty than children who are not 

exposed to such violence; 

Whereas animal abuse is a serious crime and often an indicator of other forms of societal violence, and the American Psychiatric Association considers animal cruelty one 

of the diagnostic criteria of conduct disorder; 

Whereas when animals are abused, people are at risk; 

Whereas in response to the growing awareness of domestic violence-related animal abuse, State legislatures are increasingly enacting laws to encourage courts to include 

pets in domestic-violence protective orders and to broaden 


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•HRES 191 IH 

the scope of professionals required to intervene at the beginning stages of family violence by reporting suspected 

cases of child or animal abuse; and 

Whereas the link between animal abuse and human violence 

was identified in the United States as early as 1894 by 

the American Humane Association, an organization with 

the mission of protecting both children and animals from 

mistreatment: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of ‘‘National 

3 Link Awareness Month’’; 

4 (2) recognizes that the link between animal cru5 elty and domestic violence is a national concern; and 

6 (3) recognizes that laws which recognize the 

7 link between animal abuse and domestic violence are 

8 critical in protecting countless domestic violence sur9 vivors and their pets. 

Æ 


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