Psychiatrists, such as myself, and criminologists know of the well-documented, close link between willful abuse of animals and later violence against people. Yet, the warning signs often go virtually ignored until higher-profile tragedies strike. Berkowitz to Charles Manson and Jeffrey Dahmer, repeatedly tortured animals before becoming serial killers. Of course, not all animal abusers go on to become serial killers, but a great many go on to perpetrate a broad range of aggressive and abusive threats and actions. These three symptoms simply reflect an inability to control impulses.
Most children express a natural affinity with animals.
As health, professionals, teachers, parents and community citizens, we should do all we can to foster and reinforce those compassionate instincts and red-flag for special help troubled youngsters who violate proper standards of conduct. And humane education must become an integral part of public, private, parochial and home-school instruction right from the start. All of us, humans and our animal friends alike, would benefit greatly. Certainly, our society abuses animals in a great many ways. Those who relish it or encourage it cannot be trusted to act differently toward humans.