Research confirms a strong correlation between violence against animals and violence toward humans.
Parents, community leaders, prosecutors, judges, and others concerned with violence in communities are coming to recognize the importance of animal cruelty as an indicator of disturbed family relationships and future aggressive behavior towards humans. Because violence towards animals springs from the same causes as violence towards humans, we can no longer pass off childhood animal abuse as a phase. In two-thirds of the cases, it was the abusive parent who had killed or injured the animals to control a child. In one-third, the children had abused the animals, using them as scapegoats for their anger. Research also indicates that Young people who are cruel to animals may become aggressive toward humans later in life.