Many of us have watched abused children displace their aggression and despair by torturing or killing animals. The child forced to watch his father strangle kittens begins to routinely attack the family cat, winning his father s approval. Or, you have heard stories like that of the boy who was told by his father to shoot the aging family dog and to not return home until he did so. You listen as he tells you the painful details of his all night vigil. We believe that membership in a nonhuman species is no further justification for the deprivation of natural rights than race, age, sexual preference, gender or any other categorization.
Psychologists assist in understanding how violent behavior develops and can be intervened upon.
One necessary step in doing this is taking abuse toward animals as seriously as other forms of violence. Violence toward animals is correlated with violence toward humans. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual reminds us that one of the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder is cruelty toward animals. People are victimized not only by being actual victims of a violent act but also when made to witness one. In dealing with the obvious and subtle animal abuse going on around them, children can be vicariously traumatized or identify with the aggressor.