When Animal Cruelty Hits Close to Home
Litigation - Article Series: from All-Creatures.org Articles Archive

FROM

Animals and Society Institute (ASI)
August 2015

And of course, animal cruelty is a crime that must be taken seriously in its own right-not solely seen as important in its relation to other acts. Fortunately, the prosecutor and judge in this case agreed: the defendant was convicted of both misdemeanor and felony animal cruelty. When the prosecutor reached out to the humane society for help in locating an expert witness to testify at sentencing about the research on animal cruelty and its link to other crimes, they pointed him straight to us.

The two young men put the kitten inside the six-by-six-foot pen with their dog, then egged the dog on, shouting "Get it!"

When a neighbor heard the kitten's cries and tried to make the boys stop, they only laughed. The neighbor called the police, who caught up with the boys after they left the scene; they lied and said they hadn't been there. Afterward, the older of the two (age 21) made a gesture in the shape of a gun toward the neighbor who had reported the event. He was already on probation for a previous offense.

Research tells us that not every young person who harms animals becomes a serial killer. At the same time, animal cruelty is often associated with a general pattern of delinquent, antisocial, and sometimes violent behavior. And of course, animal cruelty is a crime that must be taken seriously in its own right-not solely seen as important in its relation to other acts.

Fortunately, the prosecutor and judge in this case agreed: the defendant was convicted of both misdemeanor and felony animal cruelty. When the prosecutor reached out to the humane society for help in locating an expert witness to testify at sentencing about the research on animal cruelty and its link to other crimes, they pointed him straight to us. And I was glad to help, especially since this shocking case occurred in the town I called home while pursuing my graduate studies on the psychology of animal abuse. This is new territory for many prosecutors, and I believe ASI can provide a valuable resource in making sure the best and most accurate research on animal abuse is available to our court systems. (Click here to see the beginnings of our annotated bibliography of research in this area.)

But we can't make a fundamental change in our criminal justice system alone. We need help from people like you--people who care deeply about the well-being of all animals. Almost every day ASI gets requests to help respond to animal abuse cases and build communities that are safe for all. I'm sure you, too, hear about cases like that of the kitten and wish you could do more.

In response to the profound need for more and better strategies to intervene in--and prevent--animal abuse cases, we're pleased to announce that ASI is developing pilot diversion programs focused on promoting more humane treatment of animals. With your help, we can ensure that every prosecutor and judge in the country is aware of and has access to these programs. I know it's an ambitious goal. But I also know that ASI has a dedicated and talented team of professionals who care deeply about creating systemic change.

We can make this dream a reality. Please join us in our efforts to make communities safer for animals and people alike by donating now.

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