Animal Hospitals - Burke, VA - Parkway Veterinary Clinic

If you spotted an act of cruelty against an animal, would you know what to do?

That’s a tough question for many people: Should you confront the alleged abuser? Wait until you can call the police? If you do, do you risk reprisal? Or perhaps you’re not entirely sure if the treatment constitutes abuse.

To help educate the public, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has made April “Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month.” People are urged to spend time this month to educate themselves and others about existing animal cruelty laws and to support pending legislation.

Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have passed laws that make intentional cruelty a felony charge. Intentional abuse is just that – hitting, choking, kicking, deliberate starvation, etc. Unintentional abuse comes from ignorance; the abuser does not know how to care for the pet. In many states, unintentional abuse can lead to misdemeanor charges.

Animal abuse has received a lot more attention in recent years because it often signals abuse toward people. Children who abuse animals often abuse people later in life. By knowing how to spot abuse, you may be able to help people as well.

If you suspect someone is abusing a pet, don’t confront that person directly. This is for your own safety, and the long-term interest of the pet. Call the police or your local animal control officer.

Animal cruelty happens every day. So often, in fact, that only the more sensationalistic stories about animal abuse make national headlines:

● In 1998, a Wisconsin man was convicted of killing five cats. Sentenced to 12 years in prison, he was recently denied parole
   following a vigorous letter-writing campaign to parole authorities.
● In 1997, two boys, 17 and 18, broke into an animal shelter and assaulted 32 cats, killing 18 of them.
● In 1995, Vickie Rene Kittles (also known as Susan Dietrich) was convicted on 42 counts of animal neglect in Oregon. Kittles is an
   “animal collector,” someone who takes in more animals than they can properly care for, leading to inhumane conditions and often
   starvation for the animals.

Many people question whether they should get involved. Some people feel it is none of their business, or they may worry they are misinterpreting the signs. They may also fear retribution, either physical or legal (being sued if the allegation is incorrect).

Unfortunately, the abuse will likely grow worse over time. The American Psychological Association has noted that animal cruelty is often a symptom of behavioral problem in children. As they grow older, these abusers often turn on people as well as continue their pattern of animal abuse.

In fact, animal abuse is an indicator of child abuse. Pets are abused in 88 percent of the families where children are abused, according to an article in Humane Education News. A separate study by Northeastern University tracked 153 animal abusers over 10 years, from 1986 to 1996. The study noted that 70 percent of these people went on to commit other crimes, many of them violent.

What Are the Signs?

There is a difference between unintentional or intentional neglect and outright abuse. Unintentional neglect includes not being aware of how to take care of a pet:

● The owner is ignorant of the type and amount of food to feed the animal.
● The owner doesn’t know that the pet needs to be regularly brushed and groomed.
● The owner may not understand the signs of disease or distress in their pet.
● The owner may not be aware that someone else, their child perhaps, is hurting the animal. The child may not even understand the
consequence of his or her actions.

Intentional neglect is just that – the owner purposefully doesn’t feed or water the animal; leaves the pet outside in harsh weather; and/or forces the pet to live in dangerous, unsanitary conditions.

Abuse is much easier to identify: choking, beating, kicking, forcing an animal’s head under water, etc.

What Should You Do

1. First assess the situation. If the animal appears neglected, you may in fact not be seeing the times when the animal is fed, groomed and
    watered. The American Humane Association recommends that you observe the pet at different times of the day before taking the next
    step.
2. If you see outright abuse or neglect, resist the impulse to confront the owner. This is for your safety and in the pet’s long-term interest.
    Call your local humane officer or police department.
3. If possible, videotape or photograph the neglect or abuse. In cases of neglect, many of the situations are caused by simple ignorance.
    Abused pets, however, may be taken away by the city or county for their own safety. The owner may try to get another pet – if this happens,
    contact the police or humane officer immediately.

The Problem of Animal Collectors

Multiple-pet households brings up the problem of animal collectors. Many of these people appear to “love” animals; they often claim they are rescuing animals from euthanasia. But in fact they are addicted to collecting animals that they cannot properly feed, maintain or house.

Because it is a symptom of a disorder, animal collectors are often unaware of the suffering they cause animals, and they deny reality; they will insist ill animals are healthy. Collectors often know how to elicit public sympathy – even to the point of getting public funds.

Here are some of the things to look out for:

● A strong urine or feces smell.
● An equally strong desire for privacy on the part of the collector; they don’t allow people in their homes.
● A very large number of animals around the house.
● Refusal to part with animals through adoption. Collectors often do not even part with dead animals.
● The regular arrival of new animals.
● Large piles of garbage, newspapers, or other material - animal collectors sometimes collect things other than just animals.