Animal AbuseStudies show that psychopaths, convicted serial killers,

and serial rapists are very likely to have abused animals. “Animal abuse is not just the result of a minor

personality flaw in the abuser—it is a symptom of a deep mental disturbance.” What makes people abuse

animals?

Mental IllnessThere is a correlation between serious mental illness and cruelty of

every sort

Many believe that insane tendencies manifest themselves in “small” ways before “big” ways, meaning that a person is more likely to abuse or kill an animal before abusing or killing a person

Up to 75 percent of domestic violence victims report that their partners threatened or killed family pets

NeglectSome people abuse animals unintentionally, or passively

Not knowing how to take care of an animal, having too many animals to care for sufficiently, also called animal hoarding (laws on how many that technically is varies in each state), and not having enough time to care for an animal are all reasons a person can neglect a creature

Passive abuse can be just as harmful as physical, aggressive abuse

Previous AbuseAbuse is often a vicious cycle; if a person is abused themselves, they

are very likely to hurt other people or animals as emotional backlash, either close to when the event occurs, or many years down the road

People who have been abused can feel helpless and out of control. They take their anger out on animals or people to get rid of frustration and to see in some twisted way that they can control a part of their life

The Cycle of Abuse

RespectSome people believe that animals deserve no respect; since humans

are the “supreme race” on earth, abusers can feel that it is their right to do whatever they want, that they own an animal and that makes it ok to abuse

Because of this thought process, they might feel that violence is the way to keep less powerful animals and people “in their place”

Other MotivationsTo shock people, or for amusement

Retaliation against a person by hurting their pet

To experience sadism

Peer pressure

Mood enhancement

Sexual gratification (Beastiality)

Animal phobias

Post-traumatic play (if they were hurt by an animal previously)

Imitation (copying a role model’s behavior)

PreventionA 2009 US study of 14,000 college students found that today's young people are 40 percent less empathetic than college kids from 30 years ago. Our society should be very worried about this, however, the fact that our next generation doesn’t really care predicts that animal cruelty will persist and people in future may not care as much about stopping it. The only way to prevent so many animals from suffering is to educate the public about proper animal care. Animals feel pain just as acutely as humans, and prevention starts when we make it start.

BibliographyMissimer, Rick (2012, September 2). Reasons That People Abuse Animals. Retrieved

from http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/13517/1/Reasons-That-People- Abuse-Animals.html

Ressler, Robert K. (2011, December 16). Retrieved from http://www.peta.org/issues/

companion-animal-issues/cruel-practices/human-animal-abuse/Silver, Brian (2009, April 27). Animal Cruelty Syndrome. Retrieved

from http://cfawr.org/animal-abuse.php