Animal Cruelty and Child Abuse
A recent study puts the odds of cruelty to animals being an indication of physical abuse at about three times higher in 5-year-olds and five times higher in 12-year-olds.
Statistics
- Children exposed to domestic violence are three times more likely to be cruel to animals
- Children who are sexually abused are five times more likely to abuse animals
- Kids 10 and older who intentionally harm animals are two to three times more likely to have been abused
- 43% of school shooters have a history of abusing animals
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60% of families under investigation for any form of child abuse, and 88% of those specifically investigated for physical child abuse also reported instances of animal cruelty
- Of that 88% - 26% of the victims went on to become victimizers themselves, abusing their family pets
- Animal abuse is characterstic in the developmental histories of between one in four and two in three adult violent offenders
Resources
- Children and Animals at Risk: Guidelines for Human Services Personnel
- Signs of Animal Abuse for Child Protection Workers and Other Human Services Personnel
