[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 191 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 191

 Expressing support for the designation of May 2009 as ``National Link 
 Awareness Month'' and recognizing the link between animal cruelty and 
                   other forms of societal violence.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 25, 2009

   Mrs. Davis of California (for herself, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. 
Kucinich, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Gerlach, Mr. Farr, and Mr. Hinchey) submitted 
 the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
   Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of May 2009 as ``National Link 
 Awareness Month'' and recognizing the link between animal cruelty and 
                   other forms of societal violence.

Whereas the link between animal cruelty, child abuse, domestic violence, and 
        elder abuse is a nationally recognized fact;
Whereas each year, defenseless companion animals face the grim reality that they 
        will be victims of domestic abuse;
Whereas in a nationwide study, more than 71 percent of battered women reported 
        that their abusers harmed, killed, or threatened their pets, and more 
        than 75 percent of those incidents occurred in the presence of the women 
        or their children;
Whereas the American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 98 percent of 
        Americans consider pets to be companions or members of the family, and 
        that pets live most frequently in homes with children;
Whereas abusers kill, harm, or threaten children's pets to force the children to 
        remain silent about sexual abuse;
Whereas women and children remain in violent households out of fear that their 
        abusers will harm their pets if they leave;
Whereas children who grow up in an environment of animal abuse live in constant 
        fear that a beloved family member will be harmed, and may even allow 
        themselves to be abused to save their pets from harm;
Whereas young children growing up in an environment of abuse may become 
        desensitized to the inhumane treatment of animals, and research 
        indicates that children exposed to domestic violence are nearly 3 times 
        more likely to treat animals with cruelty than children who are not 
        exposed to such violence;
Whereas animal abuse is a serious crime and often an indicator of other forms of 
        societal violence, and the American Psychiatric Association considers 
        animal cruelty one of the diagnostic criteria of conduct disorder;
Whereas when animals are abused, people are at risk;
Whereas in response to the growing awareness of domestic violence-related animal 
        abuse, State legislatures are increasingly enacting laws to encourage 
        courts to include pets in domestic-violence protective orders and to 
        broaden the scope of professionals required to intervene at the 
        beginning stages of family violence by reporting suspected cases of 
        child or animal abuse; and
Whereas the link between animal abuse and human violence was identified in the 
        United States as early as 1894 by the American Humane Association, an 
        organization with the mission of protecting both children and animals 
        from mistreatment: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of ``National Link 
        Awareness Month'';
            (2) recognizes that the link between animal cruelty and 
        domestic violence is a national concern; and
            (3) recognizes that laws which recognize the link between 
        animal abuse and domestic violence are critical in protecting 
        countless domestic violence survivors and their pets.
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