[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 74 (Wednesday, June 10, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1098-E1101]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   THE LINK BETWEEN ANIMAL VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIVIDUALS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 10, 1998

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call the attention of my 
colleagues to the important connection between violence against animals 
and violence against humans. Recently, we held an important 
Congressional briefing to explore the link between animal abuse and 
domestic violence. This briefing was jointly cosponsored by the 
Congressional Friends of Animals, which our colleague, Christopher 
Shays of Connecticut, and I chair; the Congressional Caucus on Women's 
Issues, chaired by Congresswomen Eleanor Holmes Norton and Nancy 
Johnson; and the Congressional Children's Caucus chaired by 
Congresswomen Sheila Jackson-Lee and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and with the 
support of Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse, Congressman Jon Fox, and 
Senator Robert Torricelli.
  Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that individuals who brutalize animals 
are very often guilty of committing similar crimes against people. Not 
all of us are aware of the well defined link between cruelty to animals 
and both domestic violence and violent crimes like murder, assault and 
serial crimes.
  Violence towards animals precedes and co-exists with domestic 
violence including: spouse abuse, child abuse, elder abuse, as well as 
murder and assault. Unfortunately, pets often serve as surrogate 
targets of a troubled offender's wrath. A 1997 survey found that 85.4 
percent of women in shelters talked about violence towards pets as part 
of the cruelty at home. Mr. Speaker, Animal Abuse is recognized as a 
symptom of mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association, 
which considers animal abuse one of the diagnostic criteria of a 
conduct disorder.
  Animal abuse can also be an important indicator of future violent 
behavior. When a child is caught hurting an animal, this problem should 
be addressed immediately because this problem is not self-correcting. 
Abusing animals is often a precursor to more violent offenses, and a 
child that is abusing animals must be taught the value of all life. The 
FBI has used this connection between animal abuse and violent behavior 
for two decades in profiling serial killers and violent criminals.
  Mr. Speaker, we must focus attention on this important connection. If 
we can help increase reverence for the life of animals, we will foster 
a greater respect for human life. Strengthening laws against animal 
abuse and publicizing this issue will serve to protect humans in the 
long run. Animal abuse is a warning sign, and we must learn to look for 
it and recognize it.
  This past week, Mr. Speaker, I introduced H. Con. Res. 286 which 
expresses the view that the link between violence against animals and 
violence against humans should be given greater emphasis and that it 
should be used to identify and treat individuals who are guilty of 
violence against animals. This resolution notes that animal abuse is a 
crime in its own right in all 50 states, but such abuse should also be 
identified and treated because of the link with violence against 
humans. The resolution also urges research to increase understanding of 
the connection between cruelty to animals and violence against humans.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to call the attention of my colleagues to 
statements that were given at the recent briefing on this issue. I want 
to mention the remarks of Barbara Sweeney, a social worker from 
Alexandria, Virginia. She testified that individuals who batter often 
abuse animals to threaten, control, and intimidate their partner. Ms. 
Sweeney also discussed how the Alexandria Domestic Violence program 
addresses the link of violence through such programs as counseling and 
humane education for children who witness this form of abuse and are 
deeply affected. The Alexandria Domestic Violence Program has taken 
this link seriously and should be considered a model program.
  A number of distinguished and well-informed experts provided 
outstanding testimony at this important briefing. They were Kim 
Roberts,

[[Page E1099]]

M.S.W., First Strike Campaign Manager for the Humane Society of the 
United States; Special Agent Alan C. Brantley of the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation; Julie Bank of the ASPCA (the American Society for 
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and founder of the ASPCA'S Family 
VISION (Violence Information Sharing, Intervention, and Observation 
Network); and Suzanne Barnard, M.S., Assistant Director of the 
Children's Division of the American Humane Association.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that their statements be placed in the Record, and 
I ask that my colleagues give careful and thoughtful attention to their 
remarks.

    Congressional Informational Briefing--Animal Abuse and Domestic 
                                Violence

                            (By Kim Roberts)

       The HSUS' campaign about the connection between animal 
     cruelty and human violence is called ``First Strike'' because 
     the first strike is often against the family pet. The family 
     pet may be the most vulnerable victim in a violent household. 
     Violence against a family pet is often used to control, 
     manipulate or terrorize family members. Animal abuse can also 
     be a warning sign that the violence is escalating. Taking 
     animal cruelty seriously offers an opportunity to intervene 
     in violent households and with violent individuals, and 
     strong anti-cruelty laws can provide the means. Through 
     enforcement of laws and intervention with perpetrators we may 
     prevent future violence against animals and people. In a 
     violent household, all family members are victims. 
     Enforcement of strong anti-cruelty laws can also provide an 
     opportunity to provide assistance to other victims in the 
     family.
       Strong state anti-cruelty laws are a major focus of The 
     HSUS. Some of the key components of a strong anti-cruelty law 
     include a wide range of options such as felony provisions, 
     psychological evaluation and counseling, a wide range of 
     available fines and prison sentences, restitution, 
     reimbursement of costs, seizure of animals and community 
     service. Cross-reporting and cross-training of humane 
     investigators and those charged with investigating child 
     abuse and domestic violence are also valuable tools in the 
     identification of current and possible future victims of 
     violence, both human and animal.
       In addition to supporting strong anti-cruelty laws elected 
     officials and other leaders can also help address this issue 
     by encouraging data collection and research at the local, 
     state and federal level; support emergency housing programs 
     for pets of individuals seeking to leave a violent situation 
     and the development of community coalitions; stronger 
     penalties for perpetrators who abuse animals in front of a 
     child; and mandatory reporting of animal cruelty.
       The next steps to prevent violence include formal 
     recognition by the federal government of the connection 
     between animal cruelty and various forms of human violence; 
     assistance in making others aware of the connection through 
     inclusion of this connection in discussions of violence-
     related issues; cooperation between various government 
     agencies and organizations interested in anti-violence 
     efforts; inclusion of animal cruelty in state and federal 
     level crime data collection; and the incorporation of animal 
     abuse into the Justice Department's comprehensive plans for 
     research and program development in violence-related areas 
     such as domestic violence, child abuse, youth violence, etc.
       The main message I would like to leave you with is that 
     strong anti-cruelty laws don't just protect animals, they 
     protect people too.


     
                                  ____
                         Congressional Briefing

                     (Remarks of Alan C. Brantley)

       I come to you today from your National Center for the 
     Analysis of Violent Crime, which is part of the FBI's 
     Critical Incident Response Group located at Quantico, 
     Virginia. The National Center for the Analysis of Violent 
     Crime or NCAVC, was formed in the mid-1980's as the direct 
     result of the then burgeoning phenomena of stranger-to-
     stranger homicides or so called murders with no apparent 
     motive. At that time, we in the NCAVC were tasked with the 
     identification and tracking of serial killers and other 
     violent offenders who committed unusual or particularly 
     vicious offenses.
       It is our belief that since all crimes are committed by 
     human beings then at some stage along the crime commission 
     continuum there will be the display of behavior that lends 
     itself to analysis and interpretation. From this 
     interpretation, information of lead value can be gleaned from 
     the results and provided to investigators, prosecutors, 
     judges, and juries who may not encounter these types of 
     behaviors in their professional or personal life experiences.
       Since the mid-1980's to the present, the NCAVC has expanded 
     its examination of criminals and offenses to include not just 
     the serial offenders but all types of violent crime. One of 
     the services provided by the NCAVC is in the area of threat 
     analysis and the assessment of dangerousness. To aid in the 
     prediction of dangerousness in law enforcement settings, we 
     have developed a checklist or guide which enumerates sixteen 
     categories. These categories and the elements within each, 
     serve as risk indicators or warning signs that when 
     critically reviewed and recognized can assist during 
     assessments of subjects suspected or known to be dangerous.
       Provided to you today is a copy of the checklist which is 
     entitled the ``Traits and Characteristics of Violent 
     Offenders.'' You will note categories number twelve and 
     sixteen which are two of the most important warning signs. 
     Both of these categories concern an individuals history of 
     actual violence to include violence against people and 
     animals. It has long been accepted among professionals who 
     must assess dangerous populations that the best predictor of 
     future behavior is past behavior and a past history of 
     violence is the single most important predictor of future 
     violence.
       Some in our society make too much out of qualitatively 
     distinguishing between violence against humans and violence 
     against animals. Ladies and gentlemen, violence against 
     animals is violence and when it is present, it is considered 
     by the people I work with to be synonymous with a history of 
     violence. In many cases reviewed at the NCAVC we have seen 
     examples whereby violence against animals is a prelude to 
     violence against humans. We in the NCAVC find ourselves in 
     the unenviable position of literally seeing the absolute 
     worst that human beings can do to other human beings and 
     animals. Some offenders kill animals as a rehearsal for 
     targeting human victims and may kill or torture animals 
     because to them, the animals symbolically represent people.
       In many cases, depending on the context and quality of the 
     behavior, animal violence does not occur in a vacuum and co-
     exists with other major adjustment problems. It is not only 
     highly predictive in identifying children at risk for 
     committing future acts of violence but also in identifying 
     children being abused and cases of spousal abuse. The most 
     profound predictor of future violence against humans, in my 
     opinion, is when the animal abuser kills the animal in a very 
     public way and flaunts the act in order to seek attention and 
     gain a perverted sense of status. They begin to identify with 
     the role of becoming a violent criminal and in many cases 
     achieve their goal.
       To close I will leave you with some insight into how 
     convoluted the thinking of such individuals can become. For 
     them what is good is bad, what is bad is good, and what is 
     cruel, violent and inhumane is even better.


     
                                  ____
            Traits and Characteristics of Violent Offenders

       The prediction of dangerousness in law enforcement settings 
     has long been a topic of interest, especially for those who 
     must make arrests, conduct threat assessments, are hostage 
     negotiators, and who preside over parole decisions. A number 
     of factors have been identified by researchers as risk 
     indicators for future violence to include past violence, 
     substance abuse, mental disorders, brain damage, and a 
     history of witnessing violence in the home. While the above 
     risk indicators are well known to many, there has been no 
     systematic method of combining all that is known about risk 
     indicators into an off-the-shelf, user friendly model that 
     can be applied to individual cases.
       The following checklist was developed by Supervisory 
     Special Agent (SSA) Alan C. Brantley of the Critical Incident 
     Response Group's National Center for the Analysis of Violent 
     Crime. It is intended to serve as a guide when conducting 
     assessments of subjects suspected or known to be dangerous. 
     The items included on the checklist were selected primarily 
     on the basis of both law enforcement and mental health 
     experience with violent offenders. Questions about this 
     checklist may be directed to SSA Brantley at (540) 720-4902.
       1. ANGER/LOW FRUSTRATION TOLERANCE--Reacts to stress in 
     self-defeating ways, unable to effectively cope with anxiety, 
     acts out when frustrated. Frustration leads to aggression.
       2. IMPULSIVE--Is quick to act, wants immediate 
     gratification, has little or no consideration for the 
     consequences, lacks insight, has poor judgment, has limited 
     or impaired cognitive filtering (A-C vs. A-B-C).
       3. EMOTIONAL LABILITY/DEPRESSION--Quick-tempered, short-
     fused, hot-headed, ``flick,'' rapid mood swings, moody, 
     sullen, irritable, humorless.
       4. CHILDHOOD ABUSE--Sexual and physical abuse, maternal or 
     paternal deprivation, rejection, abandonment, exposure to 
     violent role models in the home.
       5. LONER--Is isolated and withdrawn, has poor interpersonal 
     relations, has no empathy for others, lacks feelings of guilt 
     and remorse.
       6. OVERLY SENSITIVE--Hypersensitive to criticism and real 
     or perceived slights, suspicious, fearful, distrustful, 
     paranoid.
       7. ALTERED CONSCIOUSNESS--Sees red, ``blanking,'' 
     ``blackouts, derealization/depersonalization (``it's like I 
     wasn't there; it was me but not me''), impaired reality 
     testing, hallucinations.
       8. THREATS OF VIOLENCE--Towards self and/or others, direct, 
     veiled, implied, conditional.
       9. BLAMES OTHERS--Projects blame onto others, fatalistic, 
     external locus of control, avoids personal responsibility for 
     behavior, views self as ``victim'' vs. ``victimizer,'' self-
     centered, sense of entitlement.
       10. CHEMICAL ABUSE--Especially alcohol, opiates, 
     amphetamines, crack, and hallucinogenics (PCP, LSD), an angry 
     drunk, dramatic personality/mood changes when under the 
     influence.
       11. MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS REQUIRING IN-PATIENT 
     HOSPITALIZATION--Especially with arrest history for any 
     offenses prior to hospitalization.

[[Page E1100]]

       12. **HISTORY OF VIOLENCE**--Towards self and others, 
     actual physical force used to injure, harm, or damage. **This 
     category is the most significant in assessing individuals for 
     future dangerousness.**
       13. ODD/BIZARRE BELIEFS--Superstitious, magical thinking, 
     religiosity, sexuality, violent fantasies (especially when 
     violence is eroticized), political, social, delusions.
       14. PHYSICAL PROBLEMS--Congenital defects, severe acne, 
     scars, stuttering, any of which may contribute to poor self-
     image, lack of self-esteem, and isolation. History of head 
     trauma, brain damage/neurological problems.
       15. PREOCCUPATION WITH VIOLENT THEMES--Movies, books, TV, 
     newspaper articles, magazines (detective), music, weapons 
     collections, guns, knives, implements of torture, S&M, Nazi 
     paraphernalia.
       16. PATHOLOGICAL TRIAD/SCHOOL PROBLEMS--Firesetting, 
     enuresis, cruelty to animals, fighting, truancy, temper 
     tantrums, inability to get along with others, rejection of 
     authority.


     
                                  ____
                   Cruelty to Animals Through My Eyes

                            (By Julie Bank)

       Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. I'm 
     honored to be here but I'm saddened by the need to describe 
     the world of animal cruelty to you. You see, I have been 
     crusading against cruelty for over a decade and although I 
     have seen positive results of mine and other advocates' 
     efforts, there still seems to be much to do. Working at the 
     ASPCA has given me a first hand look into the eyes of the 
     victims of abuse and not only the four legged victims. I 
     remember working as an adoption counselor, eager and 
     energetic to find animals a home. One afternoon, a man walked 
     in, he was a tall man, he was dragging a dog that was so thin 
     I could almost count his ribs. The dog had almost no hair and 
     was bleeding from the ears. It had looked like the ears had 
     been chopped off with scissors. You could see the terror and 
     the panic in the dog's eyes as he tried to pull away from the 
     man. Trailing behind the man was a young boy, about eight, 
     carrying a box. The box was filled with puppies. Two of them 
     were already dead. I could swear the boy had the same look in 
     his eyes as the dog. He too was thin, pale, and dirty. The 
     man dumped the dog on the counter, turned to the boy and 
     said, ``I am going to teach that bitch a lesson once and for 
     all.'' When the boy bent down to say goodbye to his once 
     beloved friend, the father smacked the boy in the face, 
     grabbed him by the arm and said, ``Just you wait till we get 
     home.'' The man and the boy left and the dog was humanely 
     euthanized by ASPCA technicians. One of the puppies survived, 
     and is now living in a happy home.
       I think it was that day that I began to recognize the cycle 
     of violence. I couldn't help but wonder what other abuse was 
     occurring in this home since the man was willing to show us a 
     brutal display in the shelter. Was there anything I could do 
     as an individual or as an animal worker to stop the abuse 
     from happening again?
       Eight years later, and a lot of hard work, we have begun to 
     make headway. I am proud to say that the ASPCA is part of a 
     network in NYC which is recognizing that animal abuse is an 
     important piece of the abuse puzzle. The network consists of 
     a whole range of city social service and protection agencies 
     including:
       The NYPD, Administration for Childrens Services, Department 
     of the Aging, Human Resource Agency, Mental health, 
     education, animal welfare, and other public and private 
     agencies.
       NYC Family VISION, as it's called looks at violence as a 
     societal issue and is working on programs to address it. All 
     members of Family VISION bring to the table different 
     perspectives and experiences. Many of us define abuse 
     differently but, no matter what our background is or who the 
     population is we are serving, whether adult, child, or 
     animal, abuse is abuse and must be stopped.
       NYC Family VISION has five goals: Cross training animal, 
     law enforcement, and social service workers to recognize 
     animal and human abuse. For example, In January of this year, 
     ASPCA staff trained 800 Domestic Violence police officers on 
     animal abuse.
       Cross reporting so that we can gather statistics and make 
     sure that the proper agency is informed when an abuse case 
     occurs. Recently, ASPCA humane law enforcement officers went 
     into a home to investigate an animal abuse complaint and 
     found three children under five home alone. They immediately 
     called the Family VISION NYPD and ACS representative and the 
     mother who was found in the local bar was brought up on child 
     abuse charges.
       Intervention which is a new program where adjudicated 
     offenders of animal abuse are sent to the ASPCA by the courts 
     for a twelve-week psycoeducational program.
       Education. As an educator, I recognize the importance of 
     establishing school and family programs that will continue to 
     foster the human animal bond that exists in millions of 
     households. NYC Family VISION is helping educators support 
     their students, and to continue to promote programs that 
     stimulate responsible, empathetic behaviors toward all life.
       Foster care. Helping victims of domestic violence by 
     temporarily placing their animal so they can leave an abusive 
     situation quickly.
       Programs like Family VISION are not limited to NYC. Humane 
     Organizations around the country already understand the 
     impact violence has on humans and animals.
       In Colorado Springs, the DIVERT program receives federal 
     funding to collaboratively review Domestic Violence cases.
       The Toledo Humane Society has developed a comprehensive 
     training program for law enforcement personnel to recognize 
     all forms of abuse.
       At Purdue University, an animal foster care program was 
     developed to address the needs of human victims of domestic 
     violence.
       The Quad Alliance Against Abuse in Alabama run by the 
     Civitan Club, has a logo that reads, ``There's No Excuse for 
     Abuse, Child, Elderly, Spousal, and Animal.''
       And, in Oregon, the Domestic Violence Assistance program's 
     motto reads, ``Protecting Women Children and their Pets.''
       The emergence of programs like the ones mentioned above 
     show a clear recognition by all individuals working on 
     preventing abuse, that abuse does not stand in isolation. 
     Working together to understand family dynamics, the role of 
     each individual (and animal) in the household, and to develop 
     programs to address the needs of the family, can only help to 
     put an end to the awful violence that exists today. As part 
     of the legislative process you have the opportunity to 
     support programs like NYC Family VISION in your community.
       In the past, child abuse used to be considered a family 
     affair where people shouldn't meddle. Today we are all 
     concerned with child abuse. We are becoming more 
     sophisticated to seeing the connection among all abuses.
       It is no longer acceptable to look the other way when 
     someone is hitting an animal on the street.
       It is no longer acceptable to say ``Boys will be boys'' 
     when there is a news report about a peer group setting fire 
     to a cat singeing its whiskers off.
       It's no longer acceptable for the court to let someone off 
     with a slap on the wrist for tying up an animal to a car and 
     dragging it throughout the streets for the whole neighborhood 
     to see.
       Its time that we take animal abuse seriously, look at it 
     for inherent wrongs, and look at it as an indicator of other 
     problems in society. As leaders, you have a responsibility to 
     stand up for all your constituents and their families. If any 
     of you currently have or had a pet in the past, you can 
     remember how important an animal is in the entire picture of 
     a family. I applaud your efforts in the past on behalf of 
     animals, and plead with you to continue to support stronger 
     laws, and programs that can help to solve Americas abuse 
     problem.
       Thank you for this opportunity to speak with you today.


       
                                  ____
                      American Humane Association

                     (Presented By Suzanne Barnard)

       As the jury deliberated the death penalty for convicted 
     pedophile and child murderer Jesse K. Timmendequas, whose 
     crimes were the incentive for Megan's Law, lawyers argued 
     that Timmendequas allegedly endured years of childhood 
     physical and sexual abuse during which family pets were 
     tortured in front of him to ensure his silence. In 
     Janesville, Wisconsin, police arrested a man after finding 
     numerous cats and dogs, in his home, that had been beaten to 
     death. In his statements to police, the man indicated that he 
     had been beaten as a child and killing the animals helped to 
     release his anger. And finally, a teenager accused of 
     murdering his mother and two classmates in Pearl, Mississippi 
     wrote of his torturing and killing of the family pet. He 
     described how he and an accomplice beat his dog, then set it 
     on fire and threw it in a pond . . . ``it was true beauty'', 
     he wrote.
       Good morning, my name is Suzanne Barnard and I am with the 
     Children's Division of the American Humane Association. I am 
     a social worker with over 20 years of experience in the field 
     of child protection.
       My organization has a long history of concern for and 
     involvement in the protection of both children and animals. 
     In 1877 The American Humane Association was founded by those 
     concerned with both animal and child abuse. Using rudimentary 
     animal protection laws to remove an abused child from 
     horrifying conditions, a church worker and an attorney made 
     history with one of the first recorded cases of legal child 
     protection in this country. Today, the fate of children and 
     animals is more linked than ever, and both child welfare 
     organizations and animal protection groups are beginning to 
     refocus their attention on recognizing and responding jointly 
     to abuse, neglect, and cruelty toward both children and 
     animals.
       This refocused attention brings forward several issues for 
     consideration, First, and at the heart of any discussion 
     concerning the links between human and animal abuse must be 
     the understanding that we are not talking about child welfare 
     vs. animal welfare, but rather about creating a more 
     comprehensive response to both children and animals. Second, 
     we must focus attention on teaching children compassion 
     toward animals as a regular part of any school curriculum. 
     Although the issue of the relationship between childhood 
     cruelty to animals and later violence to adults is far from 
     settled, enough information currently exists that illustrates 
     the association between repetitive acts of severe cruelty in 
     childhood and severe antisocial behavior in adulthood. 
     Groundbreaking studies by Alan Felthous,

[[Page E1101]]

     Stephen R. Kellert, Fernando Tapia, Frank Ascoine and others 
     indicate that those who have been cruel toward people share a 
     common dual history of cruelty to animals. There is also a 
     need to research and develop treatment techniques for those 
     children who do show early antisocial behavior toward 
     animals. Third, we must ensure that training for different 
     professions such as social work, psychology, law, law 
     enforcement, veterinary medicine, medicine, animal control 
     and others includes information about the research linking 
     different forms of violence and abuse including child abuse, 
     animal abuse, and domestic violence. Lastly, the significance 
     of these links must be fully explained and understood across 
     professions and specific programmatic linkages and treatment 
     protocols must be created that in practice produce a linked 
     response.
       Those of us who work in child protection know that animal 
     abuse, by a parent or a child is one indicator that abuse may 
     be occurring in the family. Animals, especially pets, get 
     caught in the family ``cycle of violence.'' The sexual abuse 
     of children has also been associated with cruelty to animals. 
     Sometimes, adult perpetrators of abuse will threaten to harm 
     or destroy the family pet if the child victim tells of the 
     abuse.
       Other times, animal abuse may indicate that a child is 
     deeply disturbed as is indicated in the fourth edition of the 
     Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders which 
     includes cruelty to animals as a behavioral characteristic of 
     the diagnosis of conduct disorder.
       My colleague, Dr. Frank Ascione, a Developmental 
     Psychologist at Utah State University, indicated in a chapter 
     we co-wrote that in some cases animal maltreatment may come 
     from the natural curiosity and exploration common in very 
     young children. In those cases, parents or guardians may use 
     existing education programs to help instill values concerning 
     the humane treatment of animals in the children. Peer 
     pressure in the form of group initiation or proof of loyalty 
     or to shock adults may also account for some cases of cruelty 
     to animals where the child, if alone would not have harmed an 
     animal. Children may also mistreat animals if that is what 
     they have learned as a model for animal treatment within the 
     family. If the family practice is the beat or torture animals 
     to discipline them, the child may assume that this is part of 
     regular animal care.
       AHA's campaign against violence toward children and animals 
     has taken us to many states where we have organized 
     collaborative programs in communities, at the grass roots 
     level, and trained both animal control officers and social 
     workers about how to recognize and report abuse. We have also 
     designed a curriculum on recognizing and reporting child 
     abuse and neglect for animal control officers nationally and 
     for third year veterinary medical students in Colorado, where 
     veterinarians are now mandated to report suspected child 
     abuse. We provided support for the passage of legislation, in 
     San Diego, California, that modified an existing municipal 
     code which required animal control officers to report 
     suspected child abuse to additionally require child 
     protection social workers to report abuse of animals.
       On June 4, 1997 Colorado Governor Roy Romer signed HB 1181 
     into law. This historic piece of legislation has both severe 
     financial penalties for animal cruelty and a mandatory 
     requirement for mental health treatment/anger management as 
     part of the penalty phase for convicted adult and juvenile 
     perpetrators of animal cruelty.
       AHA is also working jointly with Dr. Ascione to develop a 
     book titled Children and Animals, Kindness and Cruelty which 
     would be directed at a lay audience, especially parents, 
     counselors, teachers, clergy, children care and other child 
     serving professionals and which will explore the relational 
     issues between cruelty to animals and child development--
     particularly as they pertain to the development of childhood 
     interpersonal skills such as compassion, empathy, and 
     nonviolent problem solving. This is a topic on which very 
     little has been researched or written.
       We urge you to join in our efforts to awaken and inform the 
     public about the need to take both animal abuse and child 
     abuse seriously. By keeping issues like animal cruelty and 
     human violence separate in nature, in implication, and in 
     remedy, we risk taking a dramatic step backward in our 
     efforts to protect both children and animals.
       Some excerpts taken from Protecting Children, a publication 
     of the American Humane Association.

     

                          ____________________