Animal cruelty may lead to human violence

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Animal Abuse and Violent Offending

Animal abuse and interpersonal violence toward humans share common characteristics: both types of victims are living creatures, have a capacity for experiencing pain and distress, can display physical signs of their pain and distress (with which humans could empathize), and may die as a result of inflicted injuries. Given these commonalities, it is not surprising that early research in this area, much of it using retrospective assessment, examined the relation between childhood histories of animal abuse and later violent offending.

Kellert and Felthous (1985) found that violent, incarcerated men reported higher rates of "substantial cruelty to animals" in childhood (25 percent) than a comparison group of nonincarcerated men (0 percent). A similar difference emerged in a study of assaultive and nonassaultive women offenders (Felthous and Yudowitz, 1977): 36 percent of the former group reported cruelty to animals compared with 0 percent of the latter.

Miller and Knutson (1997) examined self-reports of animal abuse by 299 inmates incarcerated for various felony offenses and 308 introductory psychology class undergraduates.2 The percentages of inmates and undergraduates, respectively, reporting the following types of animal abuse were as follows: "Hurt an animal?" 16.4 percent and 9.7 percent, "Killed a stray?" 32.8 percent and 14.3 percent, and "Killed a pet?" 12 percent and 3.2 percent.

More recently, Schiff, Louw, and Ascione (1999) surveyed 117 men incarcerated in a South African prison about their childhood animal abuse. Of the 58 men who had committed crimes of aggression, 63.3 percent admitted to cruelty to animals; of the 59 nonaggressive inmates, the percentage was 10.5 percent.

In a study of 28 convicted, incarcerated sexual homicide perpetrators (all men), Ressler, Burgess, and Douglas (1988) assessed the men’s self-reports of cruelty to animals in childhood and adolescence. Childhood animal abuse was reported by 36 percent of the perpetrators, and 46 percent admitted to abusing animals as adolescents. Thirty-six percent of these men said they had also abused animals in adulthood. In a study by Tingle et al. (1986) of 64 convicted male sex offenders, animal abuse in childhood or adolescence was reported by 48 percent of the rapists and 30 percent of the child molesters.

Taken together, these studies suggest that animal abuse may be characteristic of the developmental histories of between one in four and nearly two in three violent adult offenders.

http://www.helpinganimals.com/Factsheet/files/FactsheetDisplay.asp?ID=132

https://community.hsus.org/campaign/HSL ... xplanation

http://www.ncjrs.gov/html/ojjdp/jjbul20 ... page4.html

"Cruel acts toward animals have long been recognized as indicators of a dangerous psychopathy that often claims more than animal victims. “Murderers ... very often start out by killing and torturing animals as kids,” according to Robert K. Ressler, who developed profiles of serial killers for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).(1) Studies have now convinced sociologists, lawmakers, law enforcement officials, and the courts that acts of cruelty to animals deserve our attention. They can be the first sign of a violent pathology that includes human victims."

PETA and the HSUS advocate the mass sterilization of all pets. They have worked to pass laws that force the murder of a lot of pets using species as an excuse. That makes them violent psychopaths.

I believe this is how Dahmer got started.

PETA and the HSUS advocate the mass sterilization of all pets. They have worked to pass laws that force the murder of a lot of pets using species as an excuse. That makes them violent psychopaths.

Here's the big problem when PETA and HSUS (essentially the same organization) push something that sounds like it's good for the animals: It isn't. They hate pet ownership and have announced it publicly, even taking into account some of the words that they have said to the contrary. They will accuse any pet owner of being an abuser for any reason or no reason at all. They are making this kind of announcement to push the idea that anyone who is accused of abuse is the same thing as a murderer or a child abuser. They want to abolish ownership by turning other people against owners of animals. HSUS pretends to be less radical about it but they are like the respectable face of PETA and PETA is the respectable face of ALF, which sets people's houses on fire for going about their legal business.

www.activistcash.com , use their menus to get to the information about the HSUS.

www.petakillsanimals.com

So your saying that because of some of their stances being incorrect that everything they say is also incorrect?

It doesn't have to be ALL to be statistically valid.

Have you stopped beating your dog?

They use what seems like good information to support bad stances. Sometimes they use information that is undoubtedly true, like a person should not beat a dog for the fun of it. Sometimes they use ambivalent ideas like the ones that you quoted. When they put out the information that they choose to publish, it is because they intend to use people. That information is their tool that they use to manipulate people.

So let's follow a truly evil organization because they have some good ideas, right? We know which German political party had a lot of good ideas in the 1930s. Following the HSUS proves that people have learned nothing from this. There are a lot of people who want to experience it all over again, too. 1930s Germany also had an active animal rights movement, hard to believe.

Good ideas can be used to lead to evil ends, over and over again. The attempts to reduce crime in Germany and to ensure humane care led to mass slaughter. The efforts of the HSUS and PETA have already caused mass slaughter of animals, and by the ideas that they want us to believe, albeit selectively and without scrutiny, that will lead to the mass slaughter of humans, something that Peter Singer and Ingrid Newkirk advocate.

So are you saying that PETA and the HSUS are needed to make sure that people treat animals humanely? I don't see it. We had humane laws before they came along. People knew how to care for animals. PETA and the HSUS have not made things better, they have just made it harder to own animals.

That's right. He started on roadkill first.

Animal Abuse and Violent Offending

Animal abuse and interpersonal violence toward humans share common characteristics: both types of victims are living creatures, have a capacity for experiencing pain and distress, can display physical signs of their pain and distress (with which humans could empathize), and may die as a result of inflicted injuries. Given these commonalities, it is not surprising that early research in this area, much of it using retrospective assessment, examined the relation between childhood histories of animal abuse and later violent offending.

Kellert and Felthous (1985) found that violent, incarcerated men reported higher rates of "substantial cruelty to animals" in childhood (25 percent) than a comparison group of nonincarcerated men (0 percent). A similar difference emerged in a study of assaultive and nonassaultive women offenders (Felthous and Yudowitz, 1977): 36 percent of the former group reported cruelty to animals compared with 0 percent of the latter.

Miller and Knutson (1997) examined self-reports of animal abuse by 299 inmates incarcerated for various felony offenses and 308 introductory psychology class undergraduates.2 The percentages of inmates and undergraduates, respectively, reporting the following types of animal abuse were as follows: "Hurt an animal?" 16.4 percent and 9.7 percent, "Killed a stray?" 32.8 percent and 14.3 percent, and "Killed a pet?" 12 percent and 3.2 percent.

More recently, Schiff, Louw, and Ascione (1999) surveyed 117 men incarcerated in a South African prison about their childhood animal abuse. Of the 58 men who had committed crimes of aggression, 63.3 percent admitted to cruelty to animals; of the 59 nonaggressive inmates, the percentage was 10.5 percent.

In a study of 28 convicted, incarcerated sexual homicide perpetrators (all men), Ressler, Burgess, and Douglas (1988) assessed the men’s self-reports of cruelty to animals in childhood and adolescence. Childhood animal abuse was reported by 36 percent of the perpetrators, and 46 percent admitted to abusing animals as adolescents. Thirty-six percent of these men said they had also abused animals in adulthood. In a study by Tingle et al. (1986) of 64 convicted male sex offenders, animal abuse in childhood or adolescence was reported by 48 percent of the rapists and 30 percent of the child molesters.

Taken together, these studies suggest that animal abuse may be characteristic of the developmental histories of between one in four and nearly two in three violent adult offenders.

So what do you think Ben?

I agree with you on much of what you just said, but the thing that really disturbs me is the thought that many people believe they are incomparable to the animal kingdom.. I think this stunts a spirtual growth, if you will, that makes humans incapable of realizing their connection to our planet.

I also wondered with the factoids you included that if those who are psychopathic, do they see humans as animals, and the relative theory above?