Marcus Vegas/CC by 2.0

Letting our animal companions wander the mean streets is careless and dangerous at any time of year, but that's especially true around Halloween, and even more so if the animal is a black cat. But some people seem to be in extreme denial about the perils that Halloween poses for ebony-colored felines.

Take the Sowards family of Florida. According to a newspaper article, the family let their black cat, Jinxy Boo, outdoors in the late afternoon on Halloween. The next morning, Jinxy Boo showed up on their patio with injuries so severe that she had to be euthanized. A veterinarian suspects that someone may have placed a firecracker in Jinxy Boo's rectum and exploded it.

That's appalling, but get this: According to the article, Jinxy Boo is the third cat the Sowards have lost around Halloween. The third cat! Apparently, the family got her to replace their previous black cat who disappeared on Halloween.

There is no excuse for abusing animals, and anyone who does so is probably a serial killer in training, but if we let our cats or dogs outdoors alone, we are effectively handing our companions over to animal torturers with a sign around their neck that says, "I'm all yours!" Let's promise not to let our beloved animals end up like Jinxy Boo: allow them outdoors only on closely supervised excursions.

Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post

We know that the Boston Strangler did it. So did Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. Like so many others, all these serial killers tortured animals before "graduating" to humans.

That link has raised suspicions about an Oklahoma teen, Nikolas Kerr, who is accused of torturing and killing a 2-month-old kitten. A witness claims that she saw Kerr set the kitten on fire, repeatedly slam the tiny animal into a piece of furniture, and swing the cat by the tail. When asked why he did it, Kerr allegedly said, "'Cause I'm a sociopath." Those actions and words have piqued the interest of prosecutors who are trying to determine the extent of Kerr's involvement in the death of a homeless man known as "Bicycle Bob."

The link between violence against animals and violence against humans is well-established: It's why PETA developed a special booklet for law enforcement officials and prosecutors. It's also why actor Julie Benz—who played the wife of a serial killer who killed animals before moving on to people on Showtime's hit show Dexter—spoke out in a PETA public service announcement. And it's why we always urge anyone who knows of a violent crime against an animal to report it to authorities, pronto.

Written by Karin Bennett

huffingtonpost / CC

The mutilation and slaughter of 19 cats in the South Miami-Dade area of Florida has made national news recently. Now that 18-year-old Tyler Weinman has been arrested and charged in connection with the killings, an article published today points out that the accused cat killer participated in classroom dissections last year.

Fearing Weinman might be a danger to himself and/or others, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer has ordered a psychiatric evaluation—and house arrest if Weinman makes bail—noting, "I'm concerned about his safety and the safety of the community.''

Smart woman. After all, most—if not all—notorious serial killers got their start abusing animals (think Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Son of Sam, and the Boston Strangler, just to name a few). Heck, even the main character in Showtime's popular series Dexter is a serial killer whose first victims were animals.

Parents and educators need to be aware that classroom dissections teach students that it's OK to be cruel. Schools should instead be teaching students to respect life by teaching anatomy via any of the many humane alternatives that are available. That's why we've written to the principal of Weinman's school urging him to stop all animal dissections and replace them with non-animal learning methods, which we are offering to provide free of charge. After all, I'm sure he doesn't want to risk adding any of his students' faces to the "Most Wanted" lists of criminals who "graduated" from dissecting frogs, rats, and cats to killing and cutting up men, women, and children.

Written by Karin Bennett

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winners of the vegan soccer balls are Keren Genet, Rev. Meg Schramm, and Hannah Claire Jarvis. Congratulations!

The World Cup has just started, and you can already spot the true fans. Dedicated soccer (or, if you prefer, "football") enthusiasts all over the world are breaking out their jerseys and dusting off their giant foam fingers.

Before you start practicing your Ronaldinho moves, don't forget to make sure that your ball is cruelty-free. Many sports balls are made of leather, despite the cruelty and human health risks involved in producing it. Hasn't anyone at FIFA ever been to CowsAreCool.com?

For this week's "Win It" Wednesday, we're giving away leather-free soccer balls from Fair Trade Sports so that cows can keep their skins and you can kick butt on the field.

How do you win? Tell us about your favorite animal-friendly athlete in a comment below. The three most fan-crazed comments will win.

The contest ends on July 1, 2009, and we'll choose one comment as the winner on July 3, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Check back every Wednesday for new prizes. Good luck!

Written by Lianne Turner