Violence to Animals Often Doesn't Stop There

Sometimes, cruelty to animals is viewed as a childhood prank and chalked up to the old adage "boys will be boys." But it is dangerous to ignore statistics that show that kids who hurt animals may be on a dangerous path that will only get worse if not corrected. Studies have shown that violent and aggressive criminals are more likely to have abused animals as children than criminals considered non-aggressive. In fact, the National Parent Teacher Congress stated: "Children trained to extend justice, kindness and mercy to animals naturally become more just, kind, and merciful in their treatment of one another. The cultivation of compassion for [animals] is the beginning of that wider humanity which includes [human beings] of every race and creed."

Edie Falco PSA
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The consequences of ignoring this crucial link are deadly:

As a child, serial killer and rapist Ted Bundy—ultimately convicted of two killings but suspected of murdering more than 40 women—witnessed his father's violence toward animals, and he himself subsequently tortured animals.

Serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer impaled the heads of dogs and cats on sticks.

Luke Woodham, 16, shot and killed two of his classmates and injured seven others after stabbing his mother to death. Woodham's journal revealed that in a moment of what he called "true beauty," he and a friend had beaten, burned, and tortured his own dog, Sparkle, to death.

Kip Kinkel, 15, killed his parents and opened fire in his high school cafeteria, killing two and injuring 22 others. He had a history of animal abuse and torture, having boasted about blowing up a cow and killing cats, chipmunks, and squirrels by putting lit firecrackers in their mouths.

In the Line of Duty's "Animal Abuse: Why Cops Can and Need to Stop It" is a graphic portrayal of the link between animal abuse and violence toward humans. Designed to train law enforcement officials on the importance of prosecuting cases of cruelty to animals, this video contains graphic footage of abuse.

If you are a prosecutor interested in learning more about the link between violence to animals and violence to humans, please contact us to receive a free copy of PETA's Prosecutor Booklet.

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