Obie, pictured here, was riddled with scars and fresh stab wounds. The attack on him was an early-warning sign of a violence that would eventually escalate to other members of the family. Thankfully, the family survived, and Obie has found himself in the safe care of Gordon’s Bay Animal Shelter.

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Nature-based Education asked therapists and psychologists to help explain the connection between animal abuse and human violence and how the one develops into the other.

 

Here are some pointers:

• Control: An abusive/violent person tries to control the animal and eliminate characteristics considered undesirable. This is often the same motivation for child and spouse abuse.

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• Retaliation: An abusive/violent person retaliates against a perceived wrong-doing by the animal.  This is often the same motivation for child and spouse abuse.

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• Prejudice: An abusive/violent person tries to satisfy a prejudice against a species or breed. Similarly, domestic abusers generally have a prejudice against women, a lack of respect for them, or feel intimidated by their success.

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• Bravado: An abusive/violent person tries to impress others by a show of violence against an animal. Similarly, domestic abusers often treat their spouses or children disrespectfully in front of their friends.

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• Revenge: An abusive/violent person tries to take revenge on another person by harming that person’s pet.

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• Mental disorder: An abusive/violent person tries to satisfy a mental disorder whereby acts of cruelty give relief or even pleasure. This applies to domestic violence as well as animal abuse.

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• Power: An abusive/violent person tries to gain a sense of power through violence against those who cannot fight back.

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• Young children who are cruel to animals are often acting out the hostility and violence that is perpetrated against them by adults.