There is growing awareness that cruelty to animals by children often leads to violence to humans when they become adults. At the extreme, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Albert DeSalvo "the Boston Strangler," and Richard Allen Davis abused animals before brutally maiming and killing their human victims. Of 36 convicted multiple murderers questioned in a 1970's study conducted by the FBI, 46% had committed acts of animal torture as adolescents.

Anthropologist Margaret Mead said, "One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it." This brings to mind the recent trial of teenagers who broke into a humane society shelter and beat to death 16 kittens and cats. They "got away with it" because their sentence of 23 days already served in jail and three years probation was totally inappropriate to their crime, it being compared to a juvenile prank. But at least they were found out and put on probation.

Children who abuse animals may be living in abusive situations, imitating parents who are abusive toward them or other family members. Some children may seek power by hurting the only member of the family more vulnerable than they are - the family companion animal.

USA Today reported that Tom Welch, the future president of the 2002 Winter Olympics returned home from an elephant hunting trip in Africa so he could face charges of domestic violence battery to his wife.

Domestic violence is often accompanied by animal abuse. A pet is used to wield power over a spouse - "if you don't do as I say, I'll kill the cat." Women in this situation are fearful to leave an abusive environment because of concern for a family pet. However, there is help. When Women's Shelters and Humane Societies work together, housing is provided for pets while women seek help through social services and safe houses. Some shelters are offering this service but do not publicize because, theoretically, the batterer could claim the pet from the shelter. This can be avoided by developing a contract that appoints the shelter as the pet's legal custodian, and that transfers ownership to the humane society.

There must be more awareness and cooperation between animal activists, humane societies, social services and women's shelter organizations, and the courts. Animals are considered the low end on the hierarchical structure and judges do not have the training, the interest, nor the time to understand the connection between childhood abuse of animals and adult abuse of humans. There appears to be some improvement in the courts prosecuting young offenders, but the punishment is minimal.

Ever so slowly, animal abuse is becoming recognized as a serious crime, as well as a potential precursor to human violence. New programs designed to break the cycle of violence are emerging, most notably, the National Cruelty Investigations School. A joint venture of the American Humane Association and the Law Enforcement Training Institute at the University of Missouri, NCIS offers training for cruelty investigators, sheriff's and police officers responsible for enforcing anti-cruelty statutes.

FBI Special Agent Alan Brantly says, "...You can look at cruelty to animals and cruelty to humans as a continuum." Recognition of the link between cruelty towards animals and more general violence is now incorporated into FBI routine procedure.

Judges and prosecutors are in a unique position to break the link between animal/human abuse by meting out appropriate sentences and providing counseling when fitting. On request, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) offers pro bono legal research and support, as well as seminars for judges and prosecutors, through its Zero Tolerance for Cruelty program. (ALDF, Lincoln Ave., San Rafael, CA 94901. (415) 459-0885.)

What can you do? Report any incidences of animal abuse by children to local authorities, and follow up to see that appropriate action is taken. You will be doing them a kindness which they may not appreciate until their later years!

The tragic reality is that animal cruelty is directly related to human violence. When cases of animal cruelty go untried or are dealt with insufficiently, there are human consequences. Effective handling of animal cruelty cases by law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and the courts can mean the difference between curbing violence and permitting it to escalate. HELP BREAK THE LINK! O