ANIMAL ABUSE CRIME STATISTICS......
There are 75 million dogs and 90 million cats living in households in the United States. These pets are companions and family members.
In 1997 Boston's Northeastern University and the MSPCA did a study that found 70% of all animal abusers have committed at least 1 other crime and that 40% had committed violent crimes against humans.
Studies also found that a history of animal abuse was found in 25% of male criminals, 30% of convicted child molesters, 36% of domestic violence cases and 46% of homicide cases
30% of convicted child molesters and 48% of convicted rapists admitted animal cruelty in their childhood.
In 2000, 7% of animal cruelty cases involved child abuse. The perpetrators either abused the children or force them to witness the cruelty to animals. 13% of the animal cruelty cases involved domestic abuse. And 1% of animal cruelty cases involved elder abuse.
Media-reported animal cruelty cases found that dogs are the most common victims of animal cruelty. Pit bulls, in particular, constitute an increasing percentage of victimized animals. Of 1,880 cases reported in 2007, 64.5 % involved dogs.
18% involved cats and 25% involved other animals…..Pit bulls represent an alarming percentage of canine animal cruelty…IN 2007 pitbulls represented 13 percent of reported animal abuse……..Currently there are still 6 states without felony laws for cruelty to animals…..Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, North Dakota, and South Dakota..
Animal cruelty leads to human violence.
Please consider the following statistics:
In an FBI profile on violent criminals, studies proved that 80% started their pattern of violence by abusing animals. Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Albert De Salvo (The Boston Strangler), Carroll Edward Cole and David Berkowitz are a few of the infamous serial killers who abused animals in their youth.
In a study on battered women, it was found that over 70% of the batterers had acted violently towards the victim's pets.
In a study of men imprisoned for violent crimes verses a closely matched group of non-incarcerated/ nonviolent individuals, 25% of the violent criminals reported cruelty towards animals in their childhood. None of the non-incarcerated men reported a history of animal cruelty.
In a similar study of female offenders, 36% reported a history of animal abuse. None of the non-violent women abused animals.
In a study of 57 families being treated for incidents of child abuse, 88% also abused animals. In two thirds of the cases, it was the abusive parent who had killed or injured the animals to control a child. In one third, the children had abused the animals, using them as scapegoats for their anger.
In a study of 64 men, 48% of convicted rapists and 30% of convicted child molesters admitted to cruelty to animals during their childhood or adolescence.
(For more information see
publications by: Randall Lockwood, Ph.D. and Ann Church - "Deadly Serious:
An FBI Perspective
on Animal Cruelty". Frank R. Ascione, Ph.D. "On the relations between
child maltreatment, domestic violence and cruelty to
animals". Guy R. Hodge, HSUS director of Data and Information Services.)