13 minute read
creative in the way we engage with our animals SUFFERING IN SILENCE
a d v o c a c y Suffering in Silence
In an ongoing, occasional series of articles on dogs and abuse, Beth Napolitano examines elements of animal cruelty syndrome and what current research can teach us about individuals who are more likely to engage in animal abuse
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According to Payne et al. (2015), for the last 15,00030,000 years, humans and dogs have lived together. In fact, the evidence strongly suggests that the two have coevolved (Ollivier et al., 2018; Leathlobhair et al., 2018). Likely, our early ancestors kept the friendlier, tamer wolves around their settlements to help them with hunting and guarding and, in turn, those tamed animals stayed because of the food and shelter they shared with them (Coppinger & Coppinger, 2001). MacLachlan (2010) notes that the more modern tradition of keeping pets may be a “leftover” behavior from our ancestors’ days of working with animals.
The tendency to share our homes with our pets, according to Bradshaw (2017), tends to run in particular cultures and families. Children often imitate their parents, and recent research has discovered that some people have a “petkeeping” gene (Jacobson et al., 2015). That same research shows that people who tend to love animals also tend to have a greater concern for nature in general (Jacobson et al., 2015). Jacobson et al. (2015) have also documented that the pattern of how one interacts with their pets has a genetic link in that 37% of the various pet interaction “styles” are genetically influenced. Environmental factors, lifestyle and early experience account for 6371% of the variation in interaction style.
Canadians for Animal Welfare Reform (CFAWR) (2010) notes that, in homes where early experience and lifestyle include abuse and domestic violence, children raised in that environment are three times more likely to be cruel to animals than children living in nonviolent households. Thirtytwo percent of battered women report their children “had hurt or killed animals” and approximately “60% of college students who witnessed or perpetrated animal cruelty as children also reported experiences with child maltreatment or domestic violence.” (CFAWR, 2010).
The New York Times (2010) documents, in letters from several contributors, cases where the family dog is seen as “disposable property” and taken to the veterinarian for euthanasia, “not because they were aggressive or ill but because they ‘shed too much’ or ‘bark too much.’” Mersereau (2010) continues by noting that, “Until more people come to view themselves not as ‘owners’ of their pets but as ‘guardians’ of their animal companions’ wellbeing, the current cycle of violence, neglect, abuse and abandonment will continue to increase, passed on from one generation to the next.” Words matter.
Terminology and Motivations
According U.S. Legal (2019): “Zoosadism is a term used to refer to the pleasure that an individual gains from the cruelty to animals. The pleasure may be a kind of sexual pleasure. Zoosadism is getting sexually excited by causing harm to animals. It is different from zoophilia (sexual attraction of a human towards a nonhuman animal).” The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (2017) lists animal cruelty as a conduct disorder, “a repetitive and consistent pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others...are violated.” Conduct disorder is a diagnosis that is also associated with those who abuse humans.
CFAWR (2010) lists several motivations for animal abuse, including: • Enhance own sense of aggressiveness.
© Can Stock Photo/chalabala Animal cruelty typically starts to be seen at the age of 12+ years occurring along with other antisocial behaviors
• Shocking others for amusement. • Sense of loss of control over own lifecontrol is gained by abusing animals. • Retaliation against someone by harming their pet. • Sadismjoy of inflicting pain on others. • Imitationsocial learning, child imitates parent. • Sexual gratification. • Boredomabuse of others enhances mood. • Venting of angeranimal is the scapegoat. • Animal hoarding.
As for children who are cruel to animals, according to Johnston (2011), mental health professionals take a child’s age and level of maturity into account when determining if and when professional help is needed. She outlines the following categories: • The Experimenter: (ages 16 or developmentally delayed). This is usually a preschool child who has not developed the cognitive maturity to understand that animals have feelings and are not to be treated as toys. This may be the child's first pet or s/he doesn't have a lot of experience or training on how to take care of a variety of animals. • The "CryforHelp" Abuser: (6/7 12). This is a child who intellectually understands that it is not okay to hurt animals. This behavior is not due to a lack of education, instead, the animal abuse is more likely to be a symptom of a deeper psychological problem. As previously noted, a number of studies have linked childhood animal abuse to domestic violence in the home as well as childhood physical or sexual abuse.
• The ConductDisordered Abuser: (12+) Teens who abuse animals almost always engage in other antisocial behaviors—substance abuse, gang related violence. Sometimes the animal abuse is in conjunction with a deviant peer group (an initiation rite or as a result of peer pressure), while other times it may be used as a way to alleviate boredom or achieve a sense of control (Johnston, 2011).
CFAWR (2010) agrees that teaching and incorporating acts of kindness into our everyday lives is essential to helping young children learn how to interact appropriately with others, including animals. CFAWR (2010) also points out that the link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence is becoming “so well established that many U.S. communities now crosstrain social service and animal control agencies in how to recognize signs of animal abuse as possible indicators of other abusive behaviors.”
Animal Hoarding
Animal hoarding is another form of animal cruelty, explained as a “poorly understood phenomenon which transcends simply owning or caring for more than the typical number of pets… [It] is not about animal sheltering, rescue, or sanctuary, and should not be confused with these legitimate efforts to help animals. It IS about satisfying a human need to accumulate animals and control them, and this need supersedes the needs of the animals involved.” (Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium, 2020). The Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium (HARC) (2020) references this “pathological accumulation of animals” via the following criteria: • Having more than the typical number of companion animals. • Failing to provide even minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter, and veterinary care, with this neglect often resulting in illness and death from starvation, spread of infectious disease, and untreated injury or medical condition. • Denial of the inability to provide this minimum care and the impact of that failure on the animals, the household, and human occupants of the dwelling. • Persistence, despite this failure, in accumulating and controlling animals (HARC, 2020).
HARC (2020) explains further: “The stereotype of an animal hoarder is that of a single, older woman, living alone and socioeconomically disadvantaged. There is support in existing data for that broad generalization. However, it is important to recognize that hoarding knows no age, gender or socioeconomic boundaries. It has been observed in men and women, young and old, married as well as never married or widowed, and in people with professional or whitecollar jobs. There have even been hoarders among human health professionals, veterinarians and
Scientific research can help us understand who is more likely to abuse and neglect animals. Research can also help us understand the motivations behind those who abuse animals. But only the legal system and social service agencies have the ability to change laws and rescue animal from abusive conditions.
veterinary technicians. It is not uncommon for hoarders to be secretive, living essentially a ‘double life’ at work versus at home.”
Frost (2000) explains that “several psychiatric models have been suggested for problematic animal hoarding (Lockwood, 1994) and summarizes them as follows: • The delusional model suggests that people who hoard animals suffer from a highly focused form of delusional disorder. • Patronek (1999) suggests that animal hoarding may be a "warning sign for early stages of dementia," which would suggest a dementia model. • Lockwood (1994) suggests an addictions model based on similarities to substance abuse, including a preoccupation with animals, denial of a problem, excuses for the behavior, isolation from society, claims of persecution, and neglect of personal and environmental conditions. Other evidence consistent with this model comes from research on impulse control problems. • Small numbers of animal hoarders may be explained by a zoophilia model, in which animals serve as sexual gratification (Lockwood, 1994). Although in a few cases reported by the popular media collected animals were the objects of sexual activity, there is little evidence to support this model as a major determinant of this behavior. • Another possible model for animal hoarding is an attachment model in which the individual suffers from early developmental deprivation of parental attachment and is unable to establish close human relationships in adulthood. • Two major features of animal hoarding are consistent with the OCD model. People with this syndrome appear to experience an overwhelming sense of responsibility for preventing imagined harm to animals, and they engage in unrealistic steps to fulfill this responsibility. OCD patients experience this same sense of excessive responsibility for preventing harm and engage in unrealistic ritualization to prevent it. • In addition, Patronek (1999) indicated that over 80% of animal hoarders also hoarded inanimate objects. (Frost, 2000).
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Legalities and Science
Scientific research can help us understand who is more likely to abuse and neglect animals. Research can also help us understand the motivations behind those who abuse animals. But only the legal system and social service agencies have the ability to change laws and rescue animals from abusive conditions. Tudge et al. (2019) report the following: “As a result of political pressure applied by constituents to local governments, fueled by the general growth of the Animal Welfare Movement from the early 20th century onwards…anticruelty laws have become more commonplace and fines increased. Nevertheless, ‘in many countries, states and counties, laws are woefully inadequate to protect the lives of dogs…Where such laws do exist, they are often weak, poorly written and/or not wellenforced, leaving gaping loopholes for perpetrators of animal crimes.’ (Steinker, 2018).
“According to the Humane Society of the United States (2019), a majority of anticruelty laws are ‘limited to cases involving aggravated cruelty, torture or cruelty to companion animals.’ All in all, 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have laws making certain types of animal cruelty a felony offense. (Note: North Dakota classifies it a Class A misdemeanor and South Dakota as a Class 1 misdemeanor.) While 46 of 50 states’ felony provisions are firstoffense provisions, some state laws allow felony charges ‘only if the perpetrator has a previous animal cruelty conviction…Four states (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa and Mississippi) have laws that apply felony charges only to subsequent offenses.’ However, ‘only a fraction of animal cruelty acts are ever reported or successfully prosecuted.’ (Humane Society of the United States, 2019).”
As emotional beings, dogs (and other animals) experience physical and emotional pain, yet, sadly, they will continue to suffer in silence until laws and attitudes universally change to afford them the protection they deserve. n
There Is No Excuse FOR ABUSE It’s time to ban shock collars
I would say that, as with any helping professional, your first and primary obligation is to do no harm, and we have compelling evidence that applying shock, either systematically or randomly, to domestic dogs increases their general level of stress and discomfort. So given that knowledge, there simply is no ethical rationale for using it. Janis Bradley, Director of Communications and Publications, National Canine Research Council
If there’s a tool which causes pain or discomfort, it has the potential of creating other problems. As animal care professionals, I feel that if we...can’t find kinder, gentler ways of doing something, then maybe we are in the wrong profession. Ken Ramirez, Executive VP and CTO, Karen Pryor Clicker Training
“Until these devices are illegal, consumers must
protect themselves and
their dogs by looking beyond the marketing messages of those who profit from their sale and use. It is not
necessary to use electric shock to change behavior. It is not necessary in humans, in zoo species, in marine mammals or in dogs. ”
Jean Donaldson,
Author, Train Your Dog Like a Pro
ShockFree.org
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2017). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-5. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association Bradshaw, J. (2017). The Science Behind why Some People Love Animals and Others Couldn’t Care Less. The Independent Canadians for Animal Welfare Reform. (2010). Animal Cruelty Syndrome Casey, G.C., Sullivan, M., Mersereau, M., & Katz, E.M. (2010, June 25). The Animal Cruelty Syndrome [Letters to the editor]. New York Times Frost, R. (2000). People Who Hoard Animals. Psychiatric Times Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium. (2020). FAQs for Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium. Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University Jacobson, K.C., Hoffman, C.L., Vasilopoulos, T., Kremen, W.S., Panizzon, M.S., Grant, M.D., Lyons, M.J., Xian, H., & Franz, C.E. (2015). Genetic and Environmental Influences on Individual Differences in Frequency of Play with Pets among Middle-Aged Men: A Behavioral Genetic Analysis. Anthrozoös 25(4): 441–456 Johnston, J.E. (2011). Children Who are Cruel to Animals: When to Worry. Psychology Today MacLachlan, M. (2010). Perceptions of Animals across Cultures: Man’s Best Friend or Dirty Beast? Payne, E., Bennett, P.C., & McGreevy, P.D. (2015). Current Perspectives on Attachment and Bonding in the Dog-Human Dyad. Psychology Research and Behavior Management (8):71-9 Tudge, N.J., Nilson, S.J., Millikan, D.A., & Stapleton-Frappell, L.A. (2019). Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People. (n.p.): DogNostics Career Center Publishing Zoosadism [Def.]. (2019). In U.S. Legal
Resources
Antolec, D. (2018). Living in Fear. BARKS from the Guild (31) 54-56 Coppinger, R., & Coppinger, L. (2001). Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior & Evolution. New York, NY: Scribner Frost, R.O., Patronek, G., & Rosenfield, E. (2011). Comparison of Object and Animal Hoarding. Depression and Anxiety 28(10):885-91 Gorman, J. (2016). The Big Search to Find Out Where Dogs Come From. New York Times Leathlobhair, M.N., Perri, A.R., Irving-Pease, E.K., Witt, K.E., & Linderholm, A. (2018). The evolutionary history of dogs in the Americas. Science (361) 6397 81-85 Ollivier, M., Tresset, A., Frantz, L.A.F., Bréhard, S., Bălăşescu, A., Mashkour, M., Boroneanţ, A., Pionnier-Capitan, M., Lebrasseur, O., Arbogast, R-M., Bartosiewicz, L., Debue, K., Rabinovich, R., Sablin, M.V., Larson, G., Hänni, c., Hitte, C., & Vigne, J-D. (2018). Dogs accompanied humans during the Neolithic expansion into Europe. Biology Letters (14) 10 Patronek, G. (1999). Hoarding of Animals: An Under-Recognized Public Health Problem in a Difficult-To-Study Population. Public Health Report 114(1):81-7
Beth Napolitano worked as a staff nurse in hospitals for 40 years. Since retirement, she obtained certification as a pet care technician, level 2, and is currently working for certification as a dog trainer. She volunteers at Courteous Canine, Inc. in Tampa, Florida, and is an AKC Star puppy kindergarten instructor.
