I didn’t plan on writing about an article on this subject this morning. Actually, I started writing another article yesterday on a totally different subject. I rarely if ever write on my blog over the week-end, but it was something light and once again showed my “off the wall” kind of sense of humor. So here it is Monday morning and instead of writing something light and amusing, I find myself writing about something dark and not amusing at all.
I was clearing the Sunday newspapers off of my kitchen table and realized that I hadn’t read the magazine section of the paper called “Parade.” So I quickly skimmed the pages as I didn’t plan to read anything but a small article on one of the pages caught my eye. The title read “A New Plan to Stop animal Abuse.” Under a black and white picture of a couple of dogs behind a fence, the words in bold type read: “Convicted pet abusers would be listed online.”
So I read the short but informative article and then went on their website to see if I could find out anything more about this subject. Basically they had the same article on their website as they did in the paper. However, there was a place to vote (which I did) about your opinion if you thought this was a good idea or not. What I liked reading most of all was the letters that some people wrote about voicing their opinion on this subject.
This is what the article had to say. They wanted to know if the public should know if a convicted animal abuser lives or works next door. It seems that there’s a bill before the California legislature that would require adults convicted of felon animal abuse to register with local law enforcement. Their names would be placed in a database similar to the national sex offender’s registry. Other states that are considering animal-abuse registries are New York, Tennessee, and Louisiana.
It’s a known fact that animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against humans. I didn’t know that they are also four times more likely to commit property crimes than those without a history of violence against animals.
Who would the registry include? It would include people that have been convicted of maiming, mutilating, torturing, or killing animals as well as pet hoarders and operators of animal fight rings.
Starting and maintaining a website for this registry isn’t cheap. The website “Pet-Abuse.com” run by volunteers has a database about pet abuse. It costs about $10,000 per year to operate. It now tracks nearly 16,000 accused or convicted animal abusers.
Here is what some readers thought about this idea. Most people didn’t see any difference in abuse to children as abuse to animals. Just a couple of people said the two shouldn’t be compared. The majority felt that the animal suffers just as much pain as the child, so why should these cases be treated any differently? Right or wrong, abuse is abuse no matter who it’s directed at. In my opinion, the animal should not have to be expected to suffer any more pain than we should be able to endure. To read the full article and letters pertaining to it, check it out at: Parade.com/abuse
If it’s a known fact that these monsters that are misfits to society have started their “careers of abuse” by abusing animals, then they need to be stopped before it goes any further. They have scratched and crawled their way to our children’s school yards, the local parks and even sneaks through someone’s bedroom window. This is why in my opinion that the law abiding citizens of a community need to get their law makers attention to this growing epidemic that preys on the innocent starting with the animals. If they can stop it at this level, perhaps they can prevent further abuse in the future. We need to get these predators at the beginning of their “careers” (at the animal level) before it escalates to the abuse of people.
If we had a registry of animal abusers it could help the police department in the future. If they are looking for a criminal that has abused a child or an adult, they could also check the files of the animal abusers as many times as we know this is where it all starts.
If you have ever checked the registry for sex offenders on line, you would be shocked to know who lives down the street from you, and in some cases right next door. And speaking of this subject, I just got an e-mail message from CNN news. This is what it said: “Supreme Court rules federal government can keep some sex offenders locked up after they serve their sentences.” I say take the key, lock them up, and then throw away the key and keep them locked up. In my opinion, you can’t rehabilitate these types of people. They come back out and do the same thing all over again.
Perhaps you might know someone that abuses their animals. He could be even a family member or relative. Most of the time no one turns them in. They couldn’t think of doing this to a loved one, however what they are doing to the animals is disturbing. They choose to look the other way or they don’t want to get involved. It is never easy when the person doing the abuse is someone that you know and love. There are other reasons these people don’t get turned in. Many times it’s because people are afraid of them. The animals that they are abusing can’t speak up. Only we can.
I believe if we don’t do everything that we can to stop animal abuse; the crime rate in this country will continue to rise. If the authorities keep treating animals abuse with a “slap on the wrist” and continue to let these offenders get away with murder than they have no one to blame but themselves. We already live in an angry” out of control” society. Need any further evidence of this? Listen to some of the popular music our children are listening to. Watch some of the television violence laden shows. Go to the movies where the seats are sold out because people need their adrenaline rush through the violence portrayed on the screen. Know than when you see animals being tortured, you are looking at the further of a society numbed by violence and abuse. When this becomes the “norm” and when those who revolt against it are considered the minority, then the shift of good and evil has taken place while we slept. Let’s hope we wake up from this “zombie like sleep” and proclaim that enough is enough……and indeed, we’re not going to take it anymore!
Pay attention to animal abuse. It’s not going to go away anytime soon. It must be stopped. If you love animals whether you’re a pet owner, a show dog breeder, or just a good citizen of your community, get involved. Animal abuse affects us all. If we turn our backs to it, then we’re turning our backs to the further crime in this country. If we don’t want to be abused, robbed, raped or murdered, go after the animal abusers now before it escalates to this level. Make the abusers punishments to animals be just as serious as those done to man. Animal abusers are people abusers!
From the book: "SILENT VICTIMS: RECOGNIZING AND STOPPING ABUSE OF THE FAMILY PET".....this is what one person said after reading this book....."Phenomenal job on this book! Very well written with excellent scenarios and realism. It truly brought out the reality and severity of the link between domestic abuse and animal abuse, with close attentiveness to victims who cannot defend themselves against these crimes. As you read it, you tear a bit, with the reality so vivid. A very well-done book. I recommend it to all Animal Control Officers like myself, law enforcement officers, domestic violence advocates. It really opens your eyes. Thank you Tom Flannigan for sharing so much of your knowledge and experience with us!"
My rating: Stricter punishment for animal abusers: (4)
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