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Animal Abuse and the Complex Connection to You will find Sierra County, California, sharing the sagebrush covered Nevada-California border just to the west of Reno. Pine tree covered mountains form a ring that creates the Sierra Valley, lush land that feeds cattle and grows hay in abundance. The mountains provide the summer and winter playgrounds that attract year 'round vacationers in search of a relaxing respite from the city. The county is separated into two distinct regions by the Yuba Pass at 6,708 feet elevation. Both Downieville and Loyalton, the county's two largest communities, house offices for county government including Sierra County Health and Human Services. The total county population is approximately 3,600 inhabitants. It is estimated that 421 individuals range in age from 10 to 19 years. Sierra County is a wonderful place to live and raise children. Although this county is small by some means of measurement, it is large in others. There are members of various organizations that are "big" on the county's children. One of these organizations is the Maternal, Child, Adolescent Health Advisory Board. It has been in operation for only four years and has initiated some interesting and positive projects (i.e. Child Safety Car Seat Program, Immunization Incentives, and Baby Think It Over) . This board works hard and has been successful in identifying and promoting opportunities to make a difference in the lives of women, teens, and young children in the county. One of the committees that has developed from the MCAH Board is the Teen Life Committee. The members of this group are concerned with examining issues that relate to the teens in our county. They consider everything from teen pregnancy, teen substance abuse, teen suicide, to teen violence. One key focus has become identifying prevention options that might influence the incidence of negative teen behavior. The committee realizes that teen years are a difficult time, amplified by present day violent occurrences that are witnessed seemingly on a daily basis on television and on the front pages of newspapers. It also recognizes that outnumbering problem teens are the teenagers who apply themselves at school, work at minimum wage jobs, and contribute to their families, schools, churches, and communities. Unfortunately, these teens do not create the bulk of sensational daily news. Two of the members of this committee, Vickee Greer and Denise Langston, have recently established the TVA (Teens, Violence, and Abuse) subcommittee that is currently dedicated to researching the connection between issues of teen violence, child abuse, and animal abuse. This article is about the concern and motivation that fuels their research and what it is revealing. All of the private and government organizations in Sierra County perform a wide variety of valuable services for its residents. Vickee works for the county and coordinates services for the CHDP (Child Health and Disability Prevention) and the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) programs. She has been involved with the MCAH Advisory Board since its inception and is currently serving as chairperson. Vickee finds this particular board an exciting forum with unlimited potential. The board has increased to eighteen participants with outside interest still growing. There are members who work in a professional capacity and others who work raising their families…and combinations of everything in between. Those members directly involved in health, social services, education, child resources, family outreach, and victim rights receive increasing quantities of information regarding the issues of family violence, teen violence, and child abuse. Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services has publicly recognized that violence has reached epidemic proportions, is spreading, and is preventable. Vickee began the initial search for information regarding teen violence and child abuse. Data on the Internet from a variety of websites steered her, not only to articles pertaining to child abuse, but also to animal abuse. She knew that Sierra County had experienced incidents of animal abuse, not unlike any other county in any other state. Some of these cases are still under investigation. Often proof to substantiate charges and to provide a conviction is elusive. The Health and Human Services agency is always concerned with the potential for child abuse and in many cases its employees are mandated reporters. This means that, if an employee believes they have witnessed or have reason to suspect child abuse, they are required to report what they know to Child Protective Services. After a report is filed the case is investigated.
Rumors had spread in Loyalton that some of the more current incidents of animal abuse had been inflicted by teens. Vickee called Denise Langston and sought out her professional and personal opinion regarding general occurrences of animal abuse and the possibility of teen involvement in surrounding counties. Denise has been very involved in the local counties with both children and animals. She has been a foster parent for many troubled children who were in need of a structured and caring environment. Until recently she owned and operated Whispering Rivers Kennel. Over the years she has been compelled to rescue innumerable animals from "death rows" and find homes for them. She has an extensive background that includes working as a veterinary technician, raising dogs for Guide Dogs for the Blind, 4-H dog leader to the area for twelve years, and more. Vickee felt that for information on both animal abuse and teens, Denise was a reputable source and an excellent place to start. Vickee's basis for concern regarding this connection of violence and abuse was driven by her own interest in animals. She has trained, shown, and taught dog obedience during the past 28 years. She has accumulated animals throughout the years (canine and equine) with histories of neglect, improper handling, and both physical and psychological abuse. Once they get to Vickee it takes a lot of time, usually years, to undo the damage that has been inflicted by human hands. Most of them can be saved and learn to trust again. A few have been unreachable. Her discussion with Denise left no doubt that animal abuse in Sierra County and surrounding counties is a definite and ongoing issue. That evening she looked to the Internet for additional information regarding these problems. She found innumerable websites regarding child abuse and animal abuse. The connection between child abuse and animal abuse is vividly and unquestionably made at the websites for the Humane Society of the United States (www.hsus.org/index.html) and the American Humane Association (www://amerhumane.org). The AHA states in its booklet, A Parent's Guide to Growing Up HUMANE in a Violent World, "Over the last two decades, scientists, psychologists, and criminologists have been documenting The Link-as it is commonly referred to-between violence towards animals and violence towards people." Truckee Animal Control in Truckee, California, is the contract agency for animal control in Sierra County. Dan Olsen, Animal Control Supervisor, provided current information regarding these issues. He mentioned that their Animal Control officers receive training in the identification and reporting of child abuse. They are required to report any known or suspected child abuse. Dan stated, "The link between animal abuse and domestic violence has been well documented. Usually the animals are the last in a line of abuse that starts with the head of the family, and filters down through the children. In some cases animals have been injured or even killed as a form of punishment towards the children. Abused children may act out aggression and frustration on a pet that they perceive as more vulnerable than they are." Ann Werner, Social Worker for Sierra County, indicated that at the annual OCAP (Office of Child Abuse Prevention) meetings participants are given updated information on animal abuse. She stated, "Rules regarding animals are different than rules for children. Rescuing an animal is much easier and more simplified than rescuing a child. Animal Control officers have a very different authority than CPS (Child Protective Services) workers." She further explained, "The restrictions on me are much greater. A law enforcement official may detain at the first contact if a child is in immediate danger; otherwise, I do not have the authority to cite, arrest, or to remove a neglected child on my first visit. I am required to build a case before we can proceed." In regard to the issues in question, Ann says, "It is well known and very common to find a connection involving animal abuse, child abuse, and spousal abuse. It is very difficult when we are talking about analyzing why these certain situations occur and what we can do to solve them. The difficulty is that the problems are not that simple because humans are not that simple." Ann has made referrals to Animal Control and they have made referrals to her. She feels comfortable with the communication between agencies in the county and the ability to assess a situation. "When I go into a house I look for the same things in the animals as I do in the children. I'm looking for obvious signs of being mistreated (i.e. bruises, cuts, swelling, etc…), malnourished, or neglected." Sierra County Senior Mental Health Therapist, Diana Swanson, has contributed books and articles to the research project. She has discussed with Vickee different professional opinions as to how and why the cycles of teen violence, child abuse, and animal abuse begin. If a teen is the perpetrator of animal abuse, once the behavior starts can it be stopped? What events occur to prompt a youth to torch a cat and do those events have any similarity to youths who beat and kill a schoolmate? The bottom line is that there is no simple and fast solution. CHILD RESCUED USING ANIMAL PROTECTION LAWS IN 1877 Working together as professionals, we can strive to bring to the fore the issues that must be confronted in building a linked response. First, and at the heart of the matter, is the realization that we are not talking about child welfare vs. animal welfare, but rather about creating a more comprehensive response to both children and animals. Second is as an emphasis on the philosophy that by teaching, advocating for, and practicing compassion and empathy toward both children and animals we produce a more compassionate, less violent society. This includes teaching children compassion toward animals, since research has shown that children who are cruel to animals may later act out those propensities against human beings." (Protecting Children, Vol. 13, No. 2, 1997, AHA) Research supports that the lessons children need to learn about compassion and empathy for both animals and humans should be started as infants and taught by their parents. In this way children learn with supervision how to interact with others and how to care, handle, and nurture animals. Sometimes it is negative parental practices or missing guidance that lay the groundwork for potential abuse by children. Sixty percent of children under 18 years of age lack full-time supervision and this percentage is climbing (Juvenile Crime Papers, www.frisk.com/not/juvcrime.html). President Bill Clinton stated in January during his 1998 State of the Union Address, "And I ask you to dramatically expand our support for after-school programs. I think every American should know that the most juvenile crime is committed between the hours of 3:00 in the afternoon and 8:00 at night. We can keep so many of our children out of trouble in the first place if we give them someplace to go other than the streets, and we ought to do it." In his article The Relationship Between Animal Abuse and Other Forms of Family Violence by Phil Arkow, he states, "Abuse against animals, when perpetrated or observed by juveniles, has a pernicious capability of evolving into generalized desensitization to violence and into acts of violence in adulthood. Children who observe domestic violence may imitate abusive behaviors through violent acts against animals. For these reasons, domestic violence prevention agencies are encouraged to interface with animal protection organizations to explore common interests and opportunities for professional interaction, including referrals, community awareness programs, cross-training, and joint service programs." Dorann Boulian, Consulting Psychologist for Sierra County, indicates that as part of a psychological assessment she asks children if they have ever deliberately injured or killed animals. When she is given a positive response from the child and informs the parent, she is surprised and alarmed by a not so infrequent response: "So?…" She will then ask the parent "Aren't you concerned that your child deliberately hurts or kills animals?" and some parents will say, "Should I be?" Dorann sees situations where violence is "excused" by people who believe that "boys will be boys." She believes that not taking violent behavior seriously when a child is young can lead to more extreme behavior as the child develops. An adolescent increases delinquent behavior and may engage in criminal behavior when left undisciplined for inappropriate acts. "It is the detachment from the act, a total lack of remorse and lack of conscience that is so troubling", states Dorann as she describes individuals guilty of violent acts of abuse. Dorann says, "Another problem that is becoming more prevalent
is children abusing their parents. The system does not often penalize a child for parent
abuse. There are many situations where children, who have histories of animal abuse,
firesetting, bullying, and violent behavior at school, begin to abuse their parents and
take control of their parents' lives. This makes parents vulnerable and fearful of their
children. Getting to the root of violent acts at an early age and intervening to prevent
them may help curb the continuation of violence into adolescence and adulthood." Drawing from her experience with both children and animals, Denise Langston personally believes that some juveniles abuse animals because they have been the victims of abuse themselves or their family pet has been the victim of animal abuse at the hands of the parent. Denise explains, "Some of these youths become hardened and withdraw from animals so they can't be hurt that deeply again. Some juveniles start taking out their frustration and anger on something more vulnerable than themselves, a helpless animal. When they abuse the animal they get immediate feedback that they have hurt a living being." Ann Werner, Social Worker, supports the belief that often teen violence is directed towards animals as a release of rage against other aspects of their lives. This is an indicator in a psychological assessment. Sometimes this is the way that teens get placed into the system. "A teen that abuses anyone or anything else doesn't act this way because they are a happy kid. In many cases teens are coming from an environment where there is a lack of nurturing, value teaching, and consistency." She continues, " It is my personal opinion that the overwhelming amount of violence on TV and in the movies contributes to a distortion of reality. A young person can say they want to "kill" someone just to see "how it feels." When questioned further they may state "they don't really want to hurt anyone." This indicates that a chain of events WITH consequences is not hooked together in their reasoning." She also acknowledges, "Teenagers are at a stage in development where they tend to believe that they are invincible, that they know a lot more than they really do, and that their parents know a lot less than they really do." Ann adds "The influence of genetics and other predispositions cannot be overlooked when examining socially negative teen behavior." * During his or her lifetime, a child of 12 will have
seen over 200,000 acts of violence on television, and many will witness well over 40,000
murders. Vickee agrees and says "Learning disabilities, peer groups, mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, economic status, access to guns, etc…and any combination, thereof, can play a powerful role influencing youths to commit crimes of violence. However, we need to keep in mind that there are many teens who have issues in these categories who never commit a violent act in their lives. Risk factors for juvenile violence are not merely excuses." She adds that a comprehensive list of factors associated with increased risk of violent behavior was published in, Juvenile Violence-- a Guide To Research (a cooperative effort of the National Association of Women Judges, ABA National Conference of State Trial Judges, and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, 1996). William S. Cohen, United States Senator from Maine stated in his paper Cycle of Violence, "…psychologists and criminologists tell us those who lack empathy for animals may also lack empathy for humans." He continues, "Aggression is passed from one generation to another." He adds, "Most importantly these signals (identified by the FBI as clusters of traits: firesetting, cruelty to animals, truancy, etc.) should not be treated as isolated events, but rather trigger responses from the educators, criminal justice professionals, public health officials, and animal control specialists, working in concert." Senator Cohen states, "In 1994 the National Research Council released a comprehensive study on Understanding and Preventing Violence, showing that childhood behavior is more important than teenage behavior in predicting future violent behavior. The report suggests that early prevention efforts have a greater potential for reducing adult crime than criminal sanctions applied later in life." Sierra County Sheriff Lee Adams was asked if he has seen an increase in reported incidents of violence. He replied, "In my nineteen years here, I have not noted any strong trends either way, although there have been isolated incidents that can skew the statistics." Regarding domestic violence Sheriff Adams stated, "In the last ten years there has been an increase in domestic violence reports, sometimes in the form of a restraining order. In all fairness, California laws have changed and the fact that it (domestic violence) is more public than in previous years could have an effect on the increased reporting." The Sheriff affirmed that his officers are interested in receiving training that might be available on these current issues. Sara Wright, Victim Advocate, for the Victim/Witness Assistance Program in Sierra County states, "In my experience, anyone who starts abusing animals as a youngster, is laying the groundwork to abuse their spouse or children as an adult." Sara continues, "I see situations where domestic violence involves spousal abuse and/or child abuse and/or animal abuse. Some women are very afraid to leave a dangerous relationship. They fear not only for their own lives and safety but also that of their children and pets. I have discovered that some adults use their children and animals in the same vicious way. They use fear against others. It becomes a power and control struggle." Suzanne Barnard, a social worker with the Children's Division, American Humane Association, testified in January to a Colorado House Agriculture Committee meeting, "There is a consistent link between animal cruelty and sexual violence. It can also be a tipoff that leads to discovery of sexual crimes at home." She stated, "Many times we've found that perpetrators of sexual abuse against children threaten or kill animals in their presence to frighten a child into silence." At least 70 percent of men who batter their partners also sexually or physically abuse their children. Domestic violence is the "single major precursor to child abuse and neglect fatalities in the United States." A Nation's Shame: Fatal Child Abuse and Neglect in the United
States. MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE The purpose of this article has been to demonstrate how Sierra County is researching for ways to make a difference in regards to teen violence, child abuse, and animal abuse. Working for the education and prevention of these social issues pertains to every human being in our society. The issues represented here are a fraction of the associated problems. We will all have to work together to choose effective tactics for prevention. It will require our commitment for a very, very long time. But, before we can plan a strategy for change, we must carefully examine the "battlefield". When children are killing and being killed; when children hurt, go hungry, and cry themselves to sleep every night; when innocent animals suffer and die needless painful deaths at the hands of children; then it is safe to consider the challenges ahead are a battle for life and death. Every city, community, and county must research it's own special needs. Research does not merely mean to reach for a book to gain information. We can start by talking with our neighbors, churches, and community professionals. We can surf the Internet where there is a wealth of knowledge available at our fingertips. We can go to our libraries and research through books, magazines, newspapers, etc… Perhaps we should start by talking within our families and working harder to spend quality time with our children. This is where both love of man and animal begin for subsequent generations. Where to locate statistics for research is the easiest part of the
process. How we begin to implement that knowledge to work for the health and well being of
our children, teens, and animals is the hardest. As the MCAH Advisory Board moves past the
research phase, we will work to create ways to prevent physical and mental cruelty in our
homes and communities. If we make a difference in the life of one child who would have
become the abused, in the life of one teen who would have become the aggressor, and in the
life of one animal which would have become the tortured; then our work was worthwhile.
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