Animal Cruelty and Family Violence: Making the Connection

Pets are part of the family in the majority of American households, where nearly ¾ of families with school-age children have at least one companion animal. These animals are often treated like members of the family, but if the family is experiencing violence they can become targets as well. Pets are often an important source of comfort and stability to the victims of abuse, particularly children. But abusive family members may threaten, injure, or kill pets, often as a way of threatening of controlling others in the family.

A 1997 survey of 50 of the largest shelters for battered women in the United States found that 85% of women and 63% of children entering shelters discussed incidents of pet abuse in the family. Children who have witnessed domestic violence or who have been the victim of physical or sexual abuse may also become animal abusers themselves, imitating the violence they have seen or experienced. A study conducted in 1995 noted that 32% of the pet-owning victims of domestic abuse reported that one or more of their children had hurt or killed a pet. Similarly, a 1983 study noted that children were reported to be abusive to animals in more than 1/3 of a sample of pet-owning families referred to New Jersey’s Division of Youth and Family Services for suspected child abuse.

Why do batterers threaten, abuse, or kill animals?

To demonstrate and confirm power and control over the family.
To isolate the victim and children.
To eliminate competition for attention.
To force the family to keep violence a secret.
To teach submission.
To retaliate for acts of independence and self-determination.
To perpetuate the context of terror.
To prevent the victim from leaving or coerce her/him to return.
To punish the victim for leaving.
To degrade the victim through involvement in the abuse.

Why should we recognize animal abuse as a form of battering?

Animal abuse exposes the deliberateness of battering rather than loss of control.
Animal abuse and child abuse are closely related.
Animal abuse is often a tool used by batterers to emotionally control or coerce victims.
Threatening, injuring, or killing animals can indicate the potential for increased violence or lethality.
Victims may postpone leaving out of fear for their pets’ safety.
Identifying animal abusers can help identify other victims of violence within the family.

The Humane Society of the United States

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