CRUELTY METER!

The young remorseless killer Andres Behring Breivik, who cruelly snuffed out 92 innocent young lives in Oslo recently in a cruel saga that shocked the world, had shown similar traits towards animals in his younger days. He is said to have loved hunting, and enjoyed killing innocent animals. Little surprise then that he shot 25 teenagers dead when they tried to swim away, like shooting fleeing birds.

The increasing violence in schools and society in recent years has, in most cases, began with cruelty to animals.  High-school killers in the USA such as Kip Kinkel and Luke Woodham of USA, tortured animals before starting their shooting sprees as did Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who shot and killed 12 classmates, admitted to mutilating animals.
 Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz, director of the Child Study Center at New York University. says about potential criminals, “You have a child who has symptoms of aggression toward his peers, an interest in fire, cruelty to animals, social isolation; many warning signs that the parents or school have ignored.” 

History is replete with serial killers whose violent tendencies were first directed at animals. Albert DeSalvo (the “Boston Strangler”), who killed 13 women, trapped dogs and cats and shot arrows at them. Dennis Rader (the BTK killer), who terrorized people in Kansas, had hanged a dog and a cat in his teens. A study in Australia revealed that “100 percent of sexual homicide offenders examined had a history of animal cruelty.”

It seems clear that acts of cruelty to animals are not mere indications of a minor personality flaw in the abuser; they are symptomatic of a deep mental disturbance. Research in psychology and criminology shows that people who commit acts of cruelty to animals don’t stop there—many of them move on to their fellow humans. Abuse of innocent helpless animals should ring alarm bells. These people are likely to abuse helpless people in family and society too.

Schools, parents, communities and courts in developed countries are beginning to realize that shrugging off cruelty to animals as a “minor” crime is like ignoring a ticking time bomb. Communities must recognize that abuse to any living being is unacceptable and endangers everyone.

It is worth teaching children to care for and respect animals. After an extensive study of the links between animal abuse and human abuse, two experts concluded, “The evolution of a more gentle and benign relationship in human society might be enhanced by our promotion of a more positive and nurturing ethic between children and animals.”

Parents would do well in not ignoring even minor acts of cruelty to animals by children. If children can be taught to love animals, starting with the most helpless, sad, deserted ones on the streets, they will learn to love fellow humans, their sibs, parents, friends and future spouses as well. But for that, parents and teachers need to lead by example!

As published in HT City(Hindustan Times) dated 16 October, 2011.