Thirty years of recent science has yielded evidence of a significant connection between animal cruelty and human violence. Please consider the following:

FACT In one study of American households, it was determined that animals are abused in 88% of families in which children are abused. [DeViney, Dickert, Lockwood, 1983]

FACT In a separate study, researchers found that 62% of women who were battered indicated their children had witnessed animal abuse. [Ascione, Weber, 1997]

FACT A survey of sexual homicide perpetrators revealed that 36% of the offenders had abused animals in childhood, 46% in adolescence, and 36% in adulthood. [Ressler, Burgess, Douglas, 1988]

FACT Many of the most notorious American serial killers are known to have episodes of animal cruelty in their pasts. Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, “Son of Sam” David Berkowitz, and “Boston Strangler” Albert DeSalvo all began their murderous careers with acts of animal cruelty. [Humane Society of the United States]

FACT Investigations of school shootings in Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Oregon and Colorado have revealed that many of the offenders had abused animals before turning their guns on fellow students. [2000: Year of the Humane Child]

For more information on the cruelty-violence link, please CLICK HERE.

Animal Welfare activists from all over KY rally at the capitol for the Felony Cruelty bill.