Why would someone be cruel to their pet?

All too frequently we read of sickening cases of cruelty to pets
in local and national newspapers. Why is it, we ask, that some
‘human’ creatures inflict suffering upon other creatures that
are usually smaller and defenseless? Why do they take pets into
their homes only to treat them with less than respect and with a
great deal of contempt?

Often the reason these animal abusers obtain a pet is the same
reason that they end up treating the animal cruelly. And that
reason is control. They may not consciously think “I need
something to control so I will get myself a pet”, but the fact
remains that rarely do these people keep a pet just for
companionship and something to love, but to have a living thing
under their control.

People that deliberately hurt animals do so because it gives
them a feeling of power. Perhaps these ‘people’ feel undervalued
within their family, or within society. Perhaps they have an
inflated sense of how much they should be valued. Hence, these
sick beings take out their frustrations on helpless pets.

Often sadistic acts of animal abuse are one step away from
abusing humans.

In a shocking amount of cases, those that commit terrible acts
of violence to people, serial killers, child abusers, spouse
beaters and rapists, have a history of animal abuse. As a youth
Albert DeSalvo (the Boston strangler) trapped cats and dogs in
crates and abused them. Peter Kurten (the Dusseldorf vampire)
started torturing dogs as a boy and carried the vile practice
into adulthood. Brenda Spencer fired rifle shots at school
children, wounding nine and killing two. Neighbors of the
murderess reported that she often abused cats and dogs,
sometimes by setting their tails on fire.

A study in 1997 discovered that 40% of animal abusers had
committed acts of violence against people. In another study, a
history of abusing animals was found in 46% of those found
guilty of sexual homicide.

The sensational high profile examples, such as serial killers,
are but the tip of the iceberg, in many, many cases of spouse
battering, child abuse, etc. pet cruelty is also a factor in the
home. It’s a sad fact that all too often we read reports in the
news papers of someone found guilty of cruelty to their pet
which is a sick terrible thing in itself, but often that is only
half the story.

In an extensive survey of abused wives who kept pets, over half
reveled that their abusing partners had harmed, and in some
cases killed, their pets. The fear that the abuser would greatly
harm the pet for revenge if she left, kept many of those wives
from leaving.

Back in 1837 when Charles Dickens wrote Oliver Twist he created
the character Bill Sykes, who was a violent bully that badly
abused his dog Bullseye. True to form, the bullying thug was
also violent with people, particularly his lady friend Nancy.

Before the end of the novel Sykes attempts to take the life of
the child Oliver, and succeeds in killing Nancy. Dickens knew
that those that are cruel to pets are dangerous sick people.

If you know of anyone who harms their pet, or is cruel to an
animal in any way, do not hesitate in reporting them to the
authorities. In doing so, you may not only be saving the life of
an animal but ultimately, a human being.