The Links Group

PO Box 5816, MILTON KEYNES, MK10 1DB

Where Does the Link Go From Here: An Agenda for the Future

New developments in the world of The Link are occurring with great rapidity. Let me start off with two examples that help answer the question, “Now that we know about the Link, where do we go from here?”

2. Last year, the State of Maine enacted landmark legislation that allows animals to be included in protection orders issued in domestic violence cases. Vermont and New York rapidly enacted similar statutes, dramatic testimony to the degree to which the Links between animal abuse and family violence are becoming accepted by legislators, courts, educators, various professions, and the public.

3. In 2005, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association made history with a landmark policy declaring that veterinarians have a moral responsibility to report suspected animal abuse to humane societies.

4. These developments represent remarkable progress for getting “the Link” between animal abuse and human health & welfare recognized as part of the continuum of family violence. Society is not yet ready to accord animals the full spectrum of legal rights enjoyed by humans; however legislators, courts, and a 2000-year-old historical tradition do accept that deliberate animal cruelty injures not only the animals but also the human perpetrators. By promoting the human welfare aspects of The Link, we will make greater progress in protecting all vulnerable family members with more effective prevention and more timely interventions.

5. What I’d like you to consider during this presentation are three questions about animal abuse and its links to human violence:

6. In presenting these workshops around the world, my audiences usually experience what I call an “Aha! Moment” when they recall a case or two which, at the time, did not seem to involve multiple forms of family violence. When they revisit the case through the lens of The Link, they can see what they missed. It’s my hope that you, too, will experience a few Aha! moments as you realize that you can implement these concepts back home.

7. Writers, teachers, philosophers and theologians over the past 700 years have said that one of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it. A growing body of social science is validating this link between juvenile cruelty to animals and adult violence against humans. Animal abuse is a under-utilized sentinel marker for interpersonal violence.

8. We need to redefine “cruelty to animals” as “animal abuse” and have it documented and perceived as a human welfare issue. We can do this by redefining animal abuse as part of family violence, and by cross-training humane and human services community caregivers to recognize and report all forms of family violence.

9. We recognize that acts of animal abuse are often a rehearsal for human-directed violence and should be regarded as serious problems rather than minimized. If animal abuse goes untreated, it may escalate in range and severity against other victims.

10. We recognize that animal abuse frequently co-occurs with child abuse, domestic violence and elder abuse. Humane society and animal control officers are often the first point of social service intervention for families in trouble. When animals are abused, people are at risk, and when people are abused, animals are at risk.

11. There is a growing trend to target humane education and animal-assisted interventions with abused or at-risk youth. There is growing evidence that animal companionship can help children develop resilience, empathy, and prosocial behaviors.

12. We are including animal abuse within family violence because 98% of Americans consider pets to be “members of the family” or companions with whom they presumably have emotional ties. Only 2% consider their animals to be “property”.

13. The Link is helping to bring animal protection organizations full circle. As most of you know, child protection emerged from the animal protection movement following the “Little Mary Ellen” case in 1874. Many humane organizations assumed a dual responsibility for the protection of children and animals until federal legislation in the 1970s created our current governmental child protection system.

14. Today, many animal protection organizations are back in the business of protecting children, and woman and elders, with such programs as foster care for the animal victims of domestic violence, animal-assisted interventions for at-risk juveniles, and participation in community anti-violence coalitions. They’re valuable community resources who can assist human services providers and who should be integrated into the network of community service agencies.

15. Research into the links between animal abuse, child abuse, domestic violence and elder abuse is drawing scholarly and public attention to how violence against animals portends a risk to humans. By building upon this increased awareness, humane education and humane law enforcement should be considered anti-violence interventions of interest to anyone who is concerned about bullying, child sexual abuse, teen violence, gangs, and the impact of domestic violence upon children.

16. We encourage human services agencies to routinely ask their clients to describe the animal companions who share their lives. This can be a safe way to initiate a difficult conversation, an easy way to identify patterns of violence in the home and other family members who are at risk, and a handy assessment tool to develop appropriate treatment strategies.

17. We have made rapid progress. It was only 45 years ago that the term “battered child” came into public awareness, and 27 years since the publication of “The Battered Woman.” “Battered pets” first entered professional journals in 1996.

18. So that’s how we got here. Let me again emphasize that we are not saying that animals are more important than people, but rather that in a civil society no form of violence is to be tolerated. Once people understand the scope of animals in our society… they are truly amazed.

19. As I follow Link research, legislation and programs around the world, I see several new and exciting trends. One is that The Link, like animal-assisted therapy and the human-animal bond, is focusing on the human welfare aspects of animal protection. Foundations, educators, legislators and courts are starting to pay more attention to the humane movement by seeing the human welfare aspects of animal welfare. One area where this is showing up is in the recognition of how pets serve as conduits for social capital.

20. Harvard University professor of public policy Robert Putnam used the term “social capital” to describe the features of social life that enable communities to act together more effectively to pursue shared objectives. His book, Bowling Alone, describes a breakdown in contemporary social capital using bowling as a metaphor: while more Americans than ever are bowling, fewer are participating in the social experience of bowling leagues. Many forces are conspiring to erode the social connectivity that is vital for healthy communities.

21. Australian researchers recently reported that pets may help counteract this erosion and enhance the development of social capital. Pets help contribute to a sense of community; serve as catalysts for the exchange of favours between neighbours; motivate people to utilize parks and open spaces; facilitate participation in recreational activities; and serve as protective factors for mental health. The study reported that pet owners are significantly more likely to report excellent or very good health, are less lonely than non-pet owners, are more likely to know their neighbours, take part in more community events, and are more likely to trust others. They concluded that pets help enhance and facilitate civic engagement, social capital and a sense of community. And conversely, the abuse of animals helps tear apart the fabric of our society.

22. We are seeing the veterinary profession accepting a greater responsibility to recognize and report suspected animal abuse. This is significant progress and recalls similar challenges that were raised, and overcome, by physicians, dentists, and other human healthcare professionals in the 1960s and 1970s when research began to indicate that child abuse and domestic violence were medical issues amenable to public health solutions. The Link rightly places veterinary medicine within the network of community health providers on an equal par with their human health colleagues.

23. We are seeing the domestic violence field, in particular, embracing The Link concept. Hundreds of women’s shelters have established “safe haven” foster care programs and make referrals to animal shelters and rescue groups. At least three women’s shelters in Naples, FL, Shelton, WA, and Las Vegas, NV, are building kennels to care for the animal victims of domestic violence.

24. Another welcome trend is that, like previous efforts to legitimize child abuse and domestic violence prevention, today’s Link efforts are being informed not by emotionalism nor by morality, but rather by compelling research on a global scale.

25. For example, an Australian study of offenders found that animal abuse was a better predictor of sexual assault than previous convictions for homicide, arson or firearms offenses. The researchers proposed that risk assessment frameworks could be established based upon incidents of animal cruelty.

26. The conclusions were very revealing. This study is particularly significant because it was conducted by a police department.

Directions for the future

27. So where is this field going? Right now, a huge initiative is under way in 15 state legislatures to include pets in protection orders in domestic violence cases (and, in Virginia, in child abuse cases as well). This is a welcome sign that the public and legislators are giving our work credence.

28. We are seeing increasing interest among veterinary associations, schools of social work, the new field of animal law, psychologists, people working with adult and juvenile offenders, and prosecutors.

29: I believe that the field will address seven major directions in the future. First is the role of Veterinarians: Just as the early success of the child protection movement was propelled by pediatricians recognizing child abuse as a medical condition validated by strong research data, veterinarians will take leadership roles. Practitioners have to be trained to consider animal abuse as a diagnosis. They’ll need forensics to define the clinical signs of Non-Accidental Injury. They will need practice management skills to approach clients in suspicious cases, training on what to do with this information once they obtain it, and professional support to help resolve economic, confidentiality and security concerns. These are all issues which the human medicine field has overcome. Four new books were published recently that offer training in veterinary forensics.

30. The likelihood of veterinarians seeing abused patients and clients is higher than many people recognize. Studies have reported that households with histories of child abuse take their animals to veterinarians as often as do non-abusive families, and that the incidence of dog bites in violent homes is 11 times greater than in the normal population. Studies have reported a range of 48% to 90% of veterinarians who have seen cases of NAI.

31. Veterinarians are particularly qualified to evaluate and treat at-risk and abused victims. Their increased involvement in The Link can prevent public health problems, set higher standards for animal welfare, gain greater regard for the veterinary profession, improve community cooperation, and, above all, result in better care for animals

32. Direction # 2 is how the Link affects Animal Shelters. Animal care and control facilities do not yet have standardized systems of reporting animal abuse data. We need common statutory definitions; regular interface with law enforcement, prosecutors and human services agencies; and more objective criteria of what constitutes animal abuse and neglect. We need to create what other forms of law enforcement have had doe years -- uniform crime statistics.

33. Direction # 3 is the Link’s impact on Human services providers. The Link has implications for professions who traditionally have not included pets in the definition of the families they work with. Domestic violence safe house's, victim advocates, child protection caseworkers, social workers, psychologists, school counsellor's, probation officers, and others who fail to include the animal component in risk assessments, case histories, and intake forms are missing a potentially significant factor in their clients’ lives. They’re also losing opportunities for earlier identification of violence, timelier interventions, and more effective prevention strategies.

34. Human services providers frequently fail to understand the depth of some persons’ attachment to animals. This battered woman described how she lived in her car with her dogs for 4 months until there was an opening at a pet-friendly safe house.

35. Great opportunities exist for animal care and control agencies to establish partnerships with women’s groups and domestic violence agencies.

36. Direction #4 is more targeted Animal-Assisted Interventions to repair the damage. These programs provide at-risk youth, young offenders and incarcerated adults with opportunities to resolve conflicts non-violently through positive-reinforcement behaviour modification while making shelter dogs more adoptable. Literacy programs are using dogs to encourage reluctant children to read.

37. Direction #5 is greater involvement of animal care and control agencies in Community Partnerships. Human services agencies rarely think of animal shelters as equals, and shelter personnel have generally not reached out beyond the world of animals. Coordination, rather than our traditional fragmented approach, allows agencies to fulfil their obligations to their clients and participate in a comprehensive, lasting solution. Collaboration requires education, communication and infrastructure, but results in greater response, more sharing of information, and dispositional plans that address comprehensive needs. Child Protective Services continually seems to be “the missing link” in these coalitions, for reasons that have yet to be fully understood.

38. To gain cooperation, we all need to learn each others’ terminologies and missions and use language that will appeal to their needs. We need to educate them about the true costs of animal abuse cases and that savings are possible in a coordinated approach. Collaborations can take such forms as Memorandums of Understanding; or adding animal care & control representatives to an existing Multidisciplinary Team dealing with other relevant issues and asking the team to address animal hoarding or cruelty cases as they occur. Such teams include SCAN (Suspected Child Abuse & Neglect), Child Death Reviews, Domestic Violence Death Reviews, and elder & dependent adult teams. Another strategy is to launch a multidisciplinary task force to create systems and protocols for dealing with specific problems. For an excellent resource on these strategies, see the Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium’s new training manual. The advantages of working together far outweigh the extra work required to develop and sustain good collaborative relationships.

39. Direction #6 is using The Link to advance public policy legislatively. 42 states have felonized some forms of serious animal abuse; we need to work on the other 8. Initiatives to expand the list of professions mandated to report suspected family violence, with immunity from civil and criminal liability for making such reports in good faith, are being undertaken: West Virginia and Tennessee enacted cross-reporting laws last year. Canadian efforts to redefine animal abuse as a crime of violence rather than a crime against property have been repeatedly stymied. The child protection model, in which “cruelty” has been replaced with the more contemporary “abuse” and subdivided into “physical,” “emotional,” and “sexual abuse,” and “neglect,” and in which a nationwide system of mandatory reporting procedures has been institutionalized, has not yet been replicated in animal protection.

40. Direction #7 is more professional Training. Colleges of veterinary medicine, law schools, schools of social work, and law enforcement training academies need to introduce “Link” training into curricula to gain widespread acceptance by those professions.

41. One welcome sea change has been in the field of law. More than 50 law schools now include coursework in animal law, and 2 scholarly journals in animal law are now published. Sociologists have created a special interest area in the human-animal bond. Social work, criminal justice, psychology, education, veterinary medicine, and law enforcement training academies must follow suit.

Challenges

42. It would be naïve to think that paying greater attention to the welfare of animals will solve all societal problems: Debbie Duel, former humane educator for the Washington, D.C. Humane Society, once described to me her challenge in trying to reach inner-city youths. “How can I go into a classroom and teach children to be kind to animals,” she asked, “ when these kids are afraid to walk to school because of drive-by shootings?” I haven’t found an answer to that question yet. Sierra Cleveland reported last year that 31% of inner-city youth in Chicago have been to a dogfight.

43. The animal protection community faces many serious challenges, not unlike thresholds crossed decades ago by our colleagues in child protection and domestic violence. Animals have always had a low priority in the public consciousness. Animal cruelty legislation is distinct from other ordinances and the institutions that deal with abuse have been isolated. Police, prosecutors and politicians are reluctant to enter an emotionally volatile area in which rewards are few. Animal protection is reluctant to become involved in child abuse or domestic violence for fear of losing identity, income and independence. Client confidentiality can be a hurdle. There is confusion as to what constitutes animal abuse, how to recognize it, how to report it, and how to treat its perpetrators. Training, research, and philanthropic and governmental funding for animal programs are woefully inadequate – but there IS money available for innovative human violence prevention programs.

44. The hope remains that if we can get people to care about animals, they may become more considerate to each other.

What You Can Do

45. We can no longer ignore the links between animal abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse. These forms of violence can no longer be seen as mutually exclusive. A collaborative effort holds great potential for making progress where individual “silos” have lagged. Addressing the Link in public policy, and institutionalizing it in professional practice, offer new opportunities to safeguard both the two-legged and four-legged members of the family – and to better integrate community service providers.

46. Some solutions are elegantly easy to implement. Pick up the phone and establish lines of communication with your counterparts in domestic violence, animal protection and child protection. Then set up cross-training programs so a protocol is in place when an investigation reveals multiple forms of family violence. Agencies should routinely display literature from these other agencies – and ask them to carry your brochures in return. Staff can wear buttons that say, “It’s OK to ask me about family violence,” and establish themselves as a friendly referral and resource for people facing any form of abuse. Safe Havens programs can provide foster care for the pets of battered women.

47. Intake forms, field investigation reports and risk assessments should routinely screen for other forms of family violence. A simple cross-reporting form, such as this one from Guelph, Ontario, can be implemented very easily, although experience shows that humane societies are far more willing to cross-report than are human services groups.

Conclusion

48. Over the past 40 years, we have identified the roles of pets in mental and physiological health. We are now seeing the role of pets in our social capital and community health.

49. We have made much progress but we have much more to do. We are now seeing Link articles and training materials in mainstream media and professional journals from a wide range of disciplines. American Humane has extensive resources on our website. I have compiled an expanded bibliography of this research, which you can find at www.animaltherapy.net.

50. The Internet has vastly improved our ability to gather information and network with our peers. One fantastic website, www.pet-abuse.com, has been religiously capturing information about animal abuse cases.

51. The child protection and domestic violence fields have long had high-quality training materials, and animal protection is producing similar tools. Materials from AHA, The Latham Foundation, HSUS, the Doris Day Animal Foundation, Society & Animals Forum, and others are carrying the Link message to wide audiences.

52. Addressing The Link offers many new opportunities to safeguard animals and lower the levels of violence in our society. The changes that have been initiated intermittently so far – from higher criminal penalties for animal abuse to cross-reporting protocols – must be expanded and institutionalized. Human services overcame these challenges years ago: the result was increased awareness, reporting, and public recognition and support. The time has come for humane services to be treated as equals among its peers.

53. May I remind you that animals do not vote. Animal protection laws are enacted not because legislators feel an affinity for animal welfare or animal rights, but rather because animal maltreatment is perceived to degrade the human condition. “Being kind to animals” is not a priority for lawmakers; legislators are, however, interested in reducing bullying, school violence and family violence. Link research and programs can fit these agendas.

54. We cannot separate violence against companion animals from the broader issues of violence in our families and communities. When animals are abused, people are at risk; when people are abused, animals are at risk. Although the origins of family violence are not fully understood and there are no easy solutions, family violence may be abated through a multidisciplinary approach that includes the welfare of animals. It will make intervention strategies more effective. And it will set the highest standards for our animals and communities. Multidisciplinary assessment, intervention and treatment – supported by interagency cooperation – provide humane avenues to improve the lives of humans and other animals.