A first offense felony animal cruelty law is an important deterrent for those who might intentionally and maliciously harm dogs and cats that depend on us for protection. But it is also gravely important to protect the human public, especially children, vulnerable adults such as the elderly or mentally challenged, and victims of domestic violence. Animal cruelty is both a predictor of future criminal behavior, such as property crimes, drug violations, and human violence, but can also serve as an indicator of concurrent crimes, like ongoing child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse. Animal neglect, particularly in cases of animal hoarding, can indicate underlying psychiatric disorders that need treatment. In addition, those living with or in the vicinity of animal hoarders may face serious health consequences due to unsanitary conditions. Dependents usually suffer the same conditions the animals do.

A second or third offense felony is inadequate to protect animals or the human public from animal cruelty offenders. It doesn’t really make sense for someone to be able to torture, maim, or brutally kill innocent dogs or cats two or three times before it is considered a felony. By the time they are caught they have likely done it before. It can be difficult to get law enforcement officers or prosecutors to spend their valuable time on any case that may only result in a relatively minor punishment for a heinous crime; we know many misdemeanors go unprosecuted. It is only common sense to afford our dogs and cats the same protection that our livestock have in this state, which is a first offense felony. Forty states have felony cruelty provisions. Of those, forty-two have first offense felony provisions. Within the last decade, at least five states have passed second offense cruelty laws only to go back within one to three years to upgrade them to first offense laws. While felony animal cruelty laws are long overdue in Mississippi, it is important to do this right the first time with a first offense felony.

Below are some of reasons we need first offense felony laws to protect people:

VIOLENT OFFENDERS
*In a 20 year study, 70% of animal abusers were found to have committed other crimes and 44% went on to harm people
*Animal abusers are 5 times more likely to commit violent crimes against people
*The FBI has recognized the link between animal cruelty and violence against people since the 1970’s when its analysis of the lives of serial killers revealed that most had tortured or killed animals as children
*Serial killers Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Albert DeSalvo (Boston Strangler), Henry Lee Lucas, Leonard Lake, David Berkowitz, Patrick Sherrill, Ed Kemper, Brenda Spencer, C. Edward Cole, Peter Kurten – just to name a few – tortured and killed animals prior to torturing and killing people
*Over half of the school shooters were known to persistently abuse animals
*High school shooters Kip Kinkel (Springfield, OR), Luke Woodham (Pearl, MS), Eric Harris and Dylan Kiebold (Columbine) tortured and killed animals before killing their classmates
*A 10-year study of at-risk children showed that those who were classified at age 6-12 as cruel to animals were more than twice as likely to be subsequently referred to juvenile authorities as violent offenders. Of those reported to be both cruel to animals and fire-starters, 83% committed violent offenses later

The Link Between Human and Animal Abuse

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
*State and national surveys of domestic violence victims consistently find that as many as 71% of battered women report their partner threatened to kill or killed their family pet
*Researchers found that there was animal abuse in 88% of families who were under state supervision due to physical abuse of their children
*It is so common for women in domestic violence situations to be afraid to leave their pets behind out of fear the abuser will harm or kill the family pet that Animal Safehouse programs were created throughout the country so that foster care could be provided for the pets of victims who want to leave the home and seek help.
*Cross-reporting legislation, which permits child and animal welfare investigators to refer families with substantiated child maltreatment or animal cruelty for investigation by parallel agencies, was signed in to law in 9 states as of July, 2007. Five additional states had legislation pending
*In a study of battered women in several northeastern states, 48% of respondents reported that animal abuse had occurred “often” during the past 12 months, and another 30% reported that animal abuse occurred “almost always.”
*A four-city telephone survey showed that children will often intervene to protect their mothers and pets from being battered and some may even allow themselves to be victimized to save their pet from being harmed or killed. Another study showed that 51% of children reported that they had tired to protect the family pet in domestic violence situations

OTHER CRIMES

*Offense rates of animal abusers were up to 5 times higher for other crimes in a 10 year window surrounding an arrest for intentional acts of animal abuse
*These individuals were four times more likely to commit property crime
*They were three times more likely to commit drug crimes