Muscari M: Juvenile animal abuse: practice and policy implications for PNPs. Journal of Pediatric Health Care 2004;18(1):15-21.
Violence encourages violence and this article expands our view of abuse to include animal abuse (violence against any domestic, wild, or farm animal). The authors review the importance of pets in children's lives, definition and prevalence of animal abuse, etiology of abuse, human violence, and implications for practice and policy-making.
Cruelty to animals is recognized as a sign of violence and dysfunction in a family and a predictor of future aggression in adolescence. One of the earliest, most reliable indicators of later violent behavior is animal cruelty, especially when the child shows no remorse, has participated in a variety of cruel acts, and mistreats valued family pets.
Animal cruelty is not part of the normal developmental patterns. Developmentally delayed, unsupervised children may be exploratory/curious animal abusers and require more supervision and training. Pathologic animal abusers may be older and have emotional disorders, needing professional clinical intervention. Delinquent adolescent abusers with antisocial behaviors (gang- or cult-related, substance abuse) need clinical and judicial interventions. These acts of aggression endanger all members of a family and community.