Current research results suggest that animal abuse may be a red flag indicative of family violence in the home. Specifically, about 60% of participants who have witnessed or perpetrated animal cruelty as a child also report experiences with child maltreatment or domestic violence (DeGue and DeLillo)
Studies indicate that animal cruelty may also be followed by more serious forms of crime, such as drug use, inappropriate violent outbursts, and even in some cases homicide. Many studies in psychology, sociology, and criminology have addressed the issues involving animal cruelty and human violence and have demonstrated that violent offenders frequently have childhood and adolescent histories of serious and repeated incidents of animal cruelty (Henderson, Hensley and Tallichet)
Since the early 1960s, Congress has enacted over eighty animal protection statutes, such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).1 States have also passed a wide variety of prohibitions and regulations on animal cruelty, animal fighting, Internet hunting, and puppy mills (Ritter)