Help now, or horror later

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/01/2010 (5950 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When you hear stories of animal abuse, images of adults breeding pets in inhumane conditions spring quickly to mind. But the tale I’m about to share with you is different. It’s even more worrisome because it involves kids.

According to the Associated Press, two brothers, 10 and 12, from Florida were "charged with cruelty to animals and fighting and baiting animals." Several sick or injured dogs were also found at their home. And one was dead.

A sheriff revealed that animal services had been called out to the residence many times. Neighbours had complained about dog fighting. And the boys revealed that they had gotten the idea to engage in these horrific acts because they’d seen it on YouTube.

A knee- jerk reaction to this story would be to restrict access to computers so that sites like YouTube couldn’t be scanned by children. I agree with this idea. But I believe this form of censorship starts in the home. My girls only just earned greater access to our family computer. My husband and I are not perfect, but we do our best to keep a watchful eye.

Going through life having never viewed terrible sights — whether on television, computer or in person — is nearly impossible. However, cruelty isn’t sown with the planting of one mere seed. This form of hatred requires a steady diet of abuse as well as a denial of love and guidance.

Blaming these actions on parents is easy to do. Seeing that animal services had previously been contacted, the mother had to be aware that her boys were involved in something immoral, if not illegal. When she heard the news of her children being charged, the mother told deputies that her sons should be arrested because they often stole bikes and dogs from their neighbours.

Sending them to an institution for care was her solution to the problem. Who knows if it’ll work? But her words were revealing. She had given up on her boys long ago.

I know more about dog fighting that I ever wanted to learn. Therefore, it’s difficult to believe that these boys hadn’t put a lot of effort into their despicable hobby. Dog fights require more than merely putting two large dogs together in an enclosed space. They are trained to be vicious. It explains why other dogs were stolen by the boys. They needed them for bait. Baiting is common practice. It’s a training technique for larger breeds (typically pit bulls). Cats and small dogs are thrown in with these canine gladiators so they can prefect their fighting techniques. These sacrificial creatures have no hope of survival.

As horrible as it is to engage in dog fighting, it’s unfathomable to me that children could steal family pets and watch them be torn apart for mere pleasure or profit.

This case may be an extreme example of what happens when kids run amok because of lax parenting. Unfortunately, it’s not solely mom and dad’s problem. Experts says that children who engage in animal abuse are likely to do much greater societal harm when they become adults.

One peek at the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s web page displays what experts call "The Link." It highlights a few studies that show those who mistreat animals as children grow up to mistreat not only animals, but humans, too.

Many other studies indicate that those engaged in violent criminal acts abused animals as children.

Pets are involved in many cases of family abuse. They serve as a leveraging tool to prevent family members from sharing their stories with others. Pets often keep the abused members in the home; victims fear the animals will be killed or harmed if they leave. Harming pets also serves to warn family members to stay in line.

If we can draw any conclusion from this tale, I suppose it is to ask for help when you need it. Even though it took a while, animal services did instruct the law to intervene when community members asked. Who knows what would have happened had the mother requested assistance beyond jail?

As I was writing this, the Boston Terrier and Pug Rescue of Southern Manitoba contacted me to reveal 12 dogs were saved from puppy mills. Foster homes are needed. It reminds me that while little can be done to stop all atrocities committed against animals, we can do one thing — offer help when we’re asked.

Readers wanting to help the puppy mill dogs can contact: btprmb@gmail.com.

And if you’re a parent assisting the community by fostering or volunteering, remember, your kids are watching. Thankfully, they absorb society’s good traits, too.

char.adam@mts.net

twitter.com/charspetpage