WEBINAR WEDNESDAYS

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Connecting the Dots in Criminal Justice: Preventing Against People by Focusing on Animal

Presented by:

Phil Arkow National Link Coalition Coordinator

Distributed by:

ARIZONA PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS’ ADVISORY COUNCIL 3838 N. Central Ave., Suite 850 Phoenix, Arizona 85012

ELIZABETH BURTON ORTIZ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

2/23/2021

Connecting the Dots in Criminal Justice: Preventing Crimes Against People by Outline for Today Focusing on Animal Abuse

Child Abuse  Part 1: Introduction to the Animal Abuse/Interpersonal Violence Link  Part 2: Legal and Psychological Considerations of Animal Abuse Animal Abuse  Part 3: Specific Types of Links Phil Arkow  Part 4: Professional and Community Responses to Coordinator, National Link Coalition The Link Chair, Animal Abuse & Family Violence Prevention Project The Latham Foundation [email protected] Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ www.NationalLinkCoalition.org Advisory Council March 3, 2021

Some Basic Ground Rules

• Ask me questions – please! PART 1 • The “Italian Kitchen Philosophy of Learning.” Introduction to the • Don’t mind the light-hearted approach – it’s a way to make Animal Abuse/ emotionally charged topics more palatable. Interpersonal Violence • Don’t be overwhelmed by the statistics – just showing that research backs this up. Link • Animals are not more important than people.

How I Got Here What is the National Link Coalition?

The provocative  National Resource Center. research study….  Organized 2008, Portland, Maine. The curious  4,500+ members, 50 states, 55 countries. teacher  Informal collaboration addressing linkages, prevention and response training…. to animal abuse, domestic violence, child maltreatment and elder abuse. The fateful after-dinner  Policy, programs, awareness, & research (1,500+) speech….  LINK-Letter, local coalitions, trainings.  By recognizing how human and animal violence are intertwined, violence prevention is enhanced and families and communities are safer.

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Our Basic Premise: We can make more progress protecting people and pets by “A Pet is an Island of Sanity recognizing the intersectionality of species-spanning violence in What Appears to Be an Insane World.”

• Family violence doesn’t stop at the human species line.

• We can prevent family violence collaboratively by recognizing animal abuse as a potential indicator and predictor . • Holding animal abusers accountable prevents other crimes and changes community attitudes toward violence and safety.

• Measures to prevent, prosecute and punish animal cruelty benefit Man’s Best Friend… but also Man (and especially Woman) !

Pets in the American Family And There Are a Lot Of Them! • More homes have pets than children

• More money on pet food than baby food

• More dogs in US than people in most countries in Europe

• More cats than dogs

• % of AZ A child in the US today is more likely to grow households up with pets than with a father with: Dogs: 43% Cats: 26%

More dogs and cats than kids!

What Do We Know About Pets in Families? Who Cares for All These Pets? How we view pets has changed dramatically…

FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN 67.7% of households with children < 6 74.6% of households with children > 6

… but a Female is the primary caregiver disconnect in 80.7% of pet-owning households between law and perception! AVMA: U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics AVMA: U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook, 2007, 2012 Sourcebook, 2012

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Pets Are Sources of Comfort Fukushima Earthquake In Times of Crisis

Super Storm Sandy

Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act -- Oct. 2006

Hurricane Harvey

How Civilization Got Here… Evolution of Human-Animal Interactions Man’s first art… (30,000 BC)

Man’s first architecture… Fear Worship Domestication Pets Healthful (11,500 BC) partners

Animal-Assisted The Link Neuro- “Walk a hound, Social chemistry lose a pound” capital Therapy

But the Law Doesn’t Match Public Perception More Traditional Appropriate Family Family Courts Courts View View

Misdemeanors Vets Animal control Humane society

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The “Dark Side” Connecting the Dots: The Link between of the Human-Animal Bond Animal Abuse and Other Forms of Family Violence & “When animals are abused, people are at risk; Animal Elder Cruelty Abuse When people are abused, animals are at risk.”

Domestic Violence

Our Basic Premises Animal Abuse: The Animal Abuse/Domestic Violence It’s the Tip Inter-Generational Cycle of Violence of the Iceberg

“Recognizing animal abuse as an indicator that something is wrong in a household may be the first step in stopping the cycle of violence.” -- Kimberly J. Adams, ed., Kentucky Children’s Rights Journal 8(2), Winter 2000

Our Basic Premises Our Basic Premises The Animal Abuse/Domestic Violence The Animal Abuse/Domestic Violence Inter-Generational Cycle of Violence Inter-Generational Cycle of Violence

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Our Basic Premises Our Basic Premises The Animal Abuse/Domestic Violence The Animal Abuse/Domestic Violence Inter-Generational Cycle of Violence Inter-Generational Cycle of Violence

Children grow up to be violent or victims

Our Basic Premises Our Basic Premises: We Can Make More Progress to Protect Society If We Focus on Animal Abuse’s Impact on People and Communities We can no longer say Dogs and cats can’t vote! “boys will be boys” Political reality: A lose/lose… or a win/win?

“Animal cruelty is more than just a legal issue. It’s a community issue. If you improve animal welfare in a community, you improve public safety for everyone.” --Former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

Not Really a Change… Why Should Animal Abuse History of Anti-Cruelty Laws be Taken Seriously?

◼ Origins: ◼ US colonies: 1641  Animal abuse is a crime. ◼ Property law  Often indicates or predicts other issues. ◼ Statement about individual and society  Is NOT a normal rite of passage. ◼ Morals and decency codes  Unaddressed, animal abuse can escalate in severity and ◼ CONSISTENT PREMISE: IMPACT ON HUMAN WELL-BEING incidence against humans. ◼ First Link prosecutions: Essex County, Mass. Bay Colonie, 1649

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Why Should Animal Abuse Why Should Animal Abuse be Taken Seriously? be Taken Seriously?

IPV with histories of pet abuse are significantly more likely to have had previous violent incidents. Victims reported: Animal abuse/neglect in 21.1% of 256 dog bite fatalities • 80% had had at least one prior unreported IPV incident. • 76% had been strangled. Frequently co-occurred with: • 26% had been forced to have sex with the . • Dog not spayed/neutered • 80% fear they will be killed by the suspect. • Compromised ability of victim to interact with dog • First responders face 2x risk of lethality. • Dog a “resident” rather than “family” pet

Preventable factors more significant than dog’s breed. -- Campbell, Thompson et al, 2018

-- Patronek et. al, JAVMA, 2013

Reality Check: Reality Check: Does Animal Abuse Always Lead to “Will Children Who Harm Animals Always Interpersonal Violence? Grow Up to be Serial Killers?” 153 cruelty offenders: Not all • Tracked for 10 years prior & 10 years after childhood • Matched with control group REALITY abusers Criminal offenses: Animal abusers: 70% grow up Non-abusers: 22% Animal Abuse to be & Other Crimes Conclusions: psychopaths. Some children •May be Escalation Hypothesis •May be Pattern of General Deviance who are bombarded • Other Animal abuse doesn’t always lead to CHECK by violence Animal crime human violence, but we’re not surprised abuse first - seek comfort in 44% first - when there is a Link. 56% animals or try to -- Arnold Arluke & Carter Luke, Northeastern University & Massachusetts SPCA, 1997 protect them

Timeline: How Has The Link Been Studied? Timeline: How Has The Link Been Studied? 1960s: 1970s:

Margaret The Mead “Macdonald Triad” Fire Animal “One of the most setting abuse dangerous things that can happen (More current to a child is to kill risk factors: or an animal parental and get away with abuse, trauma, Bed ACEs). it.” Wetting

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Timeline: How Has The Link Been Studied? Timeline: How Has The Link Been Studied?

1980s: 1990s:

Histories of School childhood shooters: David Berkowitz animal abuse Ted Bundy “Son of Sam” Albert DeSalvo found “Boston Strangler” Kip Kinkle among many 43% also serial killers. torturing animals

Luke Woodham Andrew Golden Eric Harris & Dylan Klebold Lee Malvo Jeffrey Dahmer

Timeline: How Has The Link Been Studied? Timeline: How Has The Link Been Studied? 2000s : 2010s:

Animal abuse linked with • Domestic violence “The topic of animal cruelty may seem unimportant in the other crimes • face of events like the Boston bombing, school shootings, and antisocial • Other criminal acts and other recent tragedies, but we know there’s a history of behaviors • Corporal punishment animal cruelty in the backgrounds of many perpetrators of • Physical and/or violent acts. • Elder abuse “Understanding this link between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence is critical to the Department.”

-- Mary Leary, Acting Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Dept. of Justice Office of Justice Programs in establishing the US DOJ Working Group on Animal Cruelty Apr. 30, 2013

Timeline: How Has The Link Been Studied? What Happened 2010s: An Extreme – But Real –Example: Animal Abuse Investigation Thwarts Suicide Bomber Next?

• Gregory Lepsky, 20, Point Pleasant, NJ. July 2018: Three federal Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team • US-born, family emigrated from Chechnya, counter-terrorism agencies Dept. of National Federal thought his father had lost the faith. Homeland Counter- Bureau of identify animal abuse as a Security Terrorism Investigation • Family members called Feb. 2017 (DHS) Center (NCTC) (FBI) after he stabbed “dirty” family dog. possible warning behavior • Police found pressure-cooker bomb, ISIS materials, for terrorism incriminating e-mails, and plot to wreak havoc in NYC. • Told authorities he regretted trying to kill the dog because police would not have found him otherwise.

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What Happened Next? The Link Helps Resolve Ongoing Challenges Who Are Animal Abusers? Challenge #1: What is an animal? (Predatory & Affective) (and why is it important?)

• One-half had histories of substance abuse. “If it walks like a duck, • 89%: prior for multiple sex, property, weapons, and quacks like a duck, interpersonal violence, and animal cruelty crimes; 55% had and looks like a duck, is it a… criminal arrests following the cruelty offense.

• 72% of affective and 49% of predatory offenders engaged in intimate partner violence prior, concurrent to, or Pet? following the animal cruelty offense. Wildlife?? • MORE SUPPORT FOR GENERAL DEVIANCE THAN GRADUATION HYPOTHESIS Agricultural food product???

What is an Animal? The Link Helps Resolve Ongoing Challenges

Peculiar form Sentient of property that can Property (OR) Challenge #2: run away Endangered, Entitled to Lack of public consensus The king’s needs protection court advocate (state’s) property (CASA?) “ (RI, CT, ME) Pet policy is a unique field of political struggle, Nuisance. Deadly In the absence Private A pest weapon a conflict that originates from differing perspectives of consensus property or animals’ Property with about whether pets are property or autonomous sentimental having value (TX) standing, beings, and clashing norms about the care of animals. most pragmatic course is to The result of the political struggle is difficulty in the Rights re-emphasize animal abuse’s enactment of policies and especially in the adverse impacts on human implementation and enforcement of laws that might health & safety. improve the welfare of companion animals.” -- Susan Hunter & Richard Brisbin, Jr. (2016): Pet Politics. Purdue University Press.

The Link Helps Resolve Ongoing Challenges The Link Helps Resolve Ongoing Challenges Challenge #3: Challenge #3: Marginalization of animal care & control Marginalization of animal care & control

“The philosophy in the animal welfare community is  The Link empowers Animal Care and Control switching to addressing human problems that underlie crises with animals. Animal shelters’ service philosophy is as violence prevention agencies that evolving to recognize that treating symptoms of animal protect the health and safety of the community welfare problems, such as animal homelessness, abuse and neglect, is only a stopgap solution: to be truly effective, and all vulnerable members of families underlying causes such as community and family dysfunction by focusing on human-animal issues. and violence must be addressed.” -- PetLynx (2011). 2010 national urban animal report. Edmonton, AB, Canada: Author: Ipsos-Reid.

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The Link Helps Resolve Ongoing Challenges The Link Repositions Challenge #4: Animal Abuse Lack of court support As a Crime of Violence

“Given an animal’s legal status as Animal Abuse property, and the perception of animals as such, animal Links to Other Crimes abuse has traditionally been dealt with in a less than aggressive manner by officers, prosecutors and the Chicago PD 2008 study courts. However, given the growing acceptance of animals as – 332 animal cruelty offenders part of the family unit and recent statistical data, animal abuse is now being looked at in a new light as a precursor-- Kimberly J. Adams, to ed., As many as 31% of Chicago teens have attended a dog fight Kentucky Children’s Rights Journal 8(2), Winter 2000 human violence.”

The Link Repositions Animal Abuse As a Crime of Violence Summary Animal Abuse Links to Other Crimes

• A history of animal abuse was a better predictor of sexual 1. Animal abuse also hurts people. assault than were prior convictions for homicide, arson or firearms offenses. 2. Animal abuse is family violence.

• 99% of animal cruelty offenders had committed other crimes, 3. Recognizing and responding to animal averaging 4 different offenses. maltreatment enforces the law and helps families. • Offender profiling for homicide, sexual assault, arson, , and child abuse cases would benefit: law enforcement would have knowledge of animal cruelty cases. (Clarke, J. P.(2002). New South Wales police animal cruelty research project. Sydney, Australia: New South Wales Police Service.)

Let’s take a break… PART 2 Legal and psychological considerations of animal abuse

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Animal Abuse’s Links to Other Crimes Animal Abuse’s Links to Other Crimes

Case Study: Animal welfare investigators Case study: are often the first responders… Pets are pawns “A 4-year-old is beaten to death; to control a pastor and family vanish” battered -- Philadelphia Inquirer women

CHALLENGE: How to define animal abuse? What is “Cruelty”? (and most reports are neglect) “Animal abuse is like pornography: It’s impossible to define, but you know it when you see it.”

Moral, community, professional, and legal standards may vary widely. Witness → Owner → DVM → Investigator → Prosecutor → Court Chihuahua Husky

Arizona’s Cruelty Statutes § 13-2910 .

Title 13. Criminal Code. Chapter 29. Offenses Against Public Order. § 13-2910 . Cruelty to animals; interference with working or service Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly: animal; classification; definitions •Subjects to cruel neglect or abandonment; § 13-2910.01 . Dog fighting; classification •Fails to provide medical attention necessary to prevent protracted suffering; § 13-2910.02 . Presence at dog fight; classification Inflicts unnecessary physical injury to any animal; § 13-2910.03 . Cockfighting; classification •Kills another’s animal without legal privilege or consent; § 13-2910.04 . Presence at cockfight; classification •Leaves an animal unattended and confined in a motor vehicle; § 13-2910.05 . Exempt activities •Subjects to cruel neglect or abandonment that results in serious physical injury. § 13-2910.06 . Defense to cruelty to animals and bird fighting § 13-2910.07 . Cruel and inhumane confinement of a pig during pregnancy or of a calf raised for veal § 13-2910.08 . The humane treatment of farm animals fund § 13-2910.09 . Equine tripping; classification; definitions

Title 13. Criminal Code. Chapter 14. Sexual Offenses § 13-1411 . Bestiality; classification; definition

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§ 13-2910 . Cruelty to animals § 13-2910 . Cruelty to animals

Intentionally or knowingly: • Subjects any animal to cruel mistreatment; • Subjects a domestic animal to cruel mistreatment;  DEFENSES: • Interferes with, kills or harms a working or service animal without either legal privilege or consent of the owner; Poisoning dogs or predators attacking livestock • Obtains or exerts unauthorized control over a service animal with the intent or poultry to deprive the service animal handler of the service animal. • Kills a domestic animal without either legal privilege or consent of the domestic animal's owner or handler;  EXCEPTIONS • Harasses a law enforcement working animal. Taking of wildlife Recklessly: • Subjects any animal to cruel mistreatment; • Interferes with, kills or harms a working or service animal; • Allows any dog to interfere with, kill or cause physical injury to a service animal.

Dog- and Cock-fighting § 13-1411 . Bestiality

 Owning, keeping, possessing, training, causing, allow on premises if reason to believe fight will occur  Oral sexual contact, sexual contact or sexual  Dogfighting: intercourse with an animal.  Class 5 felony  Causing another person to do so.  Attendance: Class 6 felony  Class 6 felony (Class 3 felony if other person a minor  Cockfighting: under 15)  Class 5 felony  Psychological assessment and counseling  Attendance: Class 1 misdemeanor  EXCEPTIONS: Recognized veterinary, animal  DEFENSES & EXCEPTIONS: falconry, rodeo, hunting husbandry and insemination practices dogs, ranching

How do you define animal abuse or cruelty? FBI Typology of Animal Abuse What is socially acceptable? NOTE: Each type has varying underlying motives and psychopathologies

◼Neglect: Gains no satisfaction ◼ Simple neglect: inadequate Food/Water/Shelter: ◼ Educate or threaten ◼ Abandonment ◼ Common, difficult to prosecute ◼ Foreclosure, bankruptcy, students ◼ Gross, willful, intentional, malicious neglect: commission, deliberate; ◼Prosecute

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FBI Typology of Animal Abuse FBI Typology of Animal Abuse

◼Gross Neglect: Animal Hoarding: ◼: N.A.I. Satisfaction from caregiving ◼ Substantial challenges: ◼ Blunt-force trauma ◼ # of animals ◼ ◼ $ of housing, prosecuting Sharp-force trauma ◼ Each animal is ; forensics ◼ Burning, poisoning, strangulation, ◼ Mental health issues ◼ 100% recidivism drowning ◼ Prosecution may not be the answer ◼ GSW, arrows, darts, etc. etc.

FBI Typology of Animal Abuse FBI Typology of Animal Abuse

Animal Sexual Abuse ◼ Organized Abuse: Animal Fighting  “Crush videos”.  Linked to child pornography, child sex abuse ◼Dogfighting  Bestiality, “Crime against nature” ◼ Cockfighting  Considered “zoophilia” by advocates  Often singled out by statute; felony  Prosecute  Attendance, equipment, interstate transport, bringing a minor

Why are adults cruel to animals? Other Types of Animal Abuse As many reasons as for NOTE: Each type has varying underlying motives and psychopathologies interpersonal violence:

Ignorance and inability to empathize Sense of entitlement  Ritualistic abuse: Occult/religious (believe animals not worthy of moral consideration) rituals Perpetrators are socialized to abuse Belief that abuse is justified and beneficial  Supreme Court: specific municipal law too narrow, (violence is a matter of power and control) but cities may enforce more broad prohibitions Religious and regional subcultures

Lack of adequate coping skills More sensitive to stress and strain caused by pet’s behavior; release of frustration and anger) Personality dysfunction, poor impulse control….

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Why Are Children Cruel? Why are adults cruel to animals? All of the above, plus… As many reasons as for interpersonal violence:

INCREASING FOR CAUSECONCERN • Curiosity, exploration Threaten, intimidate or control a person Domestic violence/child sexual abuse • Peer pressure Neighborhood retaliations • Boredom, depression Nikolas Cruz Shock people for amusement • Fear of animal To control the animal • by a more powerful person Retaliation Behavior problems • To protect the animal from worse abuse against breed or species • Re-enacting own experience of being abused Psychopathology • Regain sense of power after abuse Sadism • Imitating adult actions Enhance their own sense of aggression Sexual gratification • Rehearsal for interpersonal violence

Let’s take a break…

PART 3 Specific Types of Links

Types of History of The Link: Animal/Human Violence Links Child Maltreatment and Animal Abuse

1. Domestic Violence: Power & control. “You’re next!” Long, intertwined history: No escape (18% - 48%). Emotional extortion. • First child abuse prosecutions by humane societies. 2. Child Sexual Abuse: Emotional extortion. Child chooses between victimization or pet’s death. 3. Adverse Childhood Experience: Perpetrating or The “ witnessing. Manifests at age 6-1/ . Little 2 Mary 4. Bullying: By bullies and by the bullied. Ellen” 5. Animal Hoarding: Often Linked with elder abuse, Henry Bergh, Founder Case seniors’ issues. American SPCA (1866) (1874) 6. Animal Fighting: Linked with other crimes (homicide, • Many humane societies protected animals AND children trafficking, narcotics, weapons, racketeering, etc.) until CAPTA in 1971 established national/state CPS. 7. Animal Sexual Abuse: Often Linked with child pornography and other sex crimes.

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History of The Link: History of The Link: Child Maltreatment and Animal Abuse Child Maltreatment and Animal Abuse Time for a New Paradigm: Animal Abuse and Dangerous Animals as “Adverse Childhood Experiences” - 60% of NJ families in DYFS also had abused or neglected pets Toxic stress in early childhood: - Animal abuse in 88% Harms developing with physical child abuse brain architecture. Long-term hyper-responsiveness - Bite rate 11x greater to perceived threats. Lifelong negative - Use of veterinary services similar physical/mental health. to general population (DeViney, Dickert & Lockwood) ’

History of The Link: History of The Link: Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse

71% of pet-owning women in shelter reported their “I’ve loved this dog longer than any relationship I’ve ever had….” husband or boyfriend killed, -- “Nicole,” in La Crosse, WI harmed or threatened an animal; “ ” shelter seeking Safe Haven Emotional extortion : 32% reported their children had • Manipulate hurt or killed animals • Intimidate (Ascione, 1998) • Retaliate • Hold families hostage: 18-48% DON’T LEAVE 41% of IPV offenders had committed animal abuse

Febres et al., 2014

History of The Link: Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse The LINK and Domestic Violence Animal Abuse and the Duluth Model

Isolation: Refusing to allow you to take your Emotional abuse: Disappearing, giving away pet to your vet. Prohibiting you from or killing pet to take away your source of comfort socializing your dog with other dogs. and unconditional love. Forced participation in animal sexual abuse. 4 greatest risk factors of becoming a batterer: Coercion and Threats: • Mental health issues Threatening to harm or kill your pet if you leave or Economic Abuse: Refusing to • Substance abuse assert any independence. allow you to spend money on pet food and/or vet care (then blaming • Low education level you). • History of actual or threatened animal abuse Legal Abuse: Trying to take possession of a pet for which : Harming or killing you have been the primary pet: “Next time it’ll be you…” Batterers who also abuse pets are more dangerous than caretaker. Filing charges of Targeting pets of family/friends theft if you leave with the pet. who aid her escape. Custody battles. batterers who do not abuse pets. They use more Using Children: Harming or killing the Minimizing, Denying & Blaming: children’s pet to intimidate them. Blaming the controlling behaviors, and more forms of violence. Blaming you or your pet for the cruelty. “disappearance” of the family pet on you to create a wedge between you and the children.

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Animal Abuse – What Does The LINK The “Wake-Up Call” Look Like in Real Life?

 Many victims blame themselves for the abuse and are isolated from others who can provide a reality check. Tanya’s Story

 Animal cruelty is a wake-up call that the fault not within themselves, but in the personality of the abuser.

History of The Link: The Animal Abuse/ Elder Abuse and Animal Abuse Elder Abuse Link Issues for Adult Protective Services

Animal Welfare Issues for Adult Protective Services 1. Neglect of pet 2. Self-neglect to care for pet • Memory loss 3. Attachment and pet loss • Fixed/low income 4. Safety of caseworker, • Physical frailness home health aide, homemaker • Social isolation services, or patient • Hoarding 5. Animal abuse as coercion/control 6. Jealousy over service animal 7. Hoarding/collecting animals…

Special Topic in Elder Abuse and Animal Abuse: Animal Hoarding Why do people hoard animals?

– not taken seriously “Crazy Cat Lady “Some people who have difficulty establishing supportive interpersonal Action Figure” relationships or who otherwise have difficulty coping with life stressors find refuge in animals.” (2004)

“Crazy Cat Lady Gary Patronek, DVM TOO MANY ANIMALS Hoarding of Animals Board Game” Research Consortium (2007) • “Hoarders” (2007 --) Isolation both a cause AND effect Not a harmless eccentricity, but a potentially serious problem SOCIAL ISOLATION of collecting animals. that takes a toll on animals, individuals and the community.

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Who Are Animal Hoarders? Who Are Animal Hoarders? 1. Mental Illness

Mental Illness Current thinking: not OCD but disordered attachment style emanating from early childhood verwhelmed hoarder O trauma & life stressors. Psychological Disorders Identified Rescue Hoarder/Breeder-Hoarder ● Addiction Model ● Dementia ● Schizophrenia ● Borderline Personality Exploiter Hoarders ● Antisocial Personality ● Depression ● Agoraphobia ● Münchausen by Proxy ● Psychopathic Personality

Who Are Animal Hoarders? Who Are Animal Hoarders? 2. Overwhelmed: Good intentions gone bad 3. Rescuers

• Sincere desire but overwhelmed • Deep mistrust of (Word gets out as THE place to take unwanted others: are only one animals) who can help • Animals become family • State of • Anti-euthanasia • Identity tied to animals • May rescue specific breeds (or colors) • May rescue hospice cases, dying animals

Who Are Animal Hoarders? Prosecution Issues in Animal Hoarding 4. Exploiters: Greed or criminal intent

• Solicit $$$ from public  Advantages of prosecution • Get animals to serve themselves • Opportunity for evaluation and risk assessment • Actively pick up animals, evade law • Opportunity to evaluate animals • Can do long-term monitoring (recommended!) • Court-ordered restitution of costs • Limits on animal ownership • Limits on animal-related employment • Law-enforcement public record • Makes them accountable • Educates public about seriousness of the issue

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Prosecution Issues in Animal Hoarding Intervention Strategies Disadvantages of prosecution

⚫ Criminalizes behavior that may be mental illness

⚫ Alienates public or unfamiliar with the extent of the problem

⚫ May not draw upon the community resources in the best position to provide long-term monitoring and solutions (e.g. mental health, adult protective services, animal care and control)

⚫ Costly and time-consuming

-- Randy Lockwood, ASPCA

Remedies & Responses

• Foster housing, vet care, euthanasia of large #s PART 4 of animals, mobile clinic for spay/neuter Professional and • May require court order Community Responses • Psych counseling, social services

• Prepare for media interest

• Allow to keep limited #

• Frequent check-backs

What’s the Criminal Justice System What’s the Criminal Justice System Doing With This New Awareness? Doing With This New Awareness?

Specialized Law Enforcement/ Renewed interest in The LINK → Prosecution Animal Crimes Units States with felony-level animal cruelty crimes

Feb. 2014: Federal felony to bring a child to an animal fight

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What’s the Criminal Justice System What’s the Criminal Justice System Doing With This New Awareness? Doing With This New Awareness? Veterinary Forensics

International • 145+ law schools offer Animal Law Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association • 190+ student ALDF chapters • Animal law committees at ABA, 26 states, 16 regional & 2 international bar associations • APA addressing strongly

ASPCA “Animal CSI”

What’s the Criminal Justice System What’s the Criminal Justice System Doing With This New Awareness? Doing With This New Awareness? Increased public and professional awareness The power of one woman to make a difference…

John & Nicole Thompson

January 2016: FBI added 4 categories of animal cruelty, abuse and neglect to NIBRS UCR system for 18,000 law enforcement agencies

• Simple or gross neglect (animal hoarding) • Physical abuse • Organized abuse (animal fighting) • Animal sexual abuse Baltimore, MD

What’s the Criminal Justice System Policy and Practice Responses Doing With This New Awareness? Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse Increased awareness A serious, understudied rural issue…

• Milwaukee “spotabuse.org” campaign to reduce domestic violence; public reports suspected animal abuse to 911. “It wasn’t just the cats and dogs, it was the sheep and the chickens. I was terrified for their welfare. I knew if I were to leave, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill them. He had done it before.” -- Susan Walsh, 2006

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Policy and Practice Responses Policy and Practice Responses “Pet Protection Orders” – “Doggie Witness 35 states & DC & PR Protection Programs”” “Safe Havens” 600+ women’s shelters: Pet protection orders 2006-2020 (35 states) Foster referrals “SAF-T” – Sheltering Animals & Families Together Pet And Women Safety (PAWS) Act (2018) 250+ in US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands • PPOs across state (9 in Arizona) lines www.saftprogram.org • $2,000,000 for pet- friendly shelters Grants for shelters and individuals

Policy and Practice Responses Legislative Responses to This New Awareness

Courts may determine animal custody Coercive Animal Abuse = Domestic Violence in divorce cases in animals’ best interests

Legislative Responses to This New Awareness Legislative Responses to This New Awareness

Sex with animals Bestiality Conviction: Register as Sex Offender illegal in 46 states

• 31% of animal sex offenders also sexually offended children & adults • 53% had prior or subsequent records • 11% had priors for child pornography • 16% had priors for interpersonal or domestic violence • 7% diagnosed with voyeurism, necrophilia, sadomasochism, or pedophilia • 5% of cases: animal pornography used to groom child • Only 39% of cases were prosecuted (Edwards, 2019)

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Legislative Responses to This New Awareness Legislative Responses to This New Awareness

Cross-Reporting 1-way Reporting DCF Mandated → ACO/HS DCF Permitted to→ ACO/HS

Often linked with: ACO /HS • Gambling Mandated→ DCF • Drug offenses • Sexual Assault Full 2-way • Weapons offenses mandatory • Simple and serious assault cross-reporting • Children exposed to violence DCF & ACO/HS • Intentional harm to animals • Prostitution and human trafficking ACO/HS mandated to report elder abuse APS mandated/permitted to report animal abuse

Legislative Responses to This New Awareness Veterinary Responses to This New Awareness Veterinary Reporting One Health Veterinarians mandated to report CHILD abuse Veterinarians mandated to Approach animal abuse as a public health concern report ELDER abuse paralleling the medical community’s response to Veterinarians child maltreatment and domestic violence. mandated to report animal abuse (18) The veterinarian should be as proactive in the fight Veterinarians permitted to against animal abuse as the pediatrician is in report animal abuse (19) preventing and responding to child abuse.

18 states where EVERYONE is mandated to report child abuse: how many vets know this???

Veterinary Responses to This New Awareness Veterinary Responses to This New Awareness Veterinarians are seen as the animal health experts. Law enforcement – especially with new FBI process – will turn to DVMs to articulate what Veterinary Social Work is wrong with an animal and whether it should be seized.

“The human side of veterinary medicine…/ The animal side of social work…”

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Veterinary Responses Veterinary Responses

Scotland invests £1,000,000 to train 100,000 front-line professionals to recognize & respond to domestic violence 2015: New Zealand Veterinary Association signs on to national domestic violence prevention initiative as a “three-dimensional profession” –

the only profession with a voice that transcends Beauticians Dentists Veterinarians animal life, human life and the environment.

Programmatic Responses to This New Awareness Programmatic Responses to This New Awareness Animal-Assisted Interventions for Therapy dogs to help abused/ sexually assaulted Juvenile Offenders and At-Risk Youth children testify…

 Forensic interview: CACs, prosecutors  Build trust and communication with interviewers  Reduce stress  Help children prepare for court  Testifying in court, hearings, depositions, sentencing

Ellie and Jeeter Resident therapy dogs King County (WA) Prosecuting Atty.’s Office Special Assault Unit

Resources Resources Sign up for our free LINK-LETTER!

Association of Prosecuting Attorneys • Animal Welfare Listserve • Lex Canis – Animal cruelty and fighting newsletter • National animal cruelty prosecution conferences • Manuals • Webinars www.NationalLinkCoalition.org • Summary of state anti-cruelty laws [email protected] • Technical assistance

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Resources Resources THE LATHAM FOUNDATION www.latham.org

 Animal Legal Defense Fund (www.aldf.org)  Location of Expert Witnesses, Brief Banks, Legal Research, Cruelty Case Database

• MSU Animal Legal & Historical Center www.animallaw.info

In Conclusion… Go forth… Do good deeds… Live like a dog… “The effective prosecution of animal abuse has Bark less. many benefits. It can provide an early and timely response Wag your tail more. to those who are, or who are at risk of becoming, a threat to the safety of others. It can provide an added tool for the protection Let people pet you. of victims of family violence. It can provide an opportunity for prosecutors to develop new, strong and helpful allies in the protection of their communities. Finally, it can bring personal satisfaction in developing new skills and new understanding and Take more time to relax. in helping build a truly compassionate society.” Take more time to play. -Randall Lockwood, Ph.D., American Prosecutors Research Institute Don’t poop on other people’s lawns.

Food! Glorious Food!

Any Questions?

Phil Arkow Phil Arkow www.NationalLinkCoalition.org www.NationalLinkCoalition.org [email protected] [email protected]

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