Letters to the Editor

Report animal cruelty

April is Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month. The American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals defines animal cruelty as three different categories.

The first category, "unintentional cruelty," involves a lack of awareness of cruelty to animals. Those who keep their dog on a short chain, most all of the time, is cruel. Keeping a dog chained can create isolation and loneliness, and for many dogs, increases aggressive behaviors. Dogs require better shelter than being left out on a chain.

Others use cruel types of discipline. Animal hoarders hurt animals by taking in more pets than they can manage as noted in the 2009 Flathead County animal cruelty case involving 26 Husky mixes that had lived in filth and squalor.

Nearly all of these people can learn to understand animal cruelty through education and increase their awareness of the needs of their pet.

The second category of animal cruelty is "intentional cruelty." Those who are responsible for these behaviors are typically young and they hurt animals because they can't stand up to their friends or they are mad at someone and displace their anger onto their pet.

Intentionally hurting animals for any reason is always serious.

This group needs to develop empathy by learning about how animals suffer pain from cruelty or abuse, in addition to learning how to assertively stand up for themselves and more appropriately manage their anger. These individuals can be helped though education and support, too.

Animal cruelty involving, "cruel intention" is the third category. These individuals intentionally hurt animals because they enjoy hurting others or because it makes them feel powerful and in control of the pet or others.

A male batterer may hurt the family's pet to show his wife what he could do to her too. And, others simply enjoy inflicting pain and violence. In one study of batttered women, 57 percent of those with pets said their partners had harmed or killed animals. One in four said that she stayed with the batterer because she feared leaving the pet behind.

Individuals who perpetrate violence and cruelty need to be reported to law enforcement. Those they put in danger, including pets, need to be given safe shelter.

Please report animal cruelty and neglect to your local law enforcement. If you witness animal cruelty or neglect, in progress, call 911.

Cindie Jobe

Volunteer, Flathead County Animal Shelter