This is a portion of an article in Cat Fancy magazine, July, 2009.
Phoenix's frantic cries echoed past the locked door. When the attack ended, the brown tabby lay motionless. A neighbor who overheard the attack intervened and took the cat and the preteen son to safety. Their first step was to the emergency animal clinic where Phoenix clung to life by a fine strand. In addition to a critical head injury, he suffered severe eye trauma and burns around his ears.
The neighbor called no-kill animal shelters and rescue groups begging for someone to find a new home for the injured cat. They either didn't return her call or told her there was no room. Finally, an Animal Allies of Texas (ATT) volunteer offered to foster Phoenix until he recovered and found his forever home.
When the volunteer picked up Phoenix from the veterinarian, his 11 year old owner was on the clinic floor, holding the cat. The boy asked if his kitty would be OK. "I'll take good care of him", the foster mom answered him. "Are you sure you want me to find a new home for him? If I do, you will never see him again."
The boy looked at her and said, "If you take him, he won't be hurt again."
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Phoenix and the boy had a happy ending, but, in violent homes, pets suffer alongside their people. Not long ago, law enforcement officials ignored animal abuse. They were concerned with "real crime." Now, they know that there is a direct link between people who intentionally hurt animals and violent crimes against humans. Pets are victims-in-training, who can't report the crime.
According to a 2001 study of intentional animal abuse published by the Humane Society, 13 percent of those cases involved incidents of domestic violence, 7 percent coincided with child abuse, and 2 percent with elder abuse.
Abused women are trapped in a problematic situation. They can't leave their abusers because most women's shelters won't accept their beloved pets. So, they often must choose between their pet's lives and their own safety and the safety of their children.
Abusers often threaten the pet's life so that they can control their victim. For instance, "If you leave me, I'll kill the cat." Or, the abuser may actually kill the pet to control the victim, sending the clear message, "If I killed the cat, I can kill you, too."
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I was sickened by this article. I feel a very deep hatred and rage towards anyone who would hurt an animal. I think we need to be aware of the correlation between domestic violence and cruelty to animals. I know that I need to also embrace the fact that these abusers, as well, are hurting deeply inside and need help. I need to be empathic and offer kindness to all beings in pain. I can do this even while I am filled with anger and rage toward the abuser. We are NOT our feelings; we ARE how we respond to them.
All victims need a place to find safety and refuge from these sick individuals. These abusers also need intervention immediately.
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2 comments:
We should never be enraged, but we should have "righteous anger" which will hopefully motivate us to make a difference.
I don't know what makes these type of people so angry and hateful, but the Europeans do more research on the body/mind connection than we do here in the US.
Did you know that they have found that many child molesters have brain tumors and once the tumor is removed the desire is removed with it? Unfortunately this is not a real solution because more often than not, the tumor grows back and brings back the behavior with it.
I do not agree with you, Anonymous. Feeling rage is NOT the same thing ACTING from rage. We need to be aware of our feelings so we do NOT act upon them so abruptly. As I stated in this blog, I, and all of us, can see clearly that abusers are people in a great deal of pain and need intervention. They too, need empathy and kindness. They usually come from abusive homes themselves. This behavior is repeated as they have learned inappropriate ways to deal with frustration and anger and have no tools at their disposal to deal effectively and maturely with feelings of rage and frustration.
I do not know of this reasearch you speak of. Perhaps you can share the source of this information you have. It makes no sense to me that there would be a high percentage of abusers who have a brain tumor.
Thank you for your interest in this posting and your willingness to share your thoughts. DR. Crew
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