Cruelty to animals and people linked

People who abuse animals are often likely to assault or abuse other people as well, according to a survey published yesterday. The survey, commissioned by the Humane Society of the United States, found that nearly 30 per cent of all incidents involving cruelty to animals also involved violent crimes against people. "Such reports were far more likely to be associated with intentional cruelty or torture [82 percent] than with neglect [18 per cent]," the group said in a statement.

Dogs were the most frequent victims, being abused in 45 percent of cases. They were shot, burned, poisoned and hanged. Among the men involved in both animal cruelty and human violence, the most common charges were domestic violence, child abuse, assault and murder. Women who abused animals were most likely to be child abusers, the survey found.