Hurt an animal, hurt a child!
More than 70 percent of U.S. households with young children have pets. In a study from the 1980s, 7-to-10-year-old children named on average two pets when listing the 10 most important individuals in their lives. When asked to “whom do you turn to when you are feeling sad, angry, happy or wanting to share a secret,” nearly half of 5-year-old children in another study mentioned their pets.
One way to think of what animal abuse does to a child might simply be to consider all the positive associations and life lessons that come from a child’s closeness to a companion animal — right down to eventually receiving their first and perhaps most gentle experiences of death as a natural part of life — and then flipping them so that all those lessons and associations turn negative.
How childhood development is impaired
by exposure to
animal neglect and abuse
Research shows that animal abuse puts children at risk of being affected by disabling disorders, writes Louise van der Merwe, Managing Trustee of the Humane Education Trust, in her article "Hurt an animal, hurt a child" published in the Mail & Guardian in November 2010:
Would we care more about animal suffering if we knew about the damage it can do to our children? Latest research suggests that animal abuse has a knock-on effect that puts children at risk of potentially disabling disorders that include impaired learning ability and depression.
Recent thinking on the connection between animal abuse and child abuse is revealed in an expensive, just published book entitled The Link between Animal Abuse and Human Violence, comprising cutting-edge research by 36 international academics in fields as varied as the Social Sciences, Criminology, Developmental Psychology, Human Rights, Applied Childhood Studies, Behavioural Science, and Child Welfare. The volume is edited by Professor Andrew Linzey, Director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics and a member of the university’s Faculty of Theology.
A most interesting piece of research brought to light in this book is the domino effect of animal abuse and cruelty. It starts when we, as adults, disrespect, neglect, abuse or harm an animal. By doing so, we are unknowingly guiding children onto a slippery slope that can ultimately affect their mental health. The process begins with desensitisation or loss of feeling, whereby children become able to witness the neglect, hurting, harming or killing of an animal and yet remain indifferent.
The second step is when children become accustomed to the pain and suffering they witness, and become habituated. Habituation to neglect and cruelty means that it has become a routine part of their lives.
Importantly, desensitisation directly opposes the crucial development in early childhood of empathy. Understanding the nature of empathy is critical to our understanding of how animal cruelty affects children. Empathy is the ability to feel with another person. It is the precursor to sympathy and sympathetic behaviour. Social workers and psychologists regard empathy as an indicator of healthy emotional development in children and adults. It is believed to be the vital ‘ingredient’ upon which socially competent, cohesive, integrated, cooperative, sustainable and peaceful communities are built.
In contrast, lack of empathy leads to dehumanisation because it stunts children’s emotional development so that their potential as emotionally mature adults is not unrealised.
The natural development of empathy is thwarted by the process of desensitization.
What becomes clear from The Link Between Animal Abuse and Human Violence is that scientists now suggest that animal abuse, because of its potential to damage emotional development, is a form of child abuse that can lead to life-long disability including:
- Impaired ability to learn;
- Inability to build or maintain satisfactory social relationships, inappropriate behavior and/or feelings;
- Depression.
Furthermore, it does not take much imagination to realise that adults who are under-developed emotionally, will more readily resort to violence to resolve problems.
If we accept, then, that abusive and oppressive treatment of animals is injurious to children and is a destabilising force within communities and society at large, where do we look for an urgent, and sustainable solution to man’s notorious inhumanity to non-human life?
To read the entire article, please click here!
Animals in the life of abused children
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association:
- 64.11% of households with children under age 6, and 74.8% of households with children over age 6, also have pets.
- Abused children are more likely than non-abused children to use their pets as transitional objects in times of loneliness or stress, and to see pets as their sole love object. Yet abused children are three times more likely than non-abused children to have had their pets die, and twice as likely for those deaths to have been intentional. 38% of abused youths reported their pets had been mistreated.
- 86% of incarcerated violent offenders had had pets as children; 60% of these offenders saw those pets taken away or experience traumatic deaths.
The cycle of violence
Cruelty to animals and violence towards people share common characteristics. For example, both types of victims are living creatures, feel pain and experience distress, and may die from their injuries.
Until recently, however, violence towards children and the elderly, and other domestic violence had been considered to be unrelated to violence towards animals. A correlation has now been established between animal abuse, family violence, and other forms of community violence. A growing body of research indicates that people who commit acts of cruelty towards animals rarely stop there. Murderers and people who abuse their spouse, children or other people, frequently harmed animals in the past.
History is replete with serial killers whose violent tendencies were first directed at animals:
"Cruelty to animals is a predictor of violent behavior, and as good a predictor as I have seen," says William Ritter, District Attorney for Denver, Colo. Anthropologist Margaret Mead has written that the worst thing that can happen to a child is to harm an animal - and get away with it.
People who abuse animals are not only dangerous to their animal victims but may also be dangerous to people. Virtually all of the mass murderers and schoolyard killers of recent years had committed prior acts of animal abuse. When asked how many serial killers had a history of abusing animals, the FBI responded, "The real question should be, how many have not?"
Acts of violence directed against animals by children are among the earliest sentinel indicators of conduct disorder and manifestations of the inter-generational cycle of violence that researchers are just now coming to understand.
Because abusers target the powerless, crimes against animals, spouses, children, and the elderly often go hand in hand. Children who abuse animals may be repeating a lesson learned at home; like their parents, they are reacting to anger or frustration with violence. Their violence is directed at the only individual in the family who is more vulnerable than they are: an animal.
Until recently, however, violence towards children and the elderly, and other domestic violence had been considered to be unrelated to violence towards animals. A correlation has now been established between animal abuse, family violence, and other forms of community violence. A growing body of research indicates that people who commit acts of cruelty towards animals rarely stop there. Murderers and people who abuse their spouse, children or other people, frequently harmed animals in the past.
History is replete with serial killers whose violent tendencies were first directed at animals:
- The school shootings that took place between 1997 and 2001 in: Pearl, MS; West Paducah, KY; Jonesbobo, AK; Springfield, OR; Littleton, CO; Conyers, GA; and San Diego, CA ALL contain a common element. Prior to killing their classmates and teachers, ALL of the boys involved in these school shootings had performed acts of animal cruelty such as: shooting dogs, setting cats on fire, blowing up cows and killing other small animals, prior to killing humans.
- Albert DeSalvo, "The Boston Strangler" killed 13 women. When he was a boy he put cats and dogs into orange crates and shot arrows through the slats to kill them.
- Ted Bundy, was a serial rapist and killer of at least 30 women. As a youth he tortured and killed animals.
- Jeffrey Dahmer, killed and cannibalized at least 17 people. As a boy, he killed and impaled the heads of cats and dogs on sticks.
- Dennis Rader, the BTK killer in Wichita, KS, killed at least 10 people. He abused and killed animals for practice prior to killing people.
"Cruelty to animals is a predictor of violent behavior, and as good a predictor as I have seen," says William Ritter, District Attorney for Denver, Colo. Anthropologist Margaret Mead has written that the worst thing that can happen to a child is to harm an animal - and get away with it.
People who abuse animals are not only dangerous to their animal victims but may also be dangerous to people. Virtually all of the mass murderers and schoolyard killers of recent years had committed prior acts of animal abuse. When asked how many serial killers had a history of abusing animals, the FBI responded, "The real question should be, how many have not?"
Acts of violence directed against animals by children are among the earliest sentinel indicators of conduct disorder and manifestations of the inter-generational cycle of violence that researchers are just now coming to understand.
Because abusers target the powerless, crimes against animals, spouses, children, and the elderly often go hand in hand. Children who abuse animals may be repeating a lesson learned at home; like their parents, they are reacting to anger or frustration with violence. Their violence is directed at the only individual in the family who is more vulnerable than they are: an animal.
What about children who grow up
in countries where animal abuse and even murder of animals is
a daily part of life?
In some south and eastern European countries, especially in countries such as Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia, Ukraine and a few others, children become unwillingly witness of animal abuse, sometimes on a daily basis.
- they see dog catchers brutally catching dogs in the streets,
- dogs and cats are being poisoned and children often see them dying in pain,
- children see stray dogs being victims of the most horrible acts of brutality such as stabbing, shooting, beating, drowning, and even burning them to death
- they see dogs chained outside in all weathers. Forced to live at the end of a short chain without human interaction, no proper food, water and care, the dogs are left to vegetate for years until they eventually perish
- sick, old and starving horses and donkeys are often hit and beaten to make them do a last effort,
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Witnessing all these, children can become literally numb to the suffering of living beings. The process begins with desensitisation or loss of feeling, whereby they become able to witness the neglect, hurting, harming or killing of an animal and yet remain indifferent.
The second step is when children become accustomed to the pain and suffering they witness, and become habituated. Habituation to neglect and cruelty means that it has become a routine part of their lives.
Animal abuse becomes "something normal" and the next step - abusing animals themselves - becomes very close.
Girl throws puppies into a river
Bosnia & Herzegovina - September 2010: Bosnian police said they had tracked down a Bosnian girl who sparked worldwide outrage when she was seen on video throwing half a dozen puppies into a river.
The girl who appeared to be in her teens lives in the central town of Bugojno, police spokesman Sefir Barucija was quoted by SRNA news agency as saying, but officers did not plan to reveal her identity publicly.
Under Bosnian law a person who kills or tortures animals is punishable only with fines ranging from 15 to 5,000 euros (19 to 6,400 dollars).
If the girl was found guilty and fined it would be the first such case in Bosnia.
Local media reported that girl's grandmother had told her to throw the three-day-old puppies into the river.
The girl believed that throwing puppies into river was "the most merciful" way to get rid off them, the reports said.
The 44-second video shows a blonde girl in a red sweatshirt casually taking the squealing black-and-white puppies out of a white bucket and tossing them into the fast-moving river one by one.
Text taken from youtube
Boy beheads a dog
Serbia - August 2011: When asked why he did this to the dog, the 8th-grader explained with a smile on his face, that he had first thrown the American Stafford in the river Timok. After the dog came out of the river, he said, the dog wanted to bite him and so he had to kill him by cutting his head off.
Source
Source
Youths blew off the
face of a German Shepherd
Bosnia & Herzegovina - On 11 November 2011, two drunken teenagers in Ilidža, Bosnia-Herzegovina, put a rocket explosive firework into a young German Shepherd’s mouth and duct-taped his jaws shut, setting the rocket alight.
The firework caused horrific injuries to the dog’s face, but did not kill him. He wandered about for five days before being finally rescued by animal welfare volunteers who took him to a veterinarian’s office. The firework shell was still embedded in the dog’s head, and maggots had started to eat his ruined flesh. The vets determined his injuries could not be helped and he was euthanized.
The animal welfare volunteers named the dog, ‘Vučko’. Vučko means little wolf. In Native American medicine, the wolves are our teachers.
Several petitions were created to bring the perpetrators of this act to justice, to expose the severity of animal abuse, and to create proper legislation to protect animals in Bosnia-Herzegovina. No action was taken against the perpetrators because of the difficulty of implementing animal abuse laws. There are no animal welfare organisations like the RSPCA or ASPCA in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Nearly 200,000 people signed these petitions which were sent to the authorities, but so far there has been no result.
The firework caused horrific injuries to the dog’s face, but did not kill him. He wandered about for five days before being finally rescued by animal welfare volunteers who took him to a veterinarian’s office. The firework shell was still embedded in the dog’s head, and maggots had started to eat his ruined flesh. The vets determined his injuries could not be helped and he was euthanized.
The animal welfare volunteers named the dog, ‘Vučko’. Vučko means little wolf. In Native American medicine, the wolves are our teachers.
Several petitions were created to bring the perpetrators of this act to justice, to expose the severity of animal abuse, and to create proper legislation to protect animals in Bosnia-Herzegovina. No action was taken against the perpetrators because of the difficulty of implementing animal abuse laws. There are no animal welfare organisations like the RSPCA or ASPCA in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Nearly 200,000 people signed these petitions which were sent to the authorities, but so far there has been no result.
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At age 14 the boy, Andrej Grecu,
hacks off the front paws and tail of the neighbor's dog.
One year later he kills a 67-year-old man who tried to sexually assault him
Romania, February 2011 - Outraged because the neighbor's dog stole one of his hens, a 14-year-old boy grabbed his grand mother's ax and chopped the puppy's front paws and tail off. It was not the first dog that the boy had abused: he has admittedly drown and hanged dogs before.
One year after this incident, the boy killed a 67-year-old man after they drunk together at his grand mother's place, where the boy (an orphan) grew up. According to the boy, the victim tried to sexually assault him.
The boy later admitted the crime to the investigators and detailed the circumstances of the murder, saying he had no remorse.
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The 'Making The Link' Study
The 'Making The Link' Study, is a study to identify psychological effects of children regularly exposed to community animal abuse and evaluation of efficacy of interventions.
For those who travel to the Eastern European countries, readily apparent are the numbers of animals living on the streets. Packs of dogs roam most major cities and being sometimes aggressive, provoke similar reactions from the populace.
Abuse is endemic with many animal corpses littering the streets and constant exposure of local populations to acts of aggression, maiming and slaughter.
In a western society, as a father presents a young puppy to his children, a new 'member of the family', he is aware that only a few countries away, a similar puppy is being hurled into a furnace along with many, many others.
It is not a quantum leap of imagination to suggest that constant exposure to abuse must have an impact upon any individual who witnesses it. Exposure to violence has been found to be an indicator of the increased possibility of violent activity (Bandura, 1973). Many studies have been conducted to explore the relationship between children and teenagers who abuse animals and their later socio-behavioral practices. Links have been identified showing how abuse of animals at an early age can develop later into various forms of abuse including domestic violence and child abuse (Hackett, S & Uprichard, E. (2007); Ascione, F. R. (2001) and Arkow, P (1999); Schiff, Louw and Ascione, Flynn (1999); Baldry A.C. (2001).
A current study in the USA is a $1.5 million federally funded, 4-year study to examine the psychological issues caused by children being exposed to abuse of domestic pets. What mental health scars will be left? The project which is proposed here is one of the few studies with a focus on exposure to abuse rather than perpetration of abuse within the community. What has not been attempted before, is to study the effects of regular exposure to endemic abuse experienced regularly within the community and evaluation of the psychological impact before interventions are introduced and the efficacy of the interventions assessed. The study will explore a range of possible effects from exposure. One identified example of directed focus in the impairment of child development because of exposure to animal abuse. As indicated, previous research has been largely conducted within domestic environments with familiars and not with wider regular exposure in the community and with limited attachment to the perpetrator(s).
Research has indicated that the natural development of humans is to mirror emotions of others. A ‘mirror neuron’ system (Rizzolatti et al, 2002) which produces a resonant effect in response to perceived emotions of others. Although a child needs to develop defensive mechanisms to control the burden of negative sensations and emotions laid upon him by his own mirror neuron system, emphasis is placed upon witnessing abuse to someone within the familial group. Attachment being a significant factor. But it is also quite rightly observed that people with no direct attachment to the subjects will exhibit the same negativity when viewing pictures depicting animal abuse (Beetz, A.M. 2011). It is therefore a realistic proposition to suggest that ongoing exposure to abuse in public places, produces progressive desensitization, accompanied by inhibition of the ability to become empathic. Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget postulated that we begin life in an egocentric state where we are the sole significant factor in our psychological universe (Piaget and Inhelder, 1956). If natural psychological development requires a transition from egocentricity to empathic, then the postulation is that children exposed to regular abuse of animals, have their psychological development inhibited and distorted and in particular their ability to be empathic. Should this be verified, it would identify serious consequences for individuals living in regions where abuse remains uncontrolled. Arguably more importantly, it would have serious implications for the societies which had been allowed exposure to extensive unregulated and uncontrolled socially debilitating determinants. And given that such abuse is prevalent throughout most of Southern and Eastern Europe, the findings should be of major interest to government bodies and other major organisations with the ability to exercise preventative controls within this significant sized geographical area.
Independent of Romania Animal Helpline but informed by it, this study was created to identify the effects on communities exposed to extensive animal abuse.
Although multi-dimensional, the study has a central objective of exemplifying connections between animal abuse and a child's psycholological health and behaviour with its resultant impact on societies. The efficacy of creating positive change by introducing interventions will be evaluated to explore their ability to enhance the quality of both a child's life and the attendant positive effects on society.
Each component of the project is seen as a 'stepping stone' towards the creation of the first 'Link' infrastructure in Eastern and South East Europe. A 'Link' infrastructure provides for veterinary doctors to identify animal abuse indicators which may inform later inter-human risk patterns. Support provision for identified 'at risk' individuals and families will be provided by animal welfare groups, police, psychological therapists, children cocieties, animal-centred therapists.
A major collaboration of world-leading international organisations and academics have created the 'Making The Link' project to bring change... in the belief that a new tomorrow CAN be created for the children and animals of these lands.
This is their birthright! And ours to give.
For further information on the 'Making the Link Study', please visit: the 'Making The Link' Study
EU-Human Rights and Romania
The following are excerpts of a report that Norah Babington has sent to the Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Nils Muiznieks, as well as to the Sub-Committee on Human Rights at the EU:
Let me firstly quote from the platform which the European Union was founded:
"Human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights are the values on which the European Union is founded."
and further:
"Countries that seek to join the EU must respect human rights and so must countries which they have concluded trade and agreements with."
On 25 June 2012, a press release was given from EU Luxembourg, where an Action Plan together with a Strategic Framework on Human Rights and democracy was presented to the public, as it had been adopted by the Commission. Allow me to quote Cathrine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice - President of the European Commission:
"Human rights are one of my top priorities and a silver thread that runs through everything that we do in external relations. With this comprehensive package we want to enhance the effectiveness and visibility of EU human rights policy. In order to help put the Framework and the Action Plan into practice, I have also proposed the appointment of an EU Special Representative on Human Rights and I look forward to a swift appointment".
On this proposal, Mr. Stavros Lambrinidisis was appointed EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights.
These implimentations are all vital to ensure that the root and strength of the founding of the European Union is not only kept vibrant, but also reintroduced as a motivating factor to those who are employed within the EU-system itself - as well as to the EU-member countries.
The European Union and Romania
As the EU is well aware of, Romania is one of the EU-countries that struggles severly with developing into a democratic society.
After joining the EU in 2007, Romania has not decreased the high levels of corruption and according to the report quite recently presented by the French Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, has the lowest absorbtion rates of the 27 member states; only 4 % of the 19,7 billion euros that EU has funded the country in the years 2007-13, has been put to good use to help the nations transition into a democracy. One of the main reasons according to this report, was "persistant fraudulent practises."
After joining the EU in 2007, Romania has not decreased the high levels of corruption and according to the report quite recently presented by the French Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, has the lowest absorbtion rates of the 27 member states; only 4 % of the 19,7 billion euros that EU has funded the country in the years 2007-13, has been put to good use to help the nations transition into a democracy. One of the main reasons according to this report, was "persistant fraudulent practises."
EU-Human Rights and Romania
To "raise" a nation un-experienced of democratic practice, is very much the same is finding the clue to good parenting. The child needs guidelines, structure and explanations into actions and consequences in order to slowly develop into an autonomous human being who sees others as of equal value as itself. The child needs flexible limits which gives room for growth, experience and reflection, as well as the clear limits between right and wrong. If these bounderies are not given, the child will remain narcissistic in its conception of a limited reality which sees the surroundings and the world as a prolonging of itself and therefore the autonomous reality "yours" and "mine" remains an unexplored reality, (corruption) and the ability to differentiate between the two remains undeveloped (disorders on an individual and/or societal basis).
Too rigid limits creates fear and disloyalty to the authorities non-democratic societies, chaos under the surface) - too loose limits creates fear towards the surrounding world, (anarchy, open chaos), either too low or mythomanic self esteem, as well as weak abilities to create healthy, long lasting relationships that benefit the parties involved (Internal and external chaos and conflict).
Rewarding a child for cutting off the paws of the neigbour's cat, can hardly be seen as good parenting. This would be defined as both animal abuse and child abuse - where the "reward" would become a part of an escalating problem - and not the solution.
Too rigid limits creates fear and disloyalty to the authorities non-democratic societies, chaos under the surface) - too loose limits creates fear towards the surrounding world, (anarchy, open chaos), either too low or mythomanic self esteem, as well as weak abilities to create healthy, long lasting relationships that benefit the parties involved (Internal and external chaos and conflict).
Rewarding a child for cutting off the paws of the neigbour's cat, can hardly be seen as good parenting. This would be defined as both animal abuse and child abuse - where the "reward" would become a part of an escalating problem - and not the solution.
The interconnection between animal abuse
and human abuse in Romania
Since 2011, I have been gathering testimonies from Romania by people being exposed to the immense, ongoing cruelty performed by the dog catching business in Romania.
It has been an uphill struggle. People are afraid for their lives, traumatized by the violence, feeling vulnerable and powerless and unable to change the status quo. They plead for help. They state they have lost their humanity and any good quality of a descent life, by being forced to witness the sufferings and dying of the stray dogs and cats daily. But be aware of the fact that many dogs who have owners, even the ones walking in a leash with the owner on the streets, gets caught by the dogcatchers and dragged to the death camps, the so called Public Shelters (PS). People pay the dogcatchers weekly bribes in order to save their pet from a horrific death.
Again, I will use the metaphor of a family on a society. The dynamics are the same, because a family consists of human beings, just like a society does. And the basic needs, so well reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reflect the needs of every, single individual.
Furthermore, the dynamics of how the dog catchers represent an imminent threat for the citizens own pets - as well as their healthy and humane attitude towards animals in general, provoke many of the same traumatic results for the collective group - as is well described in many psychological / sociological and criminology reports on the detrimental long-term side effects family members suffer from, when exposed to animal abuse or the threat of animal abuse. Animal abuse is also a well known recruiter to other forms of violent crimes.
From Romanian news papers 2 years ago: According to witnesses, most of similar cases never reach the media in Romania (none of the animal cruelty cases were charged)
Little girl poisoned by dogcatchers - Authorities deny responsibility:
http://xnici.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/a-little-girl-from-romania-poisoned-by-dog-killers/
Those that try to protect the animals do it with their lives at stake:
http://xnici.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/animal-savers-from-romania-are-threatened-even-with-death-help-us/
A 50-year-old man killed in Brasov, Romania, when attempting to protect a stray dog:
http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/eveniment/un-barbat-din-brasov-a-murit-incercand-sa-salveze-un-catel-comunitar.html
A 15-year-old boy cut the paws of a dog off - then killed a man:
http://a1.ro/news/social/socant-bestia-care-a-mutilat-un-catel-taindu-i-labutele-a-omorat-un-om.html
A man beats his horse to death - one year later he killed his own brother:
http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/actualitate/si-a-omorat-in-bataie-fratele-anul-trecut-isi-omorase-calul.html
A man with animal cruelty background killing stray dogs with rocks - went on to kill two women
http://www.libertatea.ro/detalii/articol/Distractia-monstrului-batea-cainii-cu-pietre-382389.html
Batterers who also abuse their pets are both more controlling and use more dangerous forms of violence, (sexual violence, marital rape, emotional violence and stalking) than batterers who do not. (Simmons & Lehmann, 2007)
Significant research has documented a relationship between childhood histories of animal cruelty and patterns of cronic interpersonal aggression. (Kellert % Felthaus 1985; Hensley & Tallichet, 2005; Merz-Perez, Heide & Silverman,2001; Becker & French, 2004)
According to a 1997 study done by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Northwestern University, animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people and four times more likely to commit property crimes than individuals without a history of animal abuse.
A 2007 study found that women seeking refuge at a family violence shelter, were nearly 11 times more likely to report that their partner had hurt/killed their pet and that shelter women were more than 4 times more likely to report that their pet had been threatened (Ascione, Volant, Johnson,Gullone & Coleman, 2008).
Family members who suffer domestic violence may be more likely to remain in an abusive home, or return home, if they do not have a safe place to put their pet. This keeps adults and children in danger. When children witness violence in the home, they are more likely to display violence towards animals. (Currie, 2006).
Children often love their pets like family members, as if a pet is threatened, harmed or killed, this can cause psychological trauma to the children. Animal cruelty committed by children is often symptomatic of future abuse of other animals or people (Boat,1999).
36.8 percent of boys and 29.4 percent of girls who were victims of physical and sexual abuse and domestic violence have been reported to abuse their family pet (Ascione, 2005).
A 2009 study focusing on the interconnection of animal cruelty, child abuse and domestic violence found that nearly half of the participants suffered at least one form of violence during childhood and that the victims of family violence were more likely to experience animal cruelty. Witnessing animal cruelty was the largest predictor of future violence by the witness, in that the witness would be more than eight times more likely to become a perpetrator (DeGue & DeLillo, 2009).
Animal cruelty is by far the greatest predictor of violent tendencies in later life. Paul Wilson – Crimonologist.
Bestiality has been related to crimes against people (Hensley, Tallichet & Singer,2006; Simons, Wurtele & Durham,2008).
Seeing the interconnection between animal abuse and human abuse is vital in order to see these tragic consequenses in the right context.
Romania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Romanians represent a significant source of trafficking victims in Europe. Romanian men, women, and children are subjected to forced labor in agriculture, domestic service, hotels, and manufacturing, as well as forced begging and theft in European countries, including Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Germany, Cyprus, France, Norway, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Austria.
Protection
The Government of Romania demonstrated weak efforts to protect and assist victims of trafficking during the reporting period. For a third consecutive year, the government failed to provide funding to NGOs providing victim protection services. The continued lack of funding has led several trafficking-specialized NGOs to shut down and cease providing services to victims. (US State Department Report 2012)
Below, are extracts from testimonies. Most are anonymous and have been given the opportunity to keep their personal data confidential for the sake of their own safety. This, in itself, shows that they are living under conditions breaking several articles in the Human Rights Declaration.
It has been an uphill struggle. People are afraid for their lives, traumatized by the violence, feeling vulnerable and powerless and unable to change the status quo. They plead for help. They state they have lost their humanity and any good quality of a descent life, by being forced to witness the sufferings and dying of the stray dogs and cats daily. But be aware of the fact that many dogs who have owners, even the ones walking in a leash with the owner on the streets, gets caught by the dogcatchers and dragged to the death camps, the so called Public Shelters (PS). People pay the dogcatchers weekly bribes in order to save their pet from a horrific death.
Again, I will use the metaphor of a family on a society. The dynamics are the same, because a family consists of human beings, just like a society does. And the basic needs, so well reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reflect the needs of every, single individual.
Furthermore, the dynamics of how the dog catchers represent an imminent threat for the citizens own pets - as well as their healthy and humane attitude towards animals in general, provoke many of the same traumatic results for the collective group - as is well described in many psychological / sociological and criminology reports on the detrimental long-term side effects family members suffer from, when exposed to animal abuse or the threat of animal abuse. Animal abuse is also a well known recruiter to other forms of violent crimes.
From Romanian news papers 2 years ago: According to witnesses, most of similar cases never reach the media in Romania (none of the animal cruelty cases were charged)
Little girl poisoned by dogcatchers - Authorities deny responsibility:
http://xnici.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/a-little-girl-from-romania-poisoned-by-dog-killers/
Those that try to protect the animals do it with their lives at stake:
http://xnici.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/animal-savers-from-romania-are-threatened-even-with-death-help-us/
A 50-year-old man killed in Brasov, Romania, when attempting to protect a stray dog:
http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/eveniment/un-barbat-din-brasov-a-murit-incercand-sa-salveze-un-catel-comunitar.html
A 15-year-old boy cut the paws of a dog off - then killed a man:
http://a1.ro/news/social/socant-bestia-care-a-mutilat-un-catel-taindu-i-labutele-a-omorat-un-om.html
A man beats his horse to death - one year later he killed his own brother:
http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/actualitate/si-a-omorat-in-bataie-fratele-anul-trecut-isi-omorase-calul.html
A man with animal cruelty background killing stray dogs with rocks - went on to kill two women
http://www.libertatea.ro/detalii/articol/Distractia-monstrului-batea-cainii-cu-pietre-382389.html
Batterers who also abuse their pets are both more controlling and use more dangerous forms of violence, (sexual violence, marital rape, emotional violence and stalking) than batterers who do not. (Simmons & Lehmann, 2007)
Significant research has documented a relationship between childhood histories of animal cruelty and patterns of cronic interpersonal aggression. (Kellert % Felthaus 1985; Hensley & Tallichet, 2005; Merz-Perez, Heide & Silverman,2001; Becker & French, 2004)
According to a 1997 study done by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Northwestern University, animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people and four times more likely to commit property crimes than individuals without a history of animal abuse.
A 2007 study found that women seeking refuge at a family violence shelter, were nearly 11 times more likely to report that their partner had hurt/killed their pet and that shelter women were more than 4 times more likely to report that their pet had been threatened (Ascione, Volant, Johnson,Gullone & Coleman, 2008).
Family members who suffer domestic violence may be more likely to remain in an abusive home, or return home, if they do not have a safe place to put their pet. This keeps adults and children in danger. When children witness violence in the home, they are more likely to display violence towards animals. (Currie, 2006).
Children often love their pets like family members, as if a pet is threatened, harmed or killed, this can cause psychological trauma to the children. Animal cruelty committed by children is often symptomatic of future abuse of other animals or people (Boat,1999).
36.8 percent of boys and 29.4 percent of girls who were victims of physical and sexual abuse and domestic violence have been reported to abuse their family pet (Ascione, 2005).
A 2009 study focusing on the interconnection of animal cruelty, child abuse and domestic violence found that nearly half of the participants suffered at least one form of violence during childhood and that the victims of family violence were more likely to experience animal cruelty. Witnessing animal cruelty was the largest predictor of future violence by the witness, in that the witness would be more than eight times more likely to become a perpetrator (DeGue & DeLillo, 2009).
Animal cruelty is by far the greatest predictor of violent tendencies in later life. Paul Wilson – Crimonologist.
Bestiality has been related to crimes against people (Hensley, Tallichet & Singer,2006; Simons, Wurtele & Durham,2008).
Seeing the interconnection between animal abuse and human abuse is vital in order to see these tragic consequenses in the right context.
Romania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Romanians represent a significant source of trafficking victims in Europe. Romanian men, women, and children are subjected to forced labor in agriculture, domestic service, hotels, and manufacturing, as well as forced begging and theft in European countries, including Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Germany, Cyprus, France, Norway, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Austria.
Protection
The Government of Romania demonstrated weak efforts to protect and assist victims of trafficking during the reporting period. For a third consecutive year, the government failed to provide funding to NGOs providing victim protection services. The continued lack of funding has led several trafficking-specialized NGOs to shut down and cease providing services to victims. (US State Department Report 2012)
Below, are extracts from testimonies. Most are anonymous and have been given the opportunity to keep their personal data confidential for the sake of their own safety. This, in itself, shows that they are living under conditions breaking several articles in the Human Rights Declaration.
Witnesses testimonies, Romania 2012-2013
"We lost our humanity because we treat our stray animals (dogs,cats) with unimaginable violence."
"The day I know the dogcatchers are in town, I have to take heart pills, because my doctor says no more stress, or something bad will happen."
"We have to witness extreme cruelty in the streets, we have to explain to our children the cruel scenes we are submitted to daily."
"We are terrorized by the sound of the car that takes dogs to the shelter. I`d recognize it from a million other sounds. Every time I hear it, my heart stops and a pure sensation of terror goes through my veins."
"The huge stress and terror we all are under, seeing, hearing, knowing about this inhuman violence that goes on every minute in Romania, can literary kill us. I feel guilty for having fun, laughing, eating because I know there are so many animals suffering that minute. My life is not my own anymore."
"The day I know the dogcatchers are in town, I have to take heart pills, because my doctor says no more stress, or something bad will happen."
"We have to witness extreme cruelty in the streets, we have to explain to our children the cruel scenes we are submitted to daily."
"We are terrorized by the sound of the car that takes dogs to the shelter. I`d recognize it from a million other sounds. Every time I hear it, my heart stops and a pure sensation of terror goes through my veins."
"The huge stress and terror we all are under, seeing, hearing, knowing about this inhuman violence that goes on every minute in Romania, can literary kill us. I feel guilty for having fun, laughing, eating because I know there are so many animals suffering that minute. My life is not my own anymore."
Witnesses / Victims
"We have lost all our humanity, because we treat our stray animals (dogs) with unimaginable violence"
"There is nothing humane in the Romanian version of "euthanasia". Dogs are being murdered every day, all over Romania in the most horrific ways: they are poisoned, shot, beaten to death, injected with gasoline into their hearts and lungs, cast-off from buildings, run down on highways, hanged, electrocuted, thrwon in hot pitch, crippled, left in the woods to die of hunger. Romanian know about all these actions but they ignore it. Thus, they are all accomplices to mass killing of stray dogs."
"We can`t do anything about it because of the corruption of the politicians, Mayors and police. Nobody takes action, although cruelty is punishable by law.These poor souls are at the mercy of sadistic criminals, encouraged by the authorities."
"We have to witness extreme cruelty in the streets, we have to explain to our children the cruel scenes we are submit to daily."
"We are terrorized by the sound of the car that takes dogs to the shelter. I`d recognize it from a million other sounds. Every time I hear it, my heart stops and the pure sensation of terror runs through my veins. I have witnessed dogs being brutalized by the dog catchers who use pliers to drag them by the neck to the car. The poor animals struggle to get out and they get injured, I saw blood coming out or their nose and their mouths. The terrible sounds, dogs crying and yelping to get out. It`s inhumane! I can`t go out to the streets, I`m afraid to be around these scenes and not being able to do anything."
"It is not normal to be subjected to these xetreme acts of cruelty and not being permitted to act as a human being would. My primary instinct is to do something and there were many times I did, I shouted, I kicked dogcatchers, I made pictures to intimidate them. But it is hopeless; Romania is a country that breaks it`s own laws."
"For almost two years, I am a volunteer at the municipal shelter.This shelter has no electricity although the laws says it has to have electricity and vet care.They don`t provide it, but they are authorized to work. How is that possible? The dogs have no food and water and no medical care whatsoever.The vet only goes there to kill them."
"Over the years, we have suffered so much seeing dogs die horrible deaths, having to take heartbreaking decisions. I can`t watch a movie where an animal even squeaks for two seconds without bursting into tears, I can`t even hear the sound of a car that resembles the dogcatchers car without feeling a kind of terror which can be described as feeling all your blood leaving your body. I have to take heart pills, because my doctor said no more stress, or something bad will happen."
"The huge stress and terror we all live under; seeing, hearing, knowing about this unhumane violence that goes on all over Romania, can literally kill us. I feel guilty for having fun, laughing, eating, because I know there are so many animals suffering that minute. My life is not my own anymore! (Anda Popescu, President of "My Dog " Association Moreni, Romania)
IF YOU DARE TO ASK (WHERE THE MISSING DOGS GO) YOU ARE BEING INTIMIDATED TO STOP ASKING OR THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU AND UR FAMILY
"If you have a dog that you care for and about, and he is being caught by the dog catchers, first you have a shock when you see their methods of catching the dogs. The animal is being chased, pulled, hit, brutalized... so he can get in the van of terror. If you still have a voice to say something, that you want your dog back from the van.. you most likely find yourself abused and intimidated by those "professionals" that tell you to chill otherwise you won't ever see your dog. And yes, have been many!! MANY cases of dogs being caught that never made it to the municipal shelter. Lost on the way, so they say... missing dog. If you dare to ask where, how... again you are being intimidated to stop asking or they will take care of you and your family." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
I SAW SO MANY BAD, EVIL THINGS (.....) THAT MY HEART IS STILL CRYING AND WILL. PROBABLY MY MIND WONT EVER GO OVER THE TRAUMA
"The black Friday, that all the animal lovers are so scared of? When the shelter gets cleaned.. the paddocks filled with dogs till that day, get empty, fresh cleaned for a new week of dogs. Where do those dogs go? Where did they disappear? People see Monday or Tuesday or Thursday lots and lots of dogs.. but Friday, after the schedule, the paddocks get empty. Years back people saw the "professional" carrying robes filled with dead bodies of dogs. Now, people that dare to spy, see them filling the van with big black bags, big plastic bags. The bodies of the dogs are being taken away, so no proof will exist. They have their own incinerator, specially made for this. How can anyone stop them? They belong to the local mafia, the ones that rule over everything in the city, nothing gets build without their approvals and their long fingers are stocked in founds. I saw organisations, quite big, that are trying for years and years to make justice on whats happening in Constanta, at the municipal shelter, but their fight is not even closer to end, the dogs are same killed as before... I saw animal lovers being life threaten so they will be stopped not to make public know what they saw in the shelter. I saw people heartbroken with their dog killed in less then 1 h after being caught by the dogs catchers. I saw people begging to be allowed at least to feed the dogs ,offer them a bit of medicine to help them... but NO, no-one is allowed to feed or help the strays there. I saw people going to the city hall asking for a partnership with the city hall, to run the shelter, to become active in adoption system and promoting and educating. They were kicked out and called insane. I saw so many bad, evil things in Constanta that my heart is still crying and probably my mind wont ever go over the trauma." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
I TRIED TO TAKE MY LIFE BUT WAS HEARING MY DOGS CRYING AT MY DOOR.... AND WHAT WAS I DOING ? WHO WILL PROTECT THEM? IF I DIE AND THEY SLEEP NEXT TO ME?
"Police came several times, I ended up each time crying of humiliation, I was being called a whore, I was being called an insane because I love strays. I was asked to present a document that I am allowed from the city call to have more then 2 pets even. Was worse then hell. I tried to take my life. But I was hearing my dogs crying at my door, begging to be next to me... and what was I doing?? Taking my life? Who will protect them? If I die and they sleep next to me?" (Anonymous witness, Romania)
POLICE SAID THEY DO NOT KNOW WHERE I CAN GET HELP AGAINST ANIMAL ABUSE OR AGAINST ME. THIS IS JUST A FAMILIAR FIGHT AND MY BROTHER IS RIGHT AND I AM A WOMAN AND SHOULD LISTEN TO HIM
"My brother hated me, hated my black babe, hated my cat... we were all terrorized. I'm being hold prisoner of abuses of my own brother, I will get my animals out of Romania asap! Police said they do not know where I can get help against animal abuses or abuses against me. This is just a family fight and my brother is right, I am a woman and I should listen to him.Then I understood, it hit me, in what shit I am. I can not defend myself, barely my animals. I was sleeping with a knife next to me to protect my life and my beloved animals if my brother will want to "terminate" either one of us. I had few bags packed, that I thawed out of the window so my brother wont see them, and I looked for the last time at my babes... I can still describe the look in their eyes... the feeling of failure... of being nothing else but a failure. Useless. I am useless... I couldn't defend them... I kissed each one of them and I closed the door to my room. I opened the flat door, was my friend waiting, I told him run... and he took me fast and run for a car with me in his arms. I was in some sort of shock, but I do remember everything, but like in a movie: surreal... I am out of Romania. I was daily receiving threats over threats from my brother (sms and mails, from different addresses he was making), if he will get his hands on me." (Anonymous witness, fled Romania)
HOW CAN I LIVE WITHOUT MY GIRLS?
"I run away from home in some days, and screaming behind blocks and running... running with my baby next to me, pretending we are away from everything and I can protect and be with them without suffering. Who will love them like I do? How can I live without my girls?" (Anonymous witness, Romania)
THEY ARE GETTING THE DOGCATCHERS. I CAN NOT PROTECT THEM ANYMORE. MY LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH. I AM USELESS
"I called my man. I told him, they will get them, they are getting the dog catchers.. I can not protect them anymore. My love wasn't enough. ...till this day I remember. I am useless. I get out the dogs before the dog catchers will come in my home and take them. I took them, I went to a small alee and I cried, and kissing them and asking them to forgive me. Poor animals.. I think they understood that day, what is gonna happen." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
THEY SUSTAINED THIS CAMPAIGN OF KILLING STRAY DOGS EVEN IN SCHOOLS. THEREFORE THE VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS INCREASED LAST YEAR MORE THAN EVER
"For more than two years the ex-ruling party of our country, PDL, started a campaign to instigate to killing stray dogs with cruelty. They called this euthanasia. But, in reality, in shelters, dogs where killed by stabbing, shooting, electrocuting, hanging, they where sprayed with cold water in the winter and let to die, let to starve or thirst to death, crushed by cement, poisoned or injected with air in the heart. They sustained this campaign of killing stray dogs even in schools. Therefore the violence in schools increased last year more than ever." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
I GROW UP WITH A BIG TRAUMA AND SEE HOW KIDS WHO RESPECT ANIMALS AND PEOPLE ARE DISREGARDED AND TREATED WITH CRUELTY JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE NORMAL KIDS. WE ARE EDUCATED TO BE VIOLENT
"I grow up with a big trauma and I see how kids who respect animals and people are disregarded and treated with cruelty just because they are normal kids. Unfortunately, Romanian police is accessory to murder, because they don’t know that we have a law that protect animals. They laugh when an animal is treated with cruelty. So I should trust that police will protect me later, when they don’t even care to protect us before a person is hurt, by applying the punishment to those who treat with cruelty animals? No way! I am afraid in my country! Do you think that there is no connection between Romanian who rape women everywhere they travel outside Romania? In Romania is normal to disconsider beings that cannot protect themselves. We are educated to be violent! " (Anonymous witness, Romania)
PLEASE SAVE US BY SAVING OUR ANIMALS
"Please save us, by saving our animals or at least maybe you should think about your safety, because tomorrow our dog or cat killer might be your neighbor! If EU, USA or other countries don’t care about our animal welfare, maybe they should consider to implement an international law to protect animals to stop propagation of violence against their people. Make a study with our criminals from your country and you will find out that they all treated with cruelty animals." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
I CRY EVERY DAY. I AM AFRAID TO GO OUT OF THE HOUSE BECAUSE I MIGHT SEE ANOTHER ANIMAL TORTURED OR ANOTHER ANIMAL PROTECTOR THREATENED
"We, those who respect animals, are tortured every day, not only by those who kill or torture animals, but also by authorities, politicians and police who don’t care about our normality! I cry every day, I am afraid to go out of the house because I might see another animal tortured or another animal protector threatened." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
JUST SOME KIDS WHO WERE PLACED FACE TO FACE WITH SUFFERING AND DEATH
"I will write my experience with the dogcatchers ...it's so long... I don't even know from where to start. First time when I met them in action I was only 10 or maybe 11 years old. I remember some friends from that time and me fight them, cry and yell of them and the police come and said they will give us a big fine. We were so traumatized... just some kids who were placed face to face with suffering and death." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
"There is nothing humane in the Romanian version of "euthanasia". Dogs are being murdered every day, all over Romania in the most horrific ways: they are poisoned, shot, beaten to death, injected with gasoline into their hearts and lungs, cast-off from buildings, run down on highways, hanged, electrocuted, thrwon in hot pitch, crippled, left in the woods to die of hunger. Romanian know about all these actions but they ignore it. Thus, they are all accomplices to mass killing of stray dogs."
"We can`t do anything about it because of the corruption of the politicians, Mayors and police. Nobody takes action, although cruelty is punishable by law.These poor souls are at the mercy of sadistic criminals, encouraged by the authorities."
"We have to witness extreme cruelty in the streets, we have to explain to our children the cruel scenes we are submit to daily."
"We are terrorized by the sound of the car that takes dogs to the shelter. I`d recognize it from a million other sounds. Every time I hear it, my heart stops and the pure sensation of terror runs through my veins. I have witnessed dogs being brutalized by the dog catchers who use pliers to drag them by the neck to the car. The poor animals struggle to get out and they get injured, I saw blood coming out or their nose and their mouths. The terrible sounds, dogs crying and yelping to get out. It`s inhumane! I can`t go out to the streets, I`m afraid to be around these scenes and not being able to do anything."
"It is not normal to be subjected to these xetreme acts of cruelty and not being permitted to act as a human being would. My primary instinct is to do something and there were many times I did, I shouted, I kicked dogcatchers, I made pictures to intimidate them. But it is hopeless; Romania is a country that breaks it`s own laws."
"For almost two years, I am a volunteer at the municipal shelter.This shelter has no electricity although the laws says it has to have electricity and vet care.They don`t provide it, but they are authorized to work. How is that possible? The dogs have no food and water and no medical care whatsoever.The vet only goes there to kill them."
"Over the years, we have suffered so much seeing dogs die horrible deaths, having to take heartbreaking decisions. I can`t watch a movie where an animal even squeaks for two seconds without bursting into tears, I can`t even hear the sound of a car that resembles the dogcatchers car without feeling a kind of terror which can be described as feeling all your blood leaving your body. I have to take heart pills, because my doctor said no more stress, or something bad will happen."
"The huge stress and terror we all live under; seeing, hearing, knowing about this unhumane violence that goes on all over Romania, can literally kill us. I feel guilty for having fun, laughing, eating, because I know there are so many animals suffering that minute. My life is not my own anymore! (Anda Popescu, President of "My Dog " Association Moreni, Romania)
IF YOU DARE TO ASK (WHERE THE MISSING DOGS GO) YOU ARE BEING INTIMIDATED TO STOP ASKING OR THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU AND UR FAMILY
"If you have a dog that you care for and about, and he is being caught by the dog catchers, first you have a shock when you see their methods of catching the dogs. The animal is being chased, pulled, hit, brutalized... so he can get in the van of terror. If you still have a voice to say something, that you want your dog back from the van.. you most likely find yourself abused and intimidated by those "professionals" that tell you to chill otherwise you won't ever see your dog. And yes, have been many!! MANY cases of dogs being caught that never made it to the municipal shelter. Lost on the way, so they say... missing dog. If you dare to ask where, how... again you are being intimidated to stop asking or they will take care of you and your family." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
I SAW SO MANY BAD, EVIL THINGS (.....) THAT MY HEART IS STILL CRYING AND WILL. PROBABLY MY MIND WONT EVER GO OVER THE TRAUMA
"The black Friday, that all the animal lovers are so scared of? When the shelter gets cleaned.. the paddocks filled with dogs till that day, get empty, fresh cleaned for a new week of dogs. Where do those dogs go? Where did they disappear? People see Monday or Tuesday or Thursday lots and lots of dogs.. but Friday, after the schedule, the paddocks get empty. Years back people saw the "professional" carrying robes filled with dead bodies of dogs. Now, people that dare to spy, see them filling the van with big black bags, big plastic bags. The bodies of the dogs are being taken away, so no proof will exist. They have their own incinerator, specially made for this. How can anyone stop them? They belong to the local mafia, the ones that rule over everything in the city, nothing gets build without their approvals and their long fingers are stocked in founds. I saw organisations, quite big, that are trying for years and years to make justice on whats happening in Constanta, at the municipal shelter, but their fight is not even closer to end, the dogs are same killed as before... I saw animal lovers being life threaten so they will be stopped not to make public know what they saw in the shelter. I saw people heartbroken with their dog killed in less then 1 h after being caught by the dogs catchers. I saw people begging to be allowed at least to feed the dogs ,offer them a bit of medicine to help them... but NO, no-one is allowed to feed or help the strays there. I saw people going to the city hall asking for a partnership with the city hall, to run the shelter, to become active in adoption system and promoting and educating. They were kicked out and called insane. I saw so many bad, evil things in Constanta that my heart is still crying and probably my mind wont ever go over the trauma." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
I TRIED TO TAKE MY LIFE BUT WAS HEARING MY DOGS CRYING AT MY DOOR.... AND WHAT WAS I DOING ? WHO WILL PROTECT THEM? IF I DIE AND THEY SLEEP NEXT TO ME?
"Police came several times, I ended up each time crying of humiliation, I was being called a whore, I was being called an insane because I love strays. I was asked to present a document that I am allowed from the city call to have more then 2 pets even. Was worse then hell. I tried to take my life. But I was hearing my dogs crying at my door, begging to be next to me... and what was I doing?? Taking my life? Who will protect them? If I die and they sleep next to me?" (Anonymous witness, Romania)
POLICE SAID THEY DO NOT KNOW WHERE I CAN GET HELP AGAINST ANIMAL ABUSE OR AGAINST ME. THIS IS JUST A FAMILIAR FIGHT AND MY BROTHER IS RIGHT AND I AM A WOMAN AND SHOULD LISTEN TO HIM
"My brother hated me, hated my black babe, hated my cat... we were all terrorized. I'm being hold prisoner of abuses of my own brother, I will get my animals out of Romania asap! Police said they do not know where I can get help against animal abuses or abuses against me. This is just a family fight and my brother is right, I am a woman and I should listen to him.Then I understood, it hit me, in what shit I am. I can not defend myself, barely my animals. I was sleeping with a knife next to me to protect my life and my beloved animals if my brother will want to "terminate" either one of us. I had few bags packed, that I thawed out of the window so my brother wont see them, and I looked for the last time at my babes... I can still describe the look in their eyes... the feeling of failure... of being nothing else but a failure. Useless. I am useless... I couldn't defend them... I kissed each one of them and I closed the door to my room. I opened the flat door, was my friend waiting, I told him run... and he took me fast and run for a car with me in his arms. I was in some sort of shock, but I do remember everything, but like in a movie: surreal... I am out of Romania. I was daily receiving threats over threats from my brother (sms and mails, from different addresses he was making), if he will get his hands on me." (Anonymous witness, fled Romania)
HOW CAN I LIVE WITHOUT MY GIRLS?
"I run away from home in some days, and screaming behind blocks and running... running with my baby next to me, pretending we are away from everything and I can protect and be with them without suffering. Who will love them like I do? How can I live without my girls?" (Anonymous witness, Romania)
THEY ARE GETTING THE DOGCATCHERS. I CAN NOT PROTECT THEM ANYMORE. MY LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH. I AM USELESS
"I called my man. I told him, they will get them, they are getting the dog catchers.. I can not protect them anymore. My love wasn't enough. ...till this day I remember. I am useless. I get out the dogs before the dog catchers will come in my home and take them. I took them, I went to a small alee and I cried, and kissing them and asking them to forgive me. Poor animals.. I think they understood that day, what is gonna happen." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
THEY SUSTAINED THIS CAMPAIGN OF KILLING STRAY DOGS EVEN IN SCHOOLS. THEREFORE THE VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS INCREASED LAST YEAR MORE THAN EVER
"For more than two years the ex-ruling party of our country, PDL, started a campaign to instigate to killing stray dogs with cruelty. They called this euthanasia. But, in reality, in shelters, dogs where killed by stabbing, shooting, electrocuting, hanging, they where sprayed with cold water in the winter and let to die, let to starve or thirst to death, crushed by cement, poisoned or injected with air in the heart. They sustained this campaign of killing stray dogs even in schools. Therefore the violence in schools increased last year more than ever." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
I GROW UP WITH A BIG TRAUMA AND SEE HOW KIDS WHO RESPECT ANIMALS AND PEOPLE ARE DISREGARDED AND TREATED WITH CRUELTY JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE NORMAL KIDS. WE ARE EDUCATED TO BE VIOLENT
"I grow up with a big trauma and I see how kids who respect animals and people are disregarded and treated with cruelty just because they are normal kids. Unfortunately, Romanian police is accessory to murder, because they don’t know that we have a law that protect animals. They laugh when an animal is treated with cruelty. So I should trust that police will protect me later, when they don’t even care to protect us before a person is hurt, by applying the punishment to those who treat with cruelty animals? No way! I am afraid in my country! Do you think that there is no connection between Romanian who rape women everywhere they travel outside Romania? In Romania is normal to disconsider beings that cannot protect themselves. We are educated to be violent! " (Anonymous witness, Romania)
PLEASE SAVE US BY SAVING OUR ANIMALS
"Please save us, by saving our animals or at least maybe you should think about your safety, because tomorrow our dog or cat killer might be your neighbor! If EU, USA or other countries don’t care about our animal welfare, maybe they should consider to implement an international law to protect animals to stop propagation of violence against their people. Make a study with our criminals from your country and you will find out that they all treated with cruelty animals." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
I CRY EVERY DAY. I AM AFRAID TO GO OUT OF THE HOUSE BECAUSE I MIGHT SEE ANOTHER ANIMAL TORTURED OR ANOTHER ANIMAL PROTECTOR THREATENED
"We, those who respect animals, are tortured every day, not only by those who kill or torture animals, but also by authorities, politicians and police who don’t care about our normality! I cry every day, I am afraid to go out of the house because I might see another animal tortured or another animal protector threatened." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
JUST SOME KIDS WHO WERE PLACED FACE TO FACE WITH SUFFERING AND DEATH
"I will write my experience with the dogcatchers ...it's so long... I don't even know from where to start. First time when I met them in action I was only 10 or maybe 11 years old. I remember some friends from that time and me fight them, cry and yell of them and the police come and said they will give us a big fine. We were so traumatized... just some kids who were placed face to face with suffering and death." (Anonymous witness, Romania)
Human Rights are broken because of animal abuse in Romania
Through the continious exposure to immense animal cruelty, the Romanian population are subjected to their rights as human beings being violated on several accounts:
There is no "equality" in being forced to witness animals being stabbed, poisened and caught in the most brutal manners, right on your door step daily. People in all ages who have a normal personality with well developed sense of compassion, empathy and healthy abilities to connect to other living beings, will experience a violation of their own emotional, moral and ethical standards to such an extent, that they themselves become victimized and suffer the multitudes of traumas and side effects from such exposure.
When all these parts of human beings are being ignored and even crushed, the individual suffers the loss of dignity.
It is evident that the following articles are not being applied on all the innocent witnesses/victims to systematic animal abuse that takes place in Romania, and therefore violated.
The effects of trauma and shock by being exposed to all kinds of abuse - including animal abuse, as mentioned earlier, is widely known. For children, reports show that the earlier the exposure to abuse, including animal abuse, the more likely it is that they will either suffer long-term effects from traumatization and /or themselves become the perpetrator in later years. For his very reason,T he World Health Organization identifies "a child that either exhibits or is exposed to dangerous behavior problems such as intimate partner violence, criminal behavior, self-abusive behavior, abuse towards animals, or persistent aggression with peers", as significant risk factors for child maltreatment in their "Preventing Child Maltreatment Guide " from 2006.
There is no "equality" in being forced to witness animals being stabbed, poisened and caught in the most brutal manners, right on your door step daily. People in all ages who have a normal personality with well developed sense of compassion, empathy and healthy abilities to connect to other living beings, will experience a violation of their own emotional, moral and ethical standards to such an extent, that they themselves become victimized and suffer the multitudes of traumas and side effects from such exposure.
When all these parts of human beings are being ignored and even crushed, the individual suffers the loss of dignity.
It is evident that the following articles are not being applied on all the innocent witnesses/victims to systematic animal abuse that takes place in Romania, and therefore violated.
The effects of trauma and shock by being exposed to all kinds of abuse - including animal abuse, as mentioned earlier, is widely known. For children, reports show that the earlier the exposure to abuse, including animal abuse, the more likely it is that they will either suffer long-term effects from traumatization and /or themselves become the perpetrator in later years. For his very reason,T he World Health Organization identifies "a child that either exhibits or is exposed to dangerous behavior problems such as intimate partner violence, criminal behavior, self-abusive behavior, abuse towards animals, or persistent aggression with peers", as significant risk factors for child maltreatment in their "Preventing Child Maltreatment Guide " from 2006.
EU-Human Rights and Romania
CONCLUSION
In the EU- family", Human Rights are both explanatory and structured guidelines, as well as definitions of right and wrong. Respecting the Human Rights is YES. Breaking them should be NO.
If the limits of right and wrong concerning Human Rights are not followed up from within the EU system and clear concequences for, in this case a whole country where the governing authorities willingly support the ongoing brutality described in this report, the imminent importance of respecting Human Rights in order to mantain democratic systems and help create new ones,will loose its power and darker, non-democratic forces will have easy access to recruiting followers to their idiologies.
Europe is doing a financial balance-act through difficult times and the EU is under pressure.The EU needs to return to its roots: The Declaration of Human Rights. And act now.
This is the only way the EU can strengthen its foundation and morals and remain a strong and vibrant center for cooperation, exchange, growth and long lasting peace.
Democracy is not a static entity on its own - but a vibrant and healthy community made up of individuals with equal rights and value - a democracy contains diversity and strengths that needs to be continually reinforced in order to educate, develop and nurture political systems as well as each single individual of their rights to live with dignity, freedom and an untouchable value that if being invaded or threatened, are per definition exposed to a criminal act.
I urge the Subcommittee for Human Rights to act accordingly!
I urge the Subcommittee for Human Rights to act accordingly and see to that the EU takes action towards Romania by firstly; stopping all funding to the country until Romania has chosen to abide by the conditions for eventual, future funding. The conditions should be demanding a full investigation of the managements of the public shelters, the police who collaborate with these, the employees at the shelters including the vets and dogcatchers and last but not least; an immediate closure of all death camps, the so called public shelters.
Solutions to the stray dog problem in Romania has already been presented in detail by respected animal welfare organizations to the EU on several occasions. However, the solutions of immediate closure of all death camps, free spay/neuter, education programs, making micro chipping mandatory etc., are all crucial to break the dark circle of animal-human abuse that takes place in Romania today.
As long as Romania upholds the dog catch/death camp system, the population is being continually traumatized and brutalized and the Declaration of Human Rights on which the European Union is founded, are broken and ignored.
Yours respectfully,
Norah Babington / Human and Animal Rights Advocate
© Norah Babington - All rights reserved
If the limits of right and wrong concerning Human Rights are not followed up from within the EU system and clear concequences for, in this case a whole country where the governing authorities willingly support the ongoing brutality described in this report, the imminent importance of respecting Human Rights in order to mantain democratic systems and help create new ones,will loose its power and darker, non-democratic forces will have easy access to recruiting followers to their idiologies.
Europe is doing a financial balance-act through difficult times and the EU is under pressure.The EU needs to return to its roots: The Declaration of Human Rights. And act now.
This is the only way the EU can strengthen its foundation and morals and remain a strong and vibrant center for cooperation, exchange, growth and long lasting peace.
Democracy is not a static entity on its own - but a vibrant and healthy community made up of individuals with equal rights and value - a democracy contains diversity and strengths that needs to be continually reinforced in order to educate, develop and nurture political systems as well as each single individual of their rights to live with dignity, freedom and an untouchable value that if being invaded or threatened, are per definition exposed to a criminal act.
I urge the Subcommittee for Human Rights to act accordingly!
I urge the Subcommittee for Human Rights to act accordingly and see to that the EU takes action towards Romania by firstly; stopping all funding to the country until Romania has chosen to abide by the conditions for eventual, future funding. The conditions should be demanding a full investigation of the managements of the public shelters, the police who collaborate with these, the employees at the shelters including the vets and dogcatchers and last but not least; an immediate closure of all death camps, the so called public shelters.
Solutions to the stray dog problem in Romania has already been presented in detail by respected animal welfare organizations to the EU on several occasions. However, the solutions of immediate closure of all death camps, free spay/neuter, education programs, making micro chipping mandatory etc., are all crucial to break the dark circle of animal-human abuse that takes place in Romania today.
As long as Romania upholds the dog catch/death camp system, the population is being continually traumatized and brutalized and the Declaration of Human Rights on which the European Union is founded, are broken and ignored.
Yours respectfully,
Norah Babington / Human and Animal Rights Advocate
© Norah Babington - All rights reserved
Will this new knowledge - that our neglectful and abusive treatment of animals has a domino effect on our children’s development - propel us into meaningful action?
We desperately hope so!
