Child Animal Abuse Intervention
Children and pets often get along famously, but there are also times when children, not knowing their limits, can turn playtime into a bout of animal abuse. If gone uncorrected, these habits often carry over into the child’s interaction with other people. Learn about the reasons that children may be acting out against animals, the surprising number of children who admit to abusing animals, and the ways in which you can intervene and help both the child and the animal.
Step 1: Watch for abuse.
Most children jump at the opportunity to play with a dog or cat. But, unfortunately play can sometimes turn into abuse. Abuse can range from stepping on ants, to pulling a cat's tail, to kicking or punching an animal.
Step 2: The child may be being abused.
Many times children who abuse animals, have a history of violence in their very own family. Children who act out violently against animals are often victims of violence themselves. So, one should be looking at this two-fold. The child is a perpetrator and the child is a possible, or likely victim of violence.
A recent study showed that a third of all college students said they had seriously abused an animal as a child. Almost half witnessed acts of animal cruelty. The key is to first identify abuse then intervene. It'll make the difference between bringing up a child whose involved in positive, versus destructive relationships.
Step 3: Prevent future abuse.
Children who act out against animals, if they do not receive appropriate intervention, often will go on to offend against human victims, as well.
Step 4: Stop the behavior
If you see a child getting aggressive with a pet. Here's some suggestions. Stop the behavior and give the child a time-out to regain self control. Ask the child what he could have done, instead of hurting the animal. Have the child explain how the animal reacted, then why it's better to be gentle rather than harmful to a living creature. Always supervise a child, if they've had any history of abuse. If a child continues to abuse animals, and cannot stop the behavior, consider seeking the advice of a mental health professional. For the pet report, I'm Mitch Wilder.
