Pennsylvania barbarism

My dad called this weekend to tell me that some sadistic little fucks (my words, not his) attacked his neighbor’s pet Emus in the middle of the night. They were bludgeoned with a club; one died and two more were injured so severely, they may need to be euthanized. The Emu who died also got his foot chopped off and was decapitated; the kids took his head with them when they left the scene (one of their fathers found it the next morning, which is how they were caught). The state police were called, but they didn’t seem to take the situation very seriously. The owner is devastated, as are Dad and Jill. I’m heartbroken as well; I loved visiting those lovely, willowy Emus every time I was at their house. Poor Dad had to go out there with a digital camera and snap photos of the dead bird and his severed head (for documentation purposes), since no one else could bring themselves to do it. He’s going to help the bury the Emu today, too.

I emailed Dad and Jill a pile of information today, to help them with their fight for justice. The case looks like it could teeter between two different categories of definition: one that would make it a third degree felony and one that would make it a second degree misdemeanor. Obviously we want it to fall into the former category so a stiffer sentence (up to seven years’ jail time and up to a $15,000 fine) can be given.

This is a very serious situation; I’m not just saying that because I’m an animal lover who is appalled by the sheer brutality of this act against such innocent, gentle animals. I’m also concerned about what else these boys are capable of doing to other animals and/or people. I certainly wouldn’t want them roaming around my neighborhood. Violence generally doesn’t occur in a vacuum. A bunch of normal, ordinary teenagers, when hanging out at night, usually don’t say (no matter how bored or devilish they’re feeling), “Oh, hey, why don’t we go bludgeon someone’s pet to death, then cut off his head? Yeah, that sounds cool.” Sneaking into your dad’s liquor cabinet when you’re with your friends is one thing. Clubbing and decapitating someone’s pet is another. What else are these kids capable of doing?

Studies in psychology, sociology, and criminology have repeatedly shown that violent offenders often have childhood and adolescent histories of serious and recurring animal cruelty. For the past 30+ years the FBI has recognized the connection between violence against animals and violence against humans, when its analysis of serial killers suggested that most had killed or tortured animals as children. Other research has demonstrated repeated patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of more widespread forms of violence, including child, spouse, and elder abuse. The American Psychiatric Association considers animal cruelty one of the diagnostic criteria of Conduct Disorder, a disorder where, without treatment, many youngsters reach adulthood without the ability to adapt to its demands, often causing them to break laws or behave in an antisocial manner.

All animal cruelty is troubling, but intentional cruelty is particularly alarming because it often indicates that an individual may be predisposed to committing acts of violence in the future.

For advice on making your state’s anti-cruelty laws more effective in the future, you can contact The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Legislative Services Department at legislativeservices@aspca.org or The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Government Affairs Section at legislation@hsus.org.


song heard most recently before posting:
Trio pour piano, violon, et violoncelle: final—Maurice Ravel