Animal Cruelty, or Animal Abuse, refers to crimes committed against non-human animals including physical abuse, neglect, abandonment, forced fighting and other crimes that cause animals harm.
In most cases, those who abuse animals have been involved with other violent crimes such as child abuse, domestic violence and gang related activity:
- There is supporting evidence that links childhood animal cruelty with aggression toward humans as adults.
- 43% of the perpetrators commit animal cruelty before schoolyard massacres.
- Researchers determined that between 71% and 83% of women entering domestic violence shelters reported that their partners also abused or killed the family pet.
- Pet abuse was found concurrent in 88% of the families under supervision for the physical abuse of their children.
Crime Stoppers shares important Animal Cruelty Prevention Tips to empower you to protect vulnerable animal community members.
Harris County Animal Cruelty Task Force (HCACTF) is designed to be a proactive and comprehensive approach to investigating human cruelty against animals. Concerned citizens can report cruelty through either the website www.972PAWS.org or by calling 832-972-PAWS(7297).