| Animal cruelty is a precursor to other dangers | |||||||
| by BUDDY AMATO | |||||||
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Cruelty to animals is an important precursor to violent behavior against people. This is a sad fact that has been established by too many cases to be refuted. When you witness animal cruelty, there’s probably a lot more going on with someone than just beating or neglecting his or her dog or other pet. I work with and know many people who personally believe that violence against animals is just as heinous as crimes against people. In my heart, I believe the same thing. But, for those who are not animal and pet supporters, if they need convincing about why animal abuse is so important to address, then I would like to give them some things to think about. To beat or harm an animal is to beat or harm another living creature. Natural inhibitions that people have against violence are broken down when they embark on a pattern of abuse against animals. Behavior that some very misguided people may think as “boys will be boys” type of stuff is actually very serious. In contemplating violence against an animal, people are conditioning themselves for violent behavior. This is especially true in young people. Horribly, animals are sometimes ‘surrogate victims’ for offenders. The animal that an offender is torturing and brutalizing is a ‘stand in’ for the time being for a human victim that may be attacked later. No violence is alright when it comes to animal abuse. In dogs, when they are abused they become vicious. Fear becomes hatred and distrust. I have yet to meet a dog that was not made vicious by lousy owners. Dogs are born wanting to be man’s friend. They will go the entire route to stand by their owners and protect them from whatever harm may come to them. But, no living creature can be beaten, neglected, starved, maimed and attacked over any period of time and there not be a consequence to that being’s way of handling conflict and problems. When abuse takes place, “man” stops being a dog’s friend and becomes a dog’s enemy. How do dogs handle ‘enemies’? They attack them before harm can be visited on them. It’s what people do as well. Abuse through neglect can be just as telling. If a man or a woman cannot adequately take care of a pet, then what makes anyone think they will be able to take care of a child? Children require far more than a pet, but if the basic needs of a pet cannot be handled, which are food, water, a reasonable amount of respect and a little attention now and again, then why would anyone believe someone would be a good parent? Outright violence against a family pet means there is violence in the home. A pet is a member of the family. If the pet is being abused, then chances are that the pet isn’t the only one being abused. This has been proven time and again. As chief of the law enforcement branch of the Monmouth County SPCA, I have had to witness terrible atrocities to animals. Each of them, no matter how small the animal, is disturbing to me as a person. The infliction of pain or the contemplation of inflicting pain on another creature says that the attacker has a real problem. If you witness such behavior, it should be reported. The life you may save might not only be the animal’s, but a person’s later on. As a parent and someone who works with children regularly at my karate school in Hazlet, I know that setting a good example for children is imperative. Most importantly, how a child grows and how they see the world is all-important in their maturation process. How children relate to animals says a lot about how they will grow to adulthood. (Chief Victor "Buddy" Amato is the chief investigator for the Monmouth County SPCA, headquartered in Eatontown. For more information about this column, call (732) 671-9555.) Buddy Amato is a Hazlet business owner, who operates Amato's Karate and Weapons Academy. For more information, call (732) 671-9555.
Copyright Buddy Amato Amato's Goju-ryu Karate, Nunchaku, Bo-staff, Aikido, Sword, Kendo, Sais, Kick-boxing, Tai-Chi and more 589 Palmer Ave, Keansburg and is the author of Buddys Animal Kingdom, NJ 07734 (732) 671-9555 |
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