Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

The Identification, Assessment, and Treatment of Adults Who Abuse Animals pp 13–31Cite as

Identification and Assessment

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 369 Accesses

Abstract

In this chapter, we discuss the identification, assessment, and referral of individuals who have abused or are at risk of abusing animals. Once identified, assessment and referral are necessary. While focusing on human service providers, we also discuss the role of other professions and interest groups, such as criminal justice, veterinary medicine, and education. Where appropriate, assessment can include use of a screening device, general assessment for precursor and comorbid conditions and disorders, and assessment specific to the behavior of animal abuse. We begin with a critical review of definitional issues and descriptions of several schemas on animal abuse and abuser types.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders III-R. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (2013) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders V. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Animal Welfare Institute (2015) Animals and family violence. Retrieved from https://awionline.org/content/animals-family-violence

  • Arizona State University (2015) Children and animals together assessment and intervention program. Retrieved from http://psychweb.cisat.jmu.edu/graysojh/pdfs/Volume101-CATProg%20Desc_updated%201-2014.pdf

  • Arkow P, Lockwood R (2013) Definitions of animal cruelty, abuse and neglect. In: Brewster MP, Reyes CL (eds). Animal Cruelty: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Understanding. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press, pp. 3–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Arkow P, Munro H (2008) The veterinary profession’s roles in recognizing and preventing family violence: the experiences of the human medicine field and the development of diagnostic indicators of non-accidental injury. In: Ascione FR (ed) International handbook of animal abuse and cruelty: theory, research, and application. Purdue University Press, West Lafayette, pp 31–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Arkow P, Boyden P, Patterson-Kane E (2011) Practical guidance for the effective response by veterinarians to suspected animal cruelty, abuse and neglect. American Veterinary Medical Association, Schaumburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Arluke A (1997) Interviewer guides used in cruelty research. Anthrozöos 10:180–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ascione FR (1993) Children who are cruel to animals: a review of research and implications for developmental psychopathology. Anthrozoös 6:226–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ascione FR (2001) Animal abuse and youth violence. Juvenile justice bulletin. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Rockville

    Google Scholar 

  • Ascione FR, Shapiro K (2009) People and animals, kindness and cruelty: research directions and policy implications. J Soc Issues 65:565–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ascione FR, Thompson TM, Black T (1997) Childhood cruelty to animals: assessing cruelty dimensions and motivations. Anthrozös 10:170–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (2015) An estimated 54% of dogs and cats in the United States are overweight or obese. Retrieved from (http://www.petobesityprevention.org/)

  • Becker K, Stuewig J, Herrera V, McCloskey L (2004) A study of firesetting and animal cruelty in children: family influences and adolescent outcomes. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 43(7):905–912

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bickerstaff G (2003) An exploration of animal abuse and animal abusers. Unpublished dissertation, State University of New York, Albany

    Google Scholar 

  • Boat B (1999) Abuse of children and abuse of animals: using the links to inform child assessment and protection. In: Ascione FR, Arkow P (eds) Child abuse, domestic violence, and animal abuse: linking the circles of compassion for prevention and intervention. Purdue University Press, West Lafayette, pp 83–100

    Google Scholar 

  • California, Health and Safety Code Act of 2008. § 25990–25994

    Google Scholar 

  • Colorado Link Project (2015) Animal cruelty specific evaluation. Retrieved from http://coloradolinkproject.com/assessment-and-intervention/animal-cruelty-evaluation/

  • Douglas K, Hart S, Kropp P (2001) Validity of the Personality Assessment Inventory for forensic assessments. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol 45:183–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Downey G, Feldman S, Ayduk O (2000) Rejection sensitivity and male violence in romantic relationships. Pers Relat 7:45–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flynn CP (1999) Exploring the link between corporal punishment and children’s cruelty to animals. J Marriage Fam 61:971–981

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forensic Psychiatry.ca (2015) Risk assessment: actuarial instruments and structured clinical guides. Retrieved at http://www.forensicpsychiatry.ca/risk/instruments.htm

  • George D, Phillips M, Doty L, Umhau J, Rawlings R (2006) A model linking biology, behavior and psychiatric diagnoses in perpetrators of domestic violence. Med Hypotheses 67(2):345–353

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gerbasi K (2004) Gender and nonhuman animal cruelty convictions: data from petabuse.com. Soc Anim 4:359–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gullone E, Robertson N (2008) The relationship between bullying and animal abuse behaviors in adolescents: the importance of witnessing animal abuse. J Appl Dev Psychol 29:371–379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta M (2008) Functional links between intimate partner violence and animal abuse: personality features and representations of aggression. Soc Anim 16:223–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henry BC (2004) The relationship between animal cruelty, delinquency, and attitudes toward the treatment of nonhuman animals. Soc Anim 12(3):185–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henry BC (2006) Empathy, home environment, and attitudes toward animals in relation to animal abuse. Anthrozoös 19(1):17–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hensley C, Tallichet S, Dutkiewicz E (2012) The predictive value of childhood animal cruelty methods on later adult violence: examining demographic and situational correlates. Int J Ther Comp Criminol 56:281–295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jory B, Randour M (1998) The AniCare model of treatment for animal abuse. Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Washington Grove, MD

    Google Scholar 

  • Kansas, Crimes against the Public Morals 2009 § 21–4310

    Google Scholar 

  • Kellert SR, Felthous AR (1985) Childhood cruelty toward animals among criminals and noncriminals. Hum Relat 38:1113–1129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewchanin S, Zimmerman E (2000) Clinical assessment of juvenile animal abuse. Biddle Publishing Company & Audenreed, Brunswick

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockwood R (1998) Factors in the assessment of dangerousness in perpetrators of animal abuse. Humane Society of the United States: Unpublished report

    Google Scholar 

  • Luke C, Arluke A, Levin J (1997) Cruelty to animals and other crimes: a study by the MSPCA and Northeastern University. Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller A (2014) Psychologists are leaders in the growing field of threat assessment. Monit Psychol 40:37–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller L, Zawistowski S (1997) A call for veterinary forensics: the preparation and interpretation of physical evidence for cruelty investigation and prosecution. In: American Humane Association (ed) A manual to aid veterinarians in preventing, recognizing, and verifying animal abuse, American Humane Association. American Humane Association, Englewood, pp 63–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Munro HMC (1996) Battered pets. Ir Vet J 49:712–713

    Google Scholar 

  • National District Attorney Association (2015) Counseling laws for convicted animal abusers. Retrieved from http://www.ndaa.org/pdf/Counseling%20Laws%20for%20Convicted%20Animal%20Abusers%20-%20February%202013.pdf

  • National Link Coalition (2015a) National link coalition. Retrieved from http://nationallinkcoalition.org/

  • National Link Coalition (2015b) Cross-reporting by type. National Link Coalition, Stratford

    Google Scholar 

  • Patronek G (1997) Issues for veterinarians. Soc Anim 5:267–280

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips H, Lockwood R (2013) Investigating & prosecuting animal abuse: a guidebook on safer communities, safer families & being an effective voice for animal victims. National District Attorneys Association, Alexandria

    Google Scholar 

  • Rajewski G (2015). CSI: animal abuse. Retrieved from http://now.tufts.edu/articles/csi-animal-abuse

  • Red Rover (2015) Red rover readers. Retrieved from http://redrover.org/program/redrover-readers

  • Shapiro K, Randour M, Krinsk S, Wolf J (2014) The assessment and treatment of children who abuse animals: the AniCare child approach. Springer, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sonkin D, Liebert D (2003) The assessment of court-mandated perpetrators of domestic violence. J Trauma Aggress Maltreat Trauma 6(2):3–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stuart G, Meehan J, Moore T, Morean M, Hellmuth J, Follansbee K (2006) Examining a conceptual framework of intimate partner violence in men and women arrested for domestic violence. J Stud Alcohol 67(1):102–112

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor N, Signal T (2006a) Community demographics and the tendency to report animal abuse. J Appl Anim Welf Sci 3:201–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor N, Signal T (2006b) Attitudes to animals in the animal protection movement compared to a normative community sample. Soc Anim 18:18–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Vermeulen H, Odendaal J (1993) Proposed typology of companion animal abuse. Anthrozoös 6:248–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weil Z (2004) The power and promise of humane education. New Society, Gabriola Island

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animals and Society Institute, Washington Grove, MD, USA

    Kenneth Shapiro

  2. Department of Psychology, Langara College, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Antonia J. Z. Henderson

Authors
  1. Kenneth Shapiro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Antonia J. Z. Henderson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Shapiro, K., Henderson, A.J.Z. (2016). Identification and Assessment. In: The Identification, Assessment, and Treatment of Adults Who Abuse Animals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27362-4_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27362-4_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-27360-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-27362-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation