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1. What drives Animal Abuse?
by Dr George Simon, PhD
There several different reasons why some people abuse animals. Research conducted by various
animal protection agencies and interest groups places abusers into one of three categories:
Unwitting abusers don’t set out to harm animals. They simply don’t realize that some of the things
they do are cruel. They might keep a pet dog on a short chain not realizing that the dog needs time
and space to move more freely. Or, they may have heard that swatting a pet on the snout with a
newspaper is a way to discipline, not realizing that there are far more effective and humane ways.
Immature abusers actually set out to hurt animals but lack the mental and emotional maturity to
realized the nature and extent of harm they are doing — not only to the animal but also to their own
character development. A young child throwing rocks at a frog in a pond or deliberately scaring a cat
to watch its typical reaction might fall into this category.
Serious intentional abusers actually derive satisfaction from hurting animals. From a psychological
perspective, the reason is mainly aboutpower. For the most part, animals, especially smaller or
domesticated animals, can’t easily defend themselves and are vulnerable in the face of someone
who can inflict great pain on them. This makes the abuser feel powerful. Some abusers feel a lack of
power in other areas of their lives and try to make up for it by wielding ruthless power over the
weak. Others simply enjoy the feeling of dominance so much that they’re always looking for an
opportunity to exercise it. Still others have such a feeling of superiority and entitlement that they
view the animal’s only purpose as being to serve their needs. Such is often the case when animals
are used for fighting contests (e.g., dog fights, cock fights, etc.) as a way to make money for and gain
notoriety for the owners and handlers.
Animal abuse is a serious and fairly widespread problem. It is seen across many cultures, age groups,
and sexes. If you know someone who is engaged in the serious, intentional abuse of an animal, the
chances are that they need psychological help. What’s more, the reason many animals continue to
endure abuse is because good people don’t take action. There are many organizations dedicated to
the humane treatment of animals. Groups such as the American Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Humane Society work tirelessly to promote the passing of laws
to prevent animal abuse and to aid their enforcement. Most of these groups have telephone
hotlines that you can call to report an instance of animal abuse.