Animal Control, Birth Control, and Community Education: Impacts on the Colorado Springs Pet Population, 1970-1984

By 1973, The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, like so many animal shelters across the country, had become quite alarmed at the numbers of animals being euthanized each day. The fact that an agency chartered in 1949 to provide animal relief and rescue had become a humane slaughterhouse, killing upwards of 50 animals each day, was appalling to the organization\u27s directors, staff, members, and to the public at large. It was becoming apparent that the Society’s humane officers had become urban game wardens, routinely killing thousands of pets each year so that the rest could survive on limited resources. This is similar to the wild animal population control device called hunting. Though euthanasia is an effective population control measure, emotionally it left much to be desired, and it went against the grain of the Society\u27s original purpose

The Impact of Companion Animals on Social Capital and Community Violence: Setting Research, Policy and Program Agendas

The term social capital has been used to describe the networks and other forces that build social cohesion, personal investment, reciprocity, civic engagement, and interpersonal trust among residents in a community. With the exception of three Australian reports describing positive associations between companion animal ownership and social capital, the literature has neglected to include the presence or absence of companion animal residents of communities as factors that could potentially affect social capital and serve as protective factors for community well-being. Companion animals are present in significantly large numbers in most communities, where they have considerable economic impact and provide emotional and physiologic health benefits and social support to their owners. Companion animals may mitigate the stresses of urban living and counteract what has been called nature-deficit disorder. Conversely, they may also be the victims of cruelty, abuse and neglect which can adversely affect the quality of life and social capital of a community. Efforts to measure the impact of companion animals on social capital are constrained by a lack of accurate data on companion animal populations and by gaps in our knowledge of attitudes toward companion animal ownership, particularly in communities of color. An agenda for research, public policy and programmatic activities to address these gaps is proposed to help determine whether the resilience and protective factors which companion animals can offer individuals extend to community populations as well

Unintended Consequences of COVID-19 Include Increases in Child and Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence

It is now widely recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a ripple effect with unintended consequences affecting many aspects of society. One such area of great concern has been an increase in cases of family violence. What are the options for a survivor to be able to escape in a world where home is not a safe place to be during stay-at-home orders? Pets are the collateral victims of domestic violence and are harmed, threatened or killed by abusers to manipulate and control human victims

“Humane Criminology”: An Inclusive Victimology Protecting Animals and People

To those who primarily associate the word “humane” with “humane society”, its connection to criminology might appear to be unrelated. The origins of “humane” and “humane society” are complex and primarily reflect an abiding interest in human and societal welfare rather than animal welfare. Consequently, the origins and evolution of the current American association of humane societies with animal protection—as contrasted to its British association with rescuing victims of drowning—remain shrouded in mystery. A new focus that returns to the original roots of “humane” describing the implications of animal cruelty, abuse, and neglect as cause for human and societal concern due to their potential as sentinel indicators and predictors of interpersonal violence, rather than a strict focus on animals’ welfare or their alleged “rights”, holds great promise for advancing legislation and community programming that improves the well-being of human and non-human animal species and the prevention of crime

The Link, One Health, and Social Capital: A New Strategy for Empathy Education and Social Work

For 150 years, animal welfare and veterinary advocates have promoted a doctrine that animal welfare will be enhanced by teaching children kindness to animals and responsible animal husbandry practices. However, these efforts have been stymied by societal and professional perceptions that “animal” causes are less worthy than “human” services. Ten significant challenges have made it difficult, if not impossible, to gain access to educators’ curricula and social work training. In a society that continues to place humans’ interests above animals’, it is time to try a new approach that focuses on the human benefits of animal welfare. In particular, a five-part plan that emphasizes The Link between animal abuse and human violence, the physiological and mental health benefits of animal companionship, and the potential of pets to improve social capital and community well-being may hold keys to getting human-animal bond messaging more widely accepted in schools, universities, and professional training programs