The Care of Pets Within Child Abusing Families

The treatment of animals was surveyed in 53 families where child abuse occurred. Patterns of pet ownership, attitudes towards pets, and quality of veterinary care did not differ significantly from comparable data from the general public. However, abuse of pets by a family member had taken place in 60 percent of the families. The families in which animal abuse was indicated tended to have younger pets, lower levels of veterinary care, and more conflicts over care than non-abusive families in the study. There were several parallels between the treatment of pets and animals within child-abusing families, suggesting that animal abuse may be a potential indicator of other family problems. These findings also suggest that it may be helpful to review the role of pets in these families as part of the therapeutic process

Edenton: New Life for the Edenton Cotton Mill

In September 1995, Edenton was devastated when Unifi, a manufacturer based in Greensboro, announced that it was closing the Edenton Cotton Mill, the town’s largest employer since 1898. The loss of 100 steady manufacturing jobs was enormous for this community, whose total population was only 5,000. The employees at the Cotton Mill were tremendously productive and many were long-time employees; but their skill levels were low, as is the case with most textile jobs, and the town was presented with the daunting task of helping the displaced employees find new jobs. In addition to the increased unemployment, the closure represented a huge loss in property tax revenue: Unifi was one of the top five taxpayers in Edenton. The closing announcement also included a plan to either demolish or sell the mill houses in the Mill Village. Retirees who had lived in the Mill Village all their lives were faced with the very real prospect of being evicted from their homes. The thought of having to help relocate 25 families made many of the town leaders realize how severe the “ripple” effect of the plant closing would be

The Care of Pets Within Child Abusing Families

The treatment of animals was surveyed in 53 families in which child abuse had occurred. Patterns of pet ownership, attitudes towards pets and quality of veterinary care did not differ greatly from comparable data from the general public. However, abuse of pets by a family member had taken place in 60 percent of the families. The families in which animal abuse was indicated tended to have younger pets, lower levels of veterinary care and more conflicts over care than non-abusive families in the study. There were several parallels between the treatment of pets and the treatment of animals within child-abusing families, suggesting that animal abuse may be a potential indicator of other family problems. These findings also suggest that it may be helpful to review the role of pets in these families as part of the therapeutic process

The Care of Pets Within Child Abusing Families

The treatment of animals was surveyed in 53 families where child abuse occurred. Patterns of pet ownership, attitudes towards pets, and quality of veterinary care did not differ significantly from comparable data from the general public. However, abuse of pets by a family member had taken place in 60 percent of the families. The families in which animal abuse was indicated tended to have younger pets, lower levels of veterinary care, and more conflicts over care than non-abusive families in the study. There were several parallels between the treatment of pets and animals within child-abusing families, suggesting that animal abuse may be a potential indicator of other family problems. These findings also suggest that it may be helpful to review the role of pets in these families as part of the therapeutic process