By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK – A state child welfare worker investigating suspected child abuse or neglect also should look for signs of animal cruelty because the offenses are interwoven, a psychologist told a legislative task force.
“Understanding animal abuse can strengthen anti-violence policies and programs,” Mary Lou Randour, a psychologist with the Human Society of the United States told the Task Force on Abused and Neglected Children.
Randour cited national studies showing animal abuse occurred in 88 percent of families under state investigation for suspected child abuse and that abused children often come from homes where pets were either abused or killed.
Sometimes pets are threatened to keep children from talking to others about their abuse, she said, adding that up to 71 percent of women admitted to shelters for battered women report their partners either injured or killed their pets.
“Understanding animal abuse can strengthen anti-violence policies and programs,” she said.
The task force, comprised of lawmakers, state employees who work with victims of domestic abuse and child abuse, and representatives from nonprofits that provide services to the victims, has been meeting for more than a year to develop policies and procedures to prevent domestic violence and child abuse.
Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville, co-chairman of the task force, said Randour’s presentation shed light on an area that she had not considered.
“It really nails down the links between animal abuse and child abuse,” Madison said. “I think we can incorporate that in some of our child abuse investigations.”
Madison said the state Department of Human Services, which has members on the task force, would be provided Randour’s report, and that the lawmakers may be asked to approve legislation addressing the link between child abuse, domestic violence and animal cruelty.
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has said his package for the regular session that convenes next week will include a measure to allow prosecutors the ability to seek an enhanced penalty for torturing or killing a dog, cat or horse in the presence of a child.
The legislation would make torturing a dog, cat or horse a felony on first offense. The measure also would make cockfighting and dog fighting a felony in the state.
Arkansas is one of five states that do not have a felony animal cruelty charge.
