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Wednesday February 1, 2006

Stop cruelty to animals with stiffer penalties

RECENTLY, there has been news splashed across the newspaper about cruelty to animals and cases being brought to court.

However, I do not think that these cases are being taken into serious consideration as paying a ridiculously trivial fine of RM100 to RM200 has no long term effect on the offender.

Cruelty encompasses a range of behaviours harmful to animals, from neglect to malicious killing.

Many studies in psychology, sociology and criminology during the last 25 years have demonstrated that violent offenders frequently have histories of serious and repeated animal abuse.

In the US, the FBI has recognised the connection since 1970s when its analysis of the lives of serial killers suggested that almost all of them had killed or abused animals at one time in their life.

Other research has shown consistent pattern of cruelty to animals among perpetrators of more common forms of violence including child abuse, spouse abuse and elder abuse.

People abuse animals for the same reasons they abuse people. Virtually every serious violent offender has a history of animal abuse in their past and since there is no way of knowing which animal abuser is going to continue to commit violent human crimes, they should all be taken seriously.

Start imposing stiffer and harsher penalties on offenders before it is too late and gets out of hand.

SITI BAHIJAH BAKHTIAR,
Shah Alam
.

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