This is not exactly hot of the press cat news but it is a reminder that sections of law enforcement in the USA realise the connection between animal abuse and other major crimes and therefore it makes sense to classify animal abuse as a top-tier felony and track down and prosecute animal abusers as it may well stop further crimes. This is partly about taking proactive crime prevention steps.
In October of 2014 the FBI stated that they will treat animal abuse as a crime against society and classify it as a Group A felony. This puts it on a par with arson and murder for instance. Animal abuse is often seen as a minor crime but it the sort of crime which sheds light on people who have criminal minds and therefore enforcing animal cruelty laws not only helps to protect animals but in prosecuting these criminals information is collected about them.
Elisa has often reminded us of the connection between animal abuse and serious crimes against the person. The cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer is a good example. He decapitated stray animals as a child. If these crimes had been noted and if he had been charged and prosecuted it could have prevented him progressing to becoming a serial killer.
It was reported in Elite Daily that the FBI will begin collecting information about animal abuse in 2016. This gives them time to restructure their systems et cetera.
P.S. Animal abuse takes many forms. The FBI appear to be concerned with individuals but big business is also involved in animal abuse and abusing animals is not always a crime – what about sport hunting of mountain lions?
Thanks Alexe. Do you mean that the FBI are only interested in fighting dogs as a form of animal abuse? That sounds odd.
Tna? Ralph don’t falsely accuse me . i love all animals and have rescued cats. i have never heard of tna. i am against any and all abuse of any animal. so the next time…at least know what your talking about before writing such a stupid comment.
But I bet that you support TNR, where they use the major selling point that cats will fight with other cats for their very survival to keep other cats away. Absolutely no different than someone who bets on fighting dogs to see which one survives.
Then there are all the sub-human veterinarians and “humane” societies who support TNR, just betting on someone to bring in the next almost-dead road-kill cat or loser in a TNR territorial battle, or parading the photo of torn-in-half cat in the media for donations, so they can ALL line their pockets with cash from almost-dead and suffering TNR cats.
There’s lots of money to be made by betting on which TNR cats win in fighting each other for their very survival. Check out Becky Robinson of Alley Cat Allies bank-account statements. She cons people out of over 7 million dollars every year with over 6 million in assets by betting on suffering cats that she can convince others to let die in the streets from cat-fights.
And you worry about the occasional dog-fight rings? You have people promoting cat-fight rings all around you (including the host of this very website). Some making millions of dollars every year — yet that doesn’t bother you.
There’s a very good reason that TNR supporters will be tracked by the FBI under this change.
Uh oh. You swallowed con-artist Elisa’s manipulative lies and deceptions again. It’s so easy for them to manipulate you with their lies, isn’t it. You so want to believe their lies.
http : / / johnsibley . com / 2015 / 05 / 20 / the-myth-of-the-fbi-and-animal-cruelty /
Now explain why people who like cats are the first to make death-threats against any and all humans — that IS a felony offense. I’ve archived quite a few of those from your own website’s members to send to authorities. In fact, one of them that you support (of many) who is posting above, is now on that list for recently making death-threats against humans. 🙂 I find it interesting that you will delete and ban people who tell you the truth, but you allow, support, and retain postings of death-threats against humans. I shall see if there are any laws in the UK that can be used to drag you into jail for a long long time.
Now you might want to also consider that abandoning a cat outdoors to fend for itself is considered animal-cruelty in every state of the USA. This is why TNR is illegal everywhere except for where they have created temporary variances to the law to allow it — experimentally (while still being in violation of all health-codes and all state and federal environmental laws). Every last TNR promoter and practitioner will now be on FBI’s tracking lists. That should help.
This is not about cats. but dogs. fighting dogs. i wish this was a life sentence for people who do this.
It is so sickening .
What I find incredible is that numerous layman online post that animal abuse has absolutely nothing to do with serial killers. The overwhelming evidence is that they start small (animals) and work their way up.
There’s money in sport hunting. That’s why they don’t consider that a crime. It’s more “socially acceptable.” And I am reminded of stories I’ve seen online about people on snowmobiles who love to run down coyotes. That’s supposed to be such great fun and in certain circles that’s also socially acceptable. It’s not.