Pursuing the Link Between the Prevention of Pet Abuse and the Prevention of Child Abuse by Gale Landingham (nineth article) (Gale Landingham) Thursday evening I was reminded of a presentation I attended several years ago. The speaker was a Florida animal regulation officer who participated in a pilot program with local law enforcement and social work agencies to identify and investigate cases of possible child neglect or abuse. He stated that his agency had initiated the program based on reports received from field officers, detailing what they saw while conducting animal welfare checks. Too often, children living on the same property with neglected or abused pets or farm animals showed obvious signs of neglect or abuse, as well. This relationship isn’t a Florida phenomenon; it’s been documented extensively in many places.. Studies have uncovered evidence of what professionals in animal welfare, law enforcement, domestic violence and other groups had suspected for quite some time: There is a strong link between animal abuse and violence against humans. Because domestic abuse is directed toward the powerless, animal abuse and child abuse often go hand in hand. Parents who neglect or abuse animals may also abuse or neglect their own children. I don’t mean to imply that where animal abuse occurs there will automatically also be abuse of children or vice versa. But, mistreatment of animals in a family can sound a warning bell that, in some cases, another form of family violence is occurring, and that a child may be at risk of abuse. Human victims of abuse may react to their pain and feelings of helplessness by hurting animals. This is why it is important for family physicians as well as veterinarians to be aware of this link and file a report if they suspect abuse within a home.