The Link between violence to people and violence to animals is well documented by research, both nationallyand internationally. In its simplest form: violence to animals is a predictor that the abuser may becomeviolent to people, and vice versa. Abuse is abuse no matter what the form or whom the victim.
Crimes against people are tied to a myriad of crimes against animals and threespecific types of animal abuse that are linked to crimes against people are featured in this guidebook: sexualassaults against animals (bestiality), animal hoarding, and animal fighting.
This specialized area of knowledge has taken root in the medical, mental health and criminal justice communitiesover the past two decades; yet it is still misunderstood and unrecognized across many disciplines.
