Use of slug guns, rifles to hurt animals appals SPCA

Acts of cruelty against animals are mirroring domestic violence and are markers for further abusive behaviour, says the head of the Royal New Zealand SPCA.

And an increasing number of incidents involve slug guns and air-rifles being used - in many cases by children or youths.

National chief executive Robyn Kippenberger said the organisation, which receives more than 11,000 complaints of animal abuse and neglect each year, had documented 50 examples of severe animal abuse in the first nine months of 2006 on its fourth annual "list of shame".

She said the list included some of the worst cases seen and represented the types of incidents the SPCA had to deal with regularly. The harm against animals was now "at a level that sits with domestic violence", with an obvious correlation between the two.

"It's dreadful what's happening to animals but, right under the surface, is something more worrying," said Ms Kippenberger. Research and evidence suggested some people who deliberately harmed animals were predisposed to more violent behaviour later.

"It's quite well-documented and we know that violent crimes against animals act as a marker for further violent crime and offending," she said.

The Veterinary Association's animal welfare co-ordinator, Dr Virginia Williams, said the incidents in the list were isolated and did not reflect most animal owners' actions, "but it's always ghastly to see what some people can do".

Dr Williams is researching the link between children abusing animals and family violence and she said the list was indicative of another study she had completed where 63 per cent of veterinarians had reported deliberate animal abuse in the past five years.

She could not pinpoint the reasons but said two groups of people were generally involved in that type of violence.

"They're typically young males in groups trying to impress their mates and be tough," she said. "Some people just have an anger problem and target anything small while, for others, it can be more sinister."

Ms Kippenberger said she supported a law change that would see all people offending against animals forced to provide a DNA sample for the national database. She also wants to see better pet education.