TRIUMPH FOR ANIMALS: FBI ADDS ANIMAL ABUSE TO LIST OF FELONIES

 

Finally we are offering protection to animals.   

 

As of January 2016, the FBI has recognized animal abuse as a pre-curser to violent crime and has added Abuse of Animals to a list of felonies.

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Starting January 1, data is being entered into the National Incident-Based Reporting System or NIBRS, the public database the FBI uses to keep a record of national crimes.

The FBI's decision will not only be a way to stop cases of animal abuse but also can help to identify people who might commit violent acts. Psychological studies show that nearly 70 percent of violent criminals began by abusing animals, and keeping statistics on such cases can help law enforcement track down high-risk demographics and areas.

 

There are four categories for animal cruelty cases —

neglect;

intentional abuse and torture;

organized abuse, such as cock and dog fighting; and

sexual abuse of animals.

 

The agency is now monitoring these as it does other serious crimes.

 

Animal abuse is already a felony in 13 states and in Washington, DC., but it had been previously classified with other miscellaneous crimes, making it impossible to get a handle on the patterns of animal-abuse crimes.  The move to begin tracking cases of animal abuse is a "huge policy shift and significant step forward," Scott Heiser, a lawyer with the Animal Defense League, told the Washington Post.

 

The FBI announced the change in 2014 but only began collecting data as of this month. The information will be publicly available in the coming year.