Animal Abuse

Position

The CVMA recognizes that veterinarians are in a position to observe occasions of animal abuse and have a moral obligation to report suspected cases. That obligation has increased with the recognized link between abuse in animals and abuse in people. In return, society has an obligation to support those veterinarians who report in good faith, using their professional judgment.

CVMA recognizes that moral obligation is not legal obligation. Any legal obligation to report abuse, or provision of immunity from prosecution for veterinarians, is the jurisdiction of the provinces.

Background

Animal abuse includes the active maltreatment or passive neglect of animals and staged animal fighting. Animal hoarding is neglect on a large scale (1).

Veterinarians are often the first professionals to see an abused animal. Suspected animal abuse cases should be reported to local animal protection agencies. More than the animal may be at risk as studies have documented a link between the abuse of animals and the abuse of people, especially family members (1, 2, 3). Veterinarians may be able to play an important role in breaking the cycle of family violence by reporting suspected animal abuse.

The CVMA encourages provincial VMAs to lobby their provincial governments to develop legislation to make mandatory the reporting of animal abuse by veterinarians, and to provide immunity to those who do so using their professional judgment and in good faith. Other health professionals who are required to report suspected abuse cases have such protection. Veterinarians deserve similar immunity.

Veterinary schools are encouraged to discuss animal abuse, and the reporting thereof in their curricula, so that graduating veterinarians are better able to recognize the signs of abuse and know the appropriate steps to take in documenting and reporting it.

References

1.      Becker F, French L. Making the links: child abuse, animal cruelty, and domestic violence. Child Abuse Review 2004;13:399-414

2.      Faver CA, Strand EB. Domestic violence and animal cruelty: untangling the web of abuse. J Social Work Ed 2003;39 (2):237-253

3.      Miller C. Childhood animal cruelty and interpersonal violence. Clin Psych Rev 2001;21(5):735-749

4.      Olson P, ed. Recognizing and Reporting Animal Abuse: A Veterinarians’ Guide. Englewood, Colorado: American Humane Association, 1998. 1-800-227-4645.

5.      Typically, an animal hoarder is someone who accumulates a large number of animals that overwhelms the person’s ability to provide even minimal standards of care and who fails to acknowledge the deteriorating conditions of the animals and the environment as well as the negative effects on the health and well-being of the hoarder and other household members. Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium: www.tufts.edu/vet/cfa/hoarding . Last consulted March 9, 2005.

(Revised March 2005)