Client behaviour that may be associated with animal abuse

• Lack of concern about the disposition of previous pets.
• Lack of concern about the client’s (in)ability to care for an animal, including a refusal to either acknowledge the seriousness of a condition or to provide treatment for a clearly painful condition such as a fracture.
• Indifference or lack of awareness or concern about the way in which the animal was injured.
• Repeated failure to follow-up with treatment of serious medical conditions that cause suffering.
• Use of several veterinarians to cover the client’s trail of abuse and neglect.
• Unusual behaviour or comments by the spouse or children of the client.
• Presentation of a constantly changing parade of pets, also suggestive of animal hoarding.
• Presentation of animals where an illness has been fabricated or induced to gain sympathy or attention.
  • Munchausen syndrome by proxy has been identified in veterinary medicine. The perpetrator may fabricate an illness, alter samples (e.g. add blood to urine samples), or induce an injury (e.g. poisoning).
  • For more information please see ‘Battered pets’: Munchausen syndrome by proxy (factitious illness by proxy).Munro and Thrusfield, J Small Animal Practice 2001 42:385 - 389.

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