FBI Now Considers Animal Cruelty As Crime Against Society

Animal abusers will now be grouped into the same category as murderers.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced this week that animal abuse will be now be prosecuted as a “crime against society”. And starting next year, animal cruelty would be reported as a distinct category, meaning animal abusers fall into the same group as arsonists and murderers.

Under the new categorization, the FBI will begin collecting and tracking information about animal abuse in 2016. Animal cruelty is currently labeled as “other”, which has made it difficult to find, count and track incidents and perpetrators.

According to the FBI, the official definition of animal cruelty will be:

“Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly taking an action that mistreats or kills any animal without just cause, such as torturing, tormenting, mutilation, maiming, poisoning, or abandonment. Included are instances of duty to provide care, e.g., shelter, food, water, care if sick or injured; transporting or confining an animal in a manner likely to cause injury or death; causing an animal to fight with another; inflicting excessive or repeated unnecessary pain or suffering, e.g., uses objects to beat or injure an animal. This definition does not include proper maintenance of animals for show or sport; use of animals for food, lawful hunting, fishing or trapping.”

Many studies reveal that children who torture or kill animals are likely to show violence towards people when they grow up. Re-classifying animal abuse will aid law enforcement and the FBI in quantifying and reporting incidents of animal abuse.

The FBI’s new categorization will greatly improve the way such crimes are tracked nationwide and likely will help animal cruelty laws across the United States.

Victor “Buddy” Amato, chief law enforcement officer for the Monmouth County SPCA said although they have provided statistics to the FBI for years, “(Now) they’re going to the next level, which is great,” Amato said. “People are taking animal cruelty more and more seriously. It’s a violent crime, and if it goes unchecked, it leads to bigger things.”