ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRY 1 ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRY 1 The Need for an Animal Abuser Registry Name University Abstract In today’s society, pets have become an invaluable part of the modern American family. Often viewed with the same love and dedication as human children, treasured pets become of integral importance within the family unit, teaching us about the lessons of responsibility, loyalty, care of another living being, companionship, and unconditional love. It is because of the importance of animals in people’s lives, people are struck horrified and angry as they witness the violence against animals increasing in our country and the devastation that it leaves behind. With minimal consequences within the justice system for those who are convicted of such a crime, it has become necessary to have a dialogue about how to stop this horrific trend. How can society monitor and keep track of these offenders so that they are not able to commit these terrible crimes again? A solution may be one that is already in place for those offenders who commit sexual crimes against people. Each state should create and maintain a searchable registry for convicted animal abusers. The Need for an Animal Abuser Registry Animal abuse within America is on the rise. Increases in dog fighting as well as other crimes of abuse, torture, and neglect against animals show a disturbing trend. In 2007, there were an estimated 40,000 people involved in dogfighting (“Dogfighting a Booming Business”, 2007). Glamorization of dog fighting by urban entertainers and sports figures have helped to fuel what is a popular “sport” in many urban areas. From hip hop videos and YouTube videos to Facebook, dog fighting has been projected to be a status symbol for inner city young men seeking notoriety among their peers. With the case of Michael Vick being brought to the forefront in 2007, animal advocates thought they would have the platform necessary for their cause based on the horrific details which came out of that investigation. According to testimony from the trial, Michael Vick assisted in the hanging of three dogs and drowned another three dogs in five gallon buckets. Dogs were also electrocuted, shot, beaten, and physically tortured. Michael Vick was facing possible sentences resulting from the state’s charges: one count of torturing and killing dogs and one count of promoting dog fighting. Both of these charges could have given him a maximum prison term of five years, but due to an agreement between prosecutors and Michael Vick’s attorneys, he was given a three year suspended prison term and a $2,500 fine (Naqi, 2008). When looking at the horror suffered by the surviving dogs of Michael Vick’s kennels, his sentence hardly seems equitable justice for his victims. New forms of dog fighting are being practiced to avoid detection by law enforcement and evade arrest and prosecution for these types of crimes. One such new type of dog fighting is called “trunking.” In t.

1. ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRY 1
ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRY 1
The Need for an Animal Abuser Registry
Name
University
Abstract
In today’s society, pets have become an invaluable part of the
modern American family. Often viewed with the same love and
dedication as human children, treasured pets become of integral
importance within the family unit, teaching us about the lessons
of responsibility, loyalty, care of another living being,
companionship, and unconditional love. It is because of the
importance of animals in people’s lives, people are struck
horrified and angry as they witness the violence against animals
increasing in our country and the devastation that it leaves
behind. With minimal consequences within the justice system
for those who are convicted of such a crime, it has become
necessary to have a dialogue about how to stop this horrific
trend. How can society monitor and keep track of these
offenders so that they are not able to commit these terrible
crimes again? A solution may be one that is already in place for
those offenders who commit sexual crimes against people. Each

2. state should create and maintain a searchable registry for
convicted animal abusers.
The Need for an Animal Abuser Registry
Animal abuse within America is on the rise. Increases in dog
fighting as well as other crimes of abuse, torture, and neglect
against animals show a disturbing trend. In 2007, there were an
estimated 40,000 people involved in dogfighting (“Dogfighting
a Booming Business”, 2007). Glamorization of dog fighting by
urban entertainers and sports figures have helped to fuel what is
a popular “sport” in many urban areas. From hip hop videos and
YouTube videos to Facebook, dog fighting has been projected to
be a status symbol for inner city young men seeking notoriety
among their peers. With the case of Michael Vick being brought
to the forefront in 2007, animal advocates thought they would
have the platform necessary for their cause based on the horrific
details which came out of that investigation. According to
testimony from the trial, Michael Vick assisted in the hanging
of three dogs and drowned another three dogs in five gallon
buckets. Dogs were also electrocuted, shot, beaten, and
physically tortured. Michael Vick was facing possible sentences
resulting from the state’s charges: one count of torturing and
killing dogs and one count of promoting dog fighting. Both of
these charges could have given him a maximum prison term of
five years, but due to an agreement between prosecutors and
Michael Vick’s attorneys, he was given a three year suspended
prison term and a $2,500 fine (Naqi, 2008). When looking at the
horror suffered by the surviving dogs of Michael Vick’s
kennels, his sentence hardly seems equitable justice for his
victims.
New forms of dog fighting are being practiced to avoid
detection by law enforcement and evade arrest and prosecution
for these types of crimes. One such new type of dog fighting is
called “trunking.” In this method of dog fighting, two dogs are
placed in a car trunk to fight to the death, while the car is

3. driven around and music played loudly so as to detract from the
sounds made by the dogs. Once there are no longer any signs of
fighting occurring, the car stops, the dead dog is dumped
alongside the street, and the winner is given a brief rest until
another dog is placed in the trunk for the fight to begin again
(Dogster, 2013). These new types of dog fighting have law
enforcement depending on the average citizen for leads in order
to catch offenders in the act of this barbaric activity.
It has become necessary for these criminals to find different
ways to continue dog fighting without detection. They must also
cover up the additional crimes that are often associated with
dog fighting like gambling, drug crimes, theft, other violent
crimes, and property crimes (Lockwood, 2006). Criminals could
be tracked, monitored, and dealt with by the implementation of
a national registry. Once a criminal is convicted of animal abuse
or neglect and registered, they could be monitored by law
enforcement for behavioral patterns that may suggest that they
have committed that crime again or one of the many crimes
associated with dog fighting. Also, most animal abusers are
given a court order to not possess or have any animal in their
control once they are convicted. A community could be put on
notice of a convicted animal abuser moving into their
neighborhood by way of the national registry. They would be
able to watch for any signs that the person may have a dog in
his or her possession or on his or her property and report it to
the authorities. Once law enforcement determines that a
criminal has an animal in violation of the court order, which
would be enough grounds for their arrest.
There is a strong connection between animal abuse and those
who go on to abuse adults and children as well as commit other
crimes. According to the organization Paws People Helping
Animals, 54 to 71 percent of women seeking shelter from abuse
reported that their partners had threatened, injured or killed one
or more family pets. Paws also stated that 70 percent of animal
abusers had committed at least one other crime and almost 40
percent had committed violent crimes against people (PAWS,

4. 2011). If an animal abuser registry were put in place, law
enforcement could utilize that registry when looking at crime
trends based on the locations of offenders and known associates
of animal abusers.
Laws are being put in place to assist in the prosecution of those
who commit violence or neglect of an animal. The necessity for
reviewing current laws and putting tougher penalties in place is
now at hand. In 2001, the state of Maryland upgraded certain
acts of animal cruelty to felony crimes (Michigan State
University College of Law, 2013). In Michigan, Matt Falk,
along with his state’s representatives, are attempting to pass
Logan’s Law which will create the first registry of convicted
animal abusers and block their ability to adopt animals (Farrell,
2013). However, with laws similar to Logan’s Law being
introduced within state legislations nationwide, criminals are
looking for ways around obtaining animals from conventional
sources. One such way that criminals are supplying their need
for bait dogs, with which they use to train fighting dogs, is to
simply abduct them from their owner’s homes or property
(Rufus, 2011). Most of these animal victims of dog fight
training are discarded in abandoned properties, garbage bins, or
tossed out alongside a rural road with no consideration to the
bereaved families of these beloved pets that are left to deal with
the devastation felt by their loss. It is hoped that with these
types of laws in place, animal abusers would have a difficult
time obtaining the animals necessary for execution of their
crimes. It is also hoped with the elevation of animal related
crimes to the level of felonies, it might help to deter criminals
altogether from committing any crime towards an animal. Along
with public awareness in the disturbing trends that criminals are
resorting to in order to obtain bait animals, one can only hope
that these horrific types of crimes will decrease across the
board.
The cost of animal abuse is staggering when it comes to the
resources necessary to deal with the problem. This is the main
opposition to a national registry for animal abusers. According

5. to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council,
[Requirements] would be so cumbersome and time-consuming
that it would seriously impede business. Furthermore, the
penalties provided in these bills were excessive and
would have been detrimental to small businesses in
Maryland who may not have the resources to comply with
these provisions (Eims, 2012).
While it is believed that such a registry is indeed in the best
interest of a community in terms of safety and cost, the
reluctance to have more government oversight and overall costs
associated with creating and maintaining such registries seem to
be the biggest obstacles in their implementation.
The medical costs for helping abused animals can be staggering.
In one such case, Noah’s Ark Rescue, took on the enormity of
care for a little Pit Bull named Freckles. This sweet, little dog
was starved and then dragged behind a moving car until the
flesh was torn from his bones. The extent of the damage to his
body was immense. Between donations from the public as well
as funds from non-profit organizations, Freckles expenses for
the most part have been covered. He spent many hours in
intensive care, required specialists and unorthodox treatment
options including time in a hyperbaric chamber. While Freckles
and the other 48 dogs that are within their rescue continue to
recover from their injuries, Noah’s Ark Rescue functions and is
able to assist these victims solely through donations from every
day people who believe in their cause (Noah’s Ark, 2013).
The costs for the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of
animal abusers can be a factor in deciding whether or not to
even pursue a case. Consideration on how tax payer dollars are
used weigh heavily on prosecutors’ decisions whether or not to
pursue criminal charges. There needs to be clear and specific
definitions for the abusive or neglectful act that is uniform
throughout the country along with the need for stiffer penalties.
The cost of a National Registry would need to be calculated on
the state level; state or private funding would be needed or a
combination of both to implement and maintain the registry. In

6. Michigan, where Logan’s Law is currently under consideration,
the Animal Defense League would shoulder the cost of startup.
The registry would then be managed by county Prosecutor’s
office animal control division (Farrell, 2013).
Restitution for convicted abusers could be an answer in terms of
helping to cover the cost of their crimes. Medical bills, housing,
and care for the injured animal as well as court costs could be
mandated as part of the sentence. Additionally, court orders that
would prohibit the offender from being able to own, acquire, or
be in the custody of another animal could be put in place to
mitigate the abuse of another animal. A maintenance fee for the
offender could be assessed and used to cover the costs
associated with maintaining the registry.
Animal abuse is an epidemic in our country that needs to be
discussed on a national level. The glamorization of animal
fighting sports and the crimes associated with those sports have
led to horrific cases and have been brought to the forefront such
as the Michael Vick case. Animal abusers are more likely to
abuse humans and/or re-offend other animals, and therefore,
these individuals should be prohibited from having animals.
Tougher sentencing and monetary fines can help to mitigate
some of the expense in prosecuting these cases as well as the
medical and housing costs for their victims. Having a national
registry for these types of offenders could help prevent the
tragic deaths, horrific torture, and debilitating injuries that
these poor defenseless animals suffer. It would by make law
enforcement aware of where these offenders are located. It will
also give animal suppliers, shelters, breeders, and animal
rescues the necessary information to prevent animal abusers
from being able to acquire another animal. It would be my hope
that society could evolve into a more “humane” place where
animal abuse is a thing of the past, but until that day, I believe
it is our duty and our responsibility to the creatures of this earth
to protect them, care for them, and do everything we can to
punish those who would do them harm.

7. References
Dogfighting a booming business, experts say. CNN.com. (2007,
July 17). Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/18/dog.fighting/
Dogster (2013, May 8). Dog fighting's horrific new trend is
called "Trunking". PawNation. Retrieved October 28, 2013,
from http://www.pawnation.com/2013/05/08/dog-fightings-
horrific-new-trend-is-called-trunking/
Eims, P. (2012, March 30). Animal abuse registry dies in
Maryland - National Dogs. Examiner.com. Retrieved October
28, 2013, from http://www.examiner.com/article/animal-abuse-
registry-dies-maryland
Farrell, L. (2013, April 15). Logan's law gets new support. The
Times Herald. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
lttp://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20130415/NEWS01/3041
50020/Logan-s-law-gets-new-support
Lockwood PhD, R. (2006, July). Animal cruelty prosecution
opportunities for early response to crime and interpersonal
violence. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.ndaa.org/pdf/animal_cruelty_06.pdf
Michigan State University College of Law (2013). Animal Legal
and Historical Center. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://animallaw.info/#news
Naqi, K. (2008, November 22). More details of Michael Vick's
abuse of dogs revealed as he faces state charges. ESPN.
Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3718304
Noah's Ark Rescue (2010). Freckles. Retrieved October 28,
2013, from http://www.noahs-arks.net/RESCUE/HOME.html
PAWS - Animal Abuse/Human violence connection. (2013).
Retrieved October 28, 2013, from http://www.paws.org/human-
violence-connection.html
Rufus, A. (2011, October 25). Pet theft up 50 percent since last
year: evidence of a downed economy or utter depravity?
Alternet. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.alternet.org/story/152865/pet_theft_up_50_percent_

8. since_last_year%3A_evidence_of
_a_downed_economy_or_utter_depravity
For this Assignment, you will take the perspective of a director
of a regional Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) office.
The national EPA Office of Environmental Information (OEI)
has tasked all regional directors to identify an environmental
hazard in your community by again visiting the EPA’s EJScreen
tool at http://www2.epa.gov/ejscreen and enter a zip code (e.g.,
your hometown) in the “Launch the Tool” section. When the
map is loaded, choose “Add Maps.” Highlight “Additional
Maps,” and select “Sites reporting to EPA.” Explore the various
“Sites reporting to EPA” (air emissions, hazardous waste, water
dischargers, superfund, and toxic releases) to find a
contaminant that affects your community. For this contaminant,
prepare an executive summary
(2–3 PAGES)
to submit to EPA OEI. In this summary, please discuss the
human health effects of exposure, the sources into the
environment, and the route of human exposure. Specify whether
the hazard is chemical, physical, or biological and whether this
affects occupational health, the general public, or both.
ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRY 1
ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRY 1

9. The Need for an Animal Abuser Registry
Name
University
Abstract
In today’s society, pets have become an invaluable part of the
modern American family. Often viewed with the same love and
dedication as human children, treasured pets become of integral
importance within the family unit: often teaching us about the
lessons of responsibility, loyalty, care of another living being,
companionship, and unconditional love. It is because of the
importance of animals in people’s lives, they are struck
horrified and angry as they witness the violence against animals
increasing in our country and the devastation that it leaves
behind. With minimal consequences within the justice system
for those who are convicted of such a crime, it has become
necessary to have a dialogue about how to stop this horrific
trend. How can society monitor and keep track of these
offenders so that they are not able to commit these terrible
crimes again? A solution may be one that is already in place for
those offenders who commit sexual crimes against people. Each
state should create and maintain a searchable registry for
convicted animal abusers.
The Need for an Animal Abuser Registry
Animal abuse within America is on the rise. Increases in dog
fighting as well as other crimes of abuse, torture, and neglect
against animals show a disturbing trend. In 2007, there were an
estimated 40,000 people involved in dogfighting (“Dogfighting

10. a Booming Business”, 2007). Glamorization of dog fighting by
urban entertainers and sports figures have helped to fuel what is
a popular “sport” in many urban areas. From hip hop videos, to
YouTube, to Facebook, dog fighting has been projected to be a
status symbol for inner city young men seeking notoriety among
their peers. With the case of Michael Vick being brought to the
forefront in 2007, animal advocates thought they would have the
platform necessary for their cause based on the horrific details
which came out of that investigation. According to testimony
from the trial, Michael Vick assisted in the hanging of three
dogs and drowned another three dogs in five gallon buckets.
Dogs were also electrocuted, shot, beaten, and physically
tortured. Michael Vick was facing possible sentences resulting
from the state’s charges; one count of torturing and killing dogs
and one count of promoting dog fighting. Both of these charges
could have given him a maximum prison term of five years, but
due to an agreement between prosecutors and Michael Vick’s
attorneys, he was given a three year suspended prison term and
a $2,500 fine (Naqi, 2008). When looking at the horror suffered
by the surviving dogs of Michael Vick’s kennels, his sentence
hardly seems equitable justice for his victims.
New forms of dog fighting are being practiced to avoid
detection by law enforcement and evade arrest and prosecution
for these types of crimes. One such new type of dog fighting is
called “trunking.” In this method of dog fighting, two dogs are
placed in a car trunk to fight to the death, while the car is
driven around and music played loudly so as to detract from the
sounds made by the dogs. Once there are no longer any signs of
fighting occurring, the car stops, the dead dog is dumped
alongside the street, and the winner is given a brief rest until
another dog is placed in the trunk for the fight to begin again
(Dogster, 2013). These new types of dog fighting have law
enforcement depending on the average citizen for leads in order
to catch offenders in the act of this barbaric activity.
It has become necessary for these criminals to find different
ways to continue dog fighting without detection. They must also

11. cover up the additional crimes that are often associated with
dog fighting like gambling, drug crimes, theft, other violent
crimes, and property crimes (Lockwood, 2006). Criminals could
be tracked, monitored, and dealt with by the implementation of
a national registry. Once a criminal is convicted of animal abuse
or neglect and registered, they could be monitored by law
enforcement for behavioral patterns that may suggest that they
have committed that crime again or one of the many crimes
associated with dog fighting. Also, most animal abusers are
given a court order to not possess or have any animal in their
control once they are convicted. A community could be put on
notice of a convicted animal abuser moving into their
neighborhood by way of the national registry. They would be
able to watch for any signs that the person may have a dog in
his or her possession or on his or her property and report it to
the authorities. Once law enforcement determines that a
criminal has an animal in violation of the court order, which
would be enough grounds for their arrest.
There is a strong connection between animal abuse and those
who go on to abuse adults and children as well as commit other
crimes. According to the organization Paws People Helping
Animals, 54 to 71 percent of women seeking shelter from abuse
reported that their partners had threatened, injured or killed one
or more family pets. Paws also stated that 70 percent of animal
abusers had committed at least one other crime and almost 40
percent had committed violent crimes against people (PAWS,
2011). If an animal abuser registry were put in place, law
enforcement could utilize that registry when looking at crime
trends based on the locations of offenders and known associates
of animal abusers.
Laws are being put in place to assist in the prosecution of those
who commit violence or neglect of an animal. The necessity for
reviewing current laws and putting tougher penalties in place is
now at hand. In 2001, the state of Maryland upgraded certain
acts of animal cruelty to felony crimes (Michigan State
University College of Law, 2013). In Michigan, Matt Falk,

12. along with his state’s representatives, are attempting to pass
Logan’s Law which will create the first registry of convicted
animal abusers and block their ability to adopt animals (Farrell,
2013). However, with laws similar to Logan’s Law being
introduced within state legislations nationwide, criminals are
looking for ways around obtaining animals from conventional
sources. One such way that criminals are supplying their need
for bait dogs, with which they use to train fighting dogs, is to
simply abduct them from their owner’s homes or property
(Rufus, 2011). Most of these animal victims of dog fight
training are discarded in abandoned properties, garbage bins, or
tossed out alongside a rural road with no consideration to the
bereaved families of these beloved pets that are left to deal with
the devastation felt by their loss. It is hoped that with these
types of laws in place, animal abusers would have a difficult
time obtaining the animals necessary for execution of their
crimes. It is also hoped with the elevation of animal related
crimes to the level of felonies, it might help to deter criminals
altogether from committing any crime towards an animal. Along
with public awareness in the disturbing trends that criminals are
resorting to in order to obtain bait animals, one can only hope
that these horrific types of crimes will decrease across the
board.
The cost of animal abuse is staggering when it comes to the
resources necessary to deal with the problem. This is the main
opposition to a national registry for animal abusers. According
to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council,
[Requirements] would be so cumbersome and time-consuming
that it would seriously impede business. Furthermore, the
penalties provided in these bills were excessive and
would have been detrimental to small businesses in
Maryland who may not have the resources to comply with
these provisions (Eims, 2012).
While it is believed that such a registry is indeed in the best
interest of a community in terms of safety and cost, the
reluctance to have more government oversight and overall costs

13. associated with creating and maintaining such registries seem to
be the biggest obstacles in their implementation.
The medical costs for helping abused animals can be staggering.
In one such case, Noah’s Ark Rescue, took on the enormity of
care for a little Pit Bull named Freckles. This sweet, little dog
was starved and then dragged behind a moving car until the
flesh was torn from his bones. The extent of the damage to his
body was immense. Between donations from the public as well
as funds from non-profit organizations, Freckles expenses for
the most part have been covered. He spent many hours in
intensive care, required specialists and unorthodox treatment
options including time in a hyperbaric chamber. While Freckles
and the other 48 dogs that are within their rescue continue to
recover from their injuries, Noah’s Ark Rescue functions and is
able to assist these victims solely through donations from every
day people who believe in their cause (Noah’s Ark, 2013).
The costs for the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of
animal abusers can be a factor in deciding whether or not to
even pursue a case. Consideration on how tax payer dollars are
used weigh heavily on prosecutors’ decisions whether or not to
pursue criminal charges. There needs to be clear and specific
definitions for the abusive or neglectful act that is uniform
throughout the country along with the need for stiffer penalties.
The cost of a National Registry would need to be calculated on
the state level; state or private funding would be needed or a
combination of both to implement and maintain the registry. In
Michigan, where Logan’s Law is currently under consideration,
the Animal Defense League would shoulder the cost of startup.
The registry would then be managed by county Prosecutor’s
office animal control division (Farrell, 2013).
Restitution for convicted abusers could be an answer in terms of
helping to cover the cost of their crimes. Medical bills, housing,
and care for the injured animal as well as court costs could be
mandated as part of the sentence. Additionally, court orders that
would prohibit the offender from being able to own, acquire, or
be in the custody of another animal could be put in place to

14. mitigate the abuse of another animal. A maintenance fee for the
offender could be assessed and used to cover the costs
associated with maintaining the registry.
Animal abuse is an epidemic in our country that needs to be
discussed on a national level. The glamorization of animal
fighting sports and the crimes associated with those sports have
led to horrific cases and have been brought to the forefront such
as the Michael Vick case. Animal abusers are more likely to
abuse humans and/or re-offend other animals, and therefore,
these individuals should be prohibited from having animals.
Tougher sentencing and monetary fines can help to mitigate
some of the expense in prosecuting these cases as well as the
medical and housing costs for their victims. Having a national
registry for these types of offenders could help prevent the
tragic deaths, horrific torture, and debilitating injuries that
these poor defenseless animals suffer. It would by make law
enforcement aware of where these offenders are located. It will
also give animal suppliers, shelters, breeders, and animal
rescues the necessary information to prevent animal abusers
from being able to acquire another animal. It would be my hope
that society could evolve into a more “humane” place where
animal abuse is a thing of the past, but until that day, I believe
it is our duty and our responsibility to the creatures of this earth
to protect them, care for them, and do everything we can to
punish those who would do them harm.
References
Dogfighting a booming business, experts say. CNN.com. (2007,
July 17). Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/18/dog.fighting/
Dogster (2013, May 8). Dog fighting's horrific new trend is
called "Trunking". PawNation. Retrieved October 28, 2013,
from http://www.pawnation.com/2013/05/08/dog-fightings-
horrific-new-trend-is-called-trunking/
Eims, P. (2012, March 30). Animal abuse registry dies in
Maryland - National Dogs. Examiner.com. Retrieved October

15. 28, 2013, from http://www.examiner.com/article/animal-abuse-
registry-dies-maryland
Farrell, L. (2013, April 15). Logan's law gets new support. The
Times Herald. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
lttp://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20130415/NEWS01/3041
50020/Logan-s-law-gets-new-support
Lockwood PhD, R. (2006, July). Animal cruelty prosecution
opportunities for early response to crime and interpersonal
violence. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.ndaa.org/pdf/animal_cruelty_06.pdf
Michigan State University College of Law (2013). Animal Legal
and Historical Center. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://animallaw.info/#news
Naqi, K. (2008, November 22). More details of Michael Vick's
abuse of dogs revealed as he faces state charges. ESPN.
Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3718304
Noah's Ark Rescue (2010). Freckles. Retrieved October 28,
2013, from http://www.noahs-arks.net/RESCUE/HOME.html
PAWS - Animal Abuse/Human violence connection. (2013).
Retrieved October 28, 2013, from http://www.paws.org/human-
violence-connection.html
Rufus, A. (2011, October 25). Pet theft up 50 percent since last
year: evidence of a downed economy or utter depravity?
Alternet. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.alternet.org/story/152865/pet_theft_up_50_percent_
since_last_year%3A_evidence_of
_a_downed_economy_or_utter_depravity