• Animals are silent victims of cruelty.
• A study of late adolescents found that approximately 50% of participants had experienced animal cruelty in their lives; half had witnessed the abuse of animals, while 20% actually committed the abuse themselves. In the same study, killing strays and torturing animals were the most common types of animal cruelty (Flynn, 2000).
• Despite knowledge among professionals of the occurrence of childhood animal cruelty, there is a dearth of intervention programs for children who abuse animals (Haden & Scarpa, 2005).
  Youth who commit delinquent acts before age 13, including acts of animal cruelty, are at much greater risk of becoming serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders (U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2003).
• Program Brochure

Children and Animals Together Assessment and Diversion Program (CAT) is an innovative program, in collaboration with the Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA, designed to prevent and reduce childhood cruelty to all animals. Through age-specific interactive activities, CAT taps into the human-animal bond to build empathy and connections to animals as a means to end childhood animal cruelty and potential subsequent societal violence.

CAT’s intervention and treatment philosophy is guided by ecological systems theory, a major tenet of social work practice. Rather than utilize a purely psychological framework to focus on the diagnosis of an individual child or youth, the “person-in-environment” approach of social work practice emphasizes the ways in which children and families live in and interact with their environments. Thus, each child who is referred to CAT receives an in-home assessment from a Master-level social worker, the core component of CAT’s holistic approach to intervention.

Each assessment includes a clinical evaluation of juvenile animal cruelty, which explores any cultural support or non-support for acts of animal cruelty, as well as the motivation for, duration and severity of such acts. An extensive exploration of the child’s family history also occurs, with an emphasis on the presence or absence of child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse. Findings from this in-depth assessment guide CAT staff in tailoring services to meet the child’s and family’s unique needs; children may be referred to CAT’s 9-hour psycho-educational program and/or counseling services with a professional who is trained specifically in treating animal cruelty. The 9-hour program, held over three Saturdays at he Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA, consists of humane education and therapeutic activities, all of which work toward the goal of children establishing accountability and taking responsibility for their actions towards animals.

This innovative program is supported by national experts in the field of animal abuse. Indeed, the following consultants currently contribute their time and expertise: Dr. Randall Lockwood, Senior Vice President, Anti-Cruelty Initiatives, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Dr. Mary Lou Randour, Professional Outreach Coordinator, Animal Cruelty and Fighting Campaign, Humane Society of the United States; and Dr. Kenneth Shapiro, Executive Director and Cofounder, Animals and Society Institute.

Moreover, CAT’s intervention model utilizes a framework based on a typology of juvenile fire setters, which is currently used by the Salt Lake City Area Juvenile Fire Setter/Arson Control and Prevention Program. Frank Ascione (2007), an international and national leader in the field of animal cruelty, has recommended such a model as potentially relevant to children who abuse animals.

Troubled children and youth, ages 6-17, who have committed acts of cruelty against animals need an intervention like CAT. Indeed, the program began as a direct attempt to fill an unmet community need. In December 2008 a Maricopa County probation officer began looking for an animal abuse diversion program for two of her clients, 10-year-old boys who had killed a kitten. Outside of a strictly educational and non-individualized 1.5-hour class in a different part of the state, the officer was unable to find any program across the nation to address childhood animal cruelty. The probation officer was ultimately referred to Dr. Christina Risley-Curtiss, CAT’s founder and executive director, due to her involvement and expertise in the field of animal cruelty and the human-animal bond.

Without treatment, these children and youth likely will continue to abuse, torture, and kill defenseless animals. However, making diversion and treatment a possibility for children who carry out such acts of cruelty may help break the cycle of violence against animals and humans, and potentially future criminal activity. 

For more information, please contact:

Christina Risley-Curtiss, MSSW, PhD
Fellow, Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics
Associate Professor & Co-Director, Child Welfare Training Project
School of Social Work
Arizona State University
Mail Code 3920
411 N Central Ave, Suite 800
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 496-0083
Risley.Curtiss@asu.edu