March 13, 2013 9:15 am
The Twisted Reasons People Poison Pets
Photo: ponte 1112
Deborah Blum, a journalist who specializes in poisons, first picked up on the disturbing frequency of pet poisonings after setting up a Google alert on poisoning events and accumulating more 300 news stories on poisoned pets over the course of one year. Then, she began receiving unsolicited emails from pet owners who had lost animals. When she began looking into it, she also stumbled upon forums where pet haters who wanted to rid themselves of their neighbor’s pesky dog or cat would post messages such as:
I want to know the best way to kill next door neighbors’ cat, with out them suspecting anything. Its her closest pet and I need it to be gone. It kills bird and it comes in my back yard. Is there any way to poision it or dart it?
Last year when Blum wrote a piece for PLoS Blogs on the topic, the comment section turned into a bragging forum on the best ways to kill a messy cat or poison a barking dog.
So why do people chose to harm others’ pets? From the hundreds of news stories, comments and emails Blum has combed through, she explains on Wired, she found a few culprits that cropped up again and again:
- Common crime. For example, a California burglar recently poisoned two dogs in order to break into a house.
- Neighbors or people we know. Estranged spouses or exes may kill an animal as a form of revenge upon their former flame. Others do it to terrorize or send a threatening message to enemies. (Think of the horse head scene from The Godfather.) Neighbors often poison pets in order to quiet a noisy dog or stop a cat from digging up the rose garden or stalking the birds.
- Random cruelty. Still others chose to poison pets for the heck of it, Blum writes, leaving poison-laced treats in public parks.
As Women in Crime Ink writes, the link between animal cruelty and crime is well documented in scientific literature. Killing a noisy dog or an irksome cat is only a step or two removed from carrying out similar violence upon fellow humans. So there is ample reason for anyone who suspects their pet was poisoned to feel nervous.
More from Smithsonian.com:
We Spent $52 Billion on Our Pets Last Year
Pet Store Refuses to Sell Impulse-Buy Puppies Before Christmas
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Among your ‘culprits’ that “cropped up again and again” only *neighbors* make any sense as a ‘regular’ killer.
People don’t kill dogs or cats ‘just because’ those animals keep “digging up the rose garden or stalking the birds”.
The major reasons why those so-called ‘pets’ are killed are:
- The Irresponsible owners never controlled their dog not to bark, roam-free, assault, maul, kill, or defecate on other people’s property.
- Animal Control didn’t do their job to prevent Irresponsible owners doing the above.
- Police didn’t do their job of preventing crime like peace disturbance (barking), criminal littering (defecating), kill (murder)…
- Elected offcials didn’t do their job to keep Irresponsible owners, Animal Control, Police accountable of their obligations.
- Justice system didn’t do their job by suing and arresting those acting against the law.
So, when there is no law for the ones who just want peace and safety in their own community, all they can do is to make justice with their own hands by… poisoning.
Don’t want any more poisoning? Easy. Control your animals!
Comment by Mr MAD — April 2, 2013 @ 2:27 pm
I totally agree with all the reasons why people poison their neighbor’s pet. I tried going about it the right and legal way, to no avail. My neighbor’s dog roamed, defecated, barked in my back yard by my bedroom window(4am), got in our garden, and harassed my kenneled dogs. Well, after 3 1/2 years of torment, I no longer have to deal with their menacing dog. Need I say more? Say what you want, but try living with not being able to get a good night’s sleep on a constant basis for 3 1/2years, picking up dog poop right at your front door, and having your space invaded constantly by a dog. Trying to reason with the owners just bought empty promises to avoid going to court. AC couldn’t even catch this dog. The police were worthless. All I know is I now have some peace.
Comment by Ms agreeable — May 14, 2013 @ 2:49 pm
Desperate people do desperate things.
Comment by Ms agreeable — May 14, 2013 @ 2:52 pm