June 20, 2005, Oakland Tribune, Letter Rabbit killer needs serious counseling, by Alisa Mullins,

June 20, 2005, Oakland Tribune, Letter Rabbit killer needs serious counseling, by Alisa Mullins, PETA, 491 words

PERHAPS now that the 13-year-old who killed his neighbor's rabbits has been accused of purse-snatching, he will get the counseling he obviously needs. ("Rabbit killer arrested in purse snatch," June 16)

Psychiatrists, FBI profilers and law enforcement officials have repeatedly documented that kids who are cruel to animals are likely to graduate to crimes against humans.

Many criminals' childhood violence went unexamined until it was directed toward people. Brenda Spencer, who opened fire at a school, killing two children and injuring nine others, had previously abused cats and dogs by setting their tails on fire.

Carroll Edward Cole, executed for five of the 35 murders of which he was accused, said his first act of violence as a child was to strangle a puppy. Albert DeSalvo, the "Boston Strangler," trapped dogs and cats in orange crates and shot them with arrows in his youth.

In fact, most serial killers have a history of torturing and killing animals, including "Son of Sam" David Berkowitz, Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. All of the kids involved in the deadly shootings at Columbine and other schools first "practiced" on animals.

Children who hurt animals may be on a dangerous path that will only get worse if not corrected. For more information, please visit HelpingAnimals.com.

Alisa Mullins
Senior Writer
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Norfolk