BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?

Subject: RE: BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?
From: Rapparee
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 09:13 AM

I don't like to say this, but I personally don't consider the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to be a valid source. The American Humane Society, yes, very much so. But HSUS is, in my opinion, a group like PETA, that plays upon the sensibilities of good people and takes their money -- i.e., a legal scam. But as I said, that's my opinion and only my opinion.

Subject: RE: BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?
From: *daylia*
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 10:07 AM

Ted, re the US stats showing mothers abuse children more often than fathers -- Canadian statistics are similar, but taken with a BIG grain of salt by the wise, because:

1. WHen the statistics are broken down into types of abuse, mothers score approx 50% higher than fathers in cases of neglect/abandonment, but fathers score at least 50% higher in cases of extreme physical abuse and incest. Neglect is much more common than physical abuse, however, which skews statistical results at first glance.

2. In Canada, 25% of families are now headed by a lone parent -- the mother in 80% of cases. And even in 2-parent families, women still bear most of the daily responsibility for child-care and discipline. So it's no wonder that women are found to neglect or use corporal punishment on their children more often than men -- they are also most likely to be the only ones providing care of any kind for children.

Source here (stats can)

Scroll down to pg 208-210 for charts showing that in 2004, fathers were almost twice as likely to perpetrate physical violence against children than mothers, while mothers were slightly more likely to neglect children.   

THere were no stats at that link from the Humane Society -- sorry. Click here for a US database on animal abuse by gender.   

Pet-Abuse.com

According to the real-time (ie constantly updated from the database) statistical data from that site, of the 114 people recently convicted for beating dogs (non-pit bulls), 110 were male, 4 were female.

* Of 18 convictions for bestiality with dogs, 15 were male, 3 female.   
* Of 94 cases of shooting dogs, 88 perpetrators were male, 6 female.   * Of 30 cases of shooting cats, 28 perpetrators are male, 2 female.

There were only 2 convictions for shooting squirrels and raccoons, both involving males. (Maybe people just don't care enough to report the shooting of a smaller, wild "nuisance" animal?)

Statistics also indicate that in a majority of reported cases of domestic violence against women and children, abuse of family pets was also a factor. In fact, on average, over 50% of battered women delay going to a shelter because they fear for the safety of their animal companions at the hands of their abusers.
Source, "Angels in Blue"

Research shows consistent patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of child abuse, partner abuse, and elder abuse. (Note: for a review, see Animal Cruelty & Human Violence: Making the Connection, "Animal Sheltering," Jan.-Feb. 1998)

* The FBI considers animal cruelty to be one of the predictors of violence.

* Batterers may threaten or harm a pet as a show of power, to hurt their human victim, or to keep a victim in an abusive relationship.

* Nearly half of women entering domestic violence shelters reported in a recent survey that their partners threatened, injured, or killed their pets.

* 88% of families being treated for child abuse were also involved in animal abuse. In 2/3 of the cases, the abusive parent killed or injured the pet. Sadly, in 1/3 of the cases, a child victim continued the cycle of violence by abusing a pet.

Anyway, read it and weep, if you care to, fellas. This topic is depressing, and it's an absolutely LOVELY day out there, and I have plans to go shopping for a new electric guitar this morning, so ..... YIPPEEE I'M OUTTA HERE!   

But in the meantime, please know that I do realize that the vast majority of men and women would not dream of being cruel to either people or animals. My only point is that males are more likely to be cruel, and the reasons for this lie locked in the mechanisms of the human brain as well as in negative social conditioning (learning and reinforcement).

"Anyone who has accustomed himself to regard the life on any living creature as worthless is in danger of arriving also at the idea of worthless human lives."

-Albert Schweitzer

Subject: RE: BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?
From: GUEST,*daylia*
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 12:58 PM

If you shoot an animal you should "honor" it and eat it to make it part of you. Otherwise the spirit of the animal is wasted and it WILL come back and work against you. If this sounds like superstition, so be it -- but I've seen this sort of thing happen over and over to those who waste a life.


aarrgghh See, I thought I'd be guitar hunting already, but here i am back   arrrrghhhh    this site is so ADDICTIVE!!!!   

But I just wanted to thank you for this comment, Rapaire, because it's very interesting and I think you're right. It gives me another perspective on what happened with my poor neighbour. I meant to thank you before, but I got sidetracked arguing my point of view (arrrrghhh that's pretty annoying as well!)

Ok I'm off to hunt guitars. And please be assured that if I do end up shooting one, I'll be sure to eat it up. Pronto!

Subject: RE: BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?
From: M.Ted
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 01:49 PM

Your quote doesn't really say what you seem to think it says--it lists three kinds of animal abuse, and points out that in one, (blood sports), men are predominant, in another, neglect, men and women are about equal, and in the third, animal hoarding, women predominate--another case where you have read something that is not there--

Subject: RE: BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?
From: GUEST,AR282
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 05:10 PM

Maybe you guys should have read the Mutt people article someone posted here a few days ago and then this thread wouldn't need to exist.

Subject: RE: BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?
From: kindaloupehackenweez
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 12:33 AM

Very good readings from all. Gives one much to think about.

Thankyou

Does anyone know the correct spelling to the word that sounds like

OB-dew-la-om-ull-gotta // ? The part of the brain that registers Anger, fear, jealousy.

I looked thru the dictionary in the A's and O's and even tryed two differant strength glasses then used the table florescent magnifying glass. Still no luck, no smarts either.

How to look up a word without knowing how its is spelt has been a life long dialemia. But am putting in the effort weather or not it counts.. I know it dont. Please dont beat me...

Subject: RE: BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?
From: M.Ted
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 01:33 AM

Daylia,

And my only point is that, when you say this:

>My only point is that males are more likely to be cruel, and the reasons for this lie locked in the
>>mechanisms of the human brain as well as in negative social conditioning (learning and
>>reinforcement).

The information that you post links to doesn't substantiate it--

A further note, in the past, cruelty has been regarded as a characteristically feminine trait, rooted in the fundemental weakness that in the past was thought to be associated with females. This quote is from " Criminal Psychology", written in 1897 by the eminent Austrian criminologist, Hans Gross. which was regarded for many years as one of the fundamental texts in the field Criminal Psychology, Part IV

>>Cruelty is a means of defence, and hence is characteristic of the weaker sex. Moreover, many a
>>curious bit of feminine cruelty is due to feminine traits

Anyone who says anything like that today would be called a sexist--and that runs both ways--









Eighteen percent of the women with pets reported that concern for their animals' welfare had prevented them from coming to the shelter sooner. Their concerns included worries for animals' safety, fear of relinquishing thrit pets.

Subject: RE: BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?
From: *daylia*
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 07:31 AM

kindaloupe, I think the word you're looking for is amygdala. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for diagrams/info;

"Stimulation of the basolateral nuclear group [part of the amygdala] results in arousal and attention. Strong stimulation of the same group can produce powerful fear or rage. Destruction of the amygdala of violent criminals has reduced their aggressiveness. The amygdala seems to be important for learning to associate objects with reward or punishment. The amygdala is also a key structure for fear learning. Fear conditioning has been demonstrated to have many effects on hypothalamic and brain stem centers mediated by the central nucleus of the amygdala .... The amygdala is among the brain areas with the highest density of receptors for sex hormones .... The range of emotions associated with the amygdala is really quite wide."

Click here for a report on the Neurobiology of suicide and aggression.

Ted, you may want to take this researcher to task for claims like this, but you'll probably be wasting your time, as all other research in this subject area over the last few decades points to the same conclusions.

...Over 90% of murderers are males. Violent crime by females appears to be increasing (19)

... Suicides occur most frequently among young white males. The Centers for Disease Control report that in 1990 there were 30,906 suicides in the United States, of which 24,724 occurred in males and 22,448 in white males.

...Individuals with additional Y chromosomes are more common in violent, criminal populations. As males are more aggressive than females, there may be a role for the Y chromosome in aggression. Testosterone may play a role in mediating aggression, as well."


Also, click here for info re the role of the amygdala in aggression. Like other psychopaths studied, Charles Whitman, the Texas Sniper, had a tumour of the amygdala. Researchers have found that injecting the neurotransmitter serotonin into the amygdala reduces aggression in these unfortunates.

Predatory aggression is increased by lesions of the corticomedial nuclei of the amygdala ... THis area ... normally serves to inhibit predation. The medial amygdala is larger in males. Testosterone injected into the amygdala enhances aggressiveness.

Intermale aggression is reduced by castration and enhanced by androgens (Male hormones ie testosterone)

High levels of testosterone in males correlated with antisocial behaviour... The presence of testosterone during the period that the brain is developing masculinizes the brain in terms of aggression just as it does in terms of sex behaviour per se.

Murder of unrelated males is perpetrated almost exclusively by males. The relationship of murder rate to age in males is constant across cultures (23-45). It is correlated with testosterone levels (Pfaff, 1999)

Violence within the family is virtually always initiated by males. Crimes of sexual violence are overwhelmingly male-initiated. (Pfaff, 1999)

Male animals of many species must have a territory in order to mate. Males will defend their territory from intruding males. Note that human males may combine territorial aggression with reproductive success (females are raped, males are killed)

Male chimpanzees "scout" along the border of their territorial range and "guard" community territory. In humans, "my yard", "my turf", "my neighbourhood", "my State", "my Country", "remember Pearl Harbour".

Wars are almost always fought by young males.

Subject: RE: BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?
From: kindaloupehackenweez
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 09:46 AM

Hey Daylia: Thank you for the info, your writing is very thought provoking and informative.

A feelo mudcat who i wont mention for the answer i was looking for was sent to me by way of PM.

The correct spelling of the word i was looking for is as follows:
      
                        Medula oblongata
Which i was unable to find under either the "A's" or "O's" and i cant imagine why for the overwhelming embrassment i feel. And now that i find it in the dictionary theres another possible spelling.
                      Medullae oblongatae
The nervous tissue at the bottom of the brain that controls respiration, circulation, and certain other bodily functions.

I've been also lead to believe somewhere along the way. (The movie the water Boy) That The Medulla Oblongata is the part of the brain that registors or creats Anger, Jealousy and Aggression. Its also mentioned (Used in a song) in the movie "Slingblade".

Very cool thread to all that has contributed:
And a special thanks to the helpful "cat" that has helped me out here.

And just an extra added note that may be fitting. Found at the bottom of a page in the book of my memorable "Stuff."

"O" What a wickit world it is, that drives a man to sin."

Have a splended weekend.
kindaloupehackenweez

Subject: RE: BS: How can people be so cruel to Animals ?
From: M.Ted
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 04:03 PM

Daylia, I don't disgree with them, I disagree with you.