Bored teens killing animals for ‘fun’
By Gina Spadafori
August 17, 2007
The Los Angeles Times weighs in with a hugely depressing story about an epidemic of bored young people who shoot animals in pastures:
Nationwide, an increasing number of animal cruelty cases are being reported outside city limits: Horses, cows, goats and other farm animals are being killed, authorities say, often by angry, reckless youths, perhaps acting on dares.
Although there are no statistics on such crimes, newspapers detail scores of cases. [...] Still, the killing of large farm animals garners little attention in the United States, where the loudest outcry is reserved for the killing of suburban pets or other domesticated animals. [...] Although 43 states have passed felony animal cruelty laws, they rarely apply to livestock — thanks in part to a strong cattleman’s lobby — as long as ranchers follow “accepted husbandry practices.”
[...]
Studies suggest that youths who engage in animal cruelty often commit violent criminal behavior as adults. Among those who preyed on animals before turning on people were mass killers Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy and Albert DeSalvo, the Boston Strangler.
The random killing of larger animals signals a troubling psychology that experts are only beginning to understand. Even when caught, most youths refuse to talk about their crimes.
“When you do get to talk to kids and ask why they did it, the most common response is that they were bored,” said Randall Lockwood, vice president for anti-cruelty initiatives at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “They’re obviously troubled. Most bored teens shoot hoops or go see movies; they don’t go out shooting horses and cows.
“But you’re not going to hear them say, ‘I’m alienated against society and this is how I’m reaching out,’ ” he said.
Still, researchers are developing a personality profile of those who kill large animals outside the context of legal hunting. Abusers who target livestock act out of a different motivation than those who pick on smaller creatures, said Mary Lou Randour, national director of human-animal relations for the Humane Society. “Driving around in search of animals to kill is very planned and methodical, which could make it more pathological and dangerous. These animals could be standbys for the real thing: a human being.”
I know the gamers are also going to yelp, but don’t you gotta wonder if a lot of these kids aren’t also trying make their videogame killing experiences “more real”?
Here’s the link to the L.A. Times piece. Sign-in required, but the account is free.
Totally unrelated, but on the “counterfeit Chinese products,” front, you might be interested in a BBC Podcast I just got done listening to, the download’s available on this page, programme title “Malaria and Fake Drugs.” Please keep some towels handy for when your head explodes.
Comment by mmaestro — August 17, 2007 @ 11:42 am
My area (Phoenix metro area of Arizona) experienced random killings of livestock which quickly turned to serial killings of people in 2005 - 2006. Two men (in their early 30’s)were arrested in 2006 and are awaiting trial. They are blamed by police in 36 shootings since May 2005. At least six people have been killed and 18 wounded. Horses and dogs also have been shot. I hope these “bored teens” get stopped, and hope that none take the “next step” to humans. The kids may say they are bored, but I agree that they are showing evidence of something more dangerous than boredom — they need help for all our sakes.
Gamers may yelp, but I firmly believe that exposure to violent video games for SOME people increases the likelihood that they will do violence to some living creature.
Comment by shadepuppy — August 17, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
It makes my head explode to allow kids to use “bored” as an excuse for anything. My grandkids claim they are “bored” to manipulate parents into doing something to entertain them.
I got very puzzled looks when I explained one day “Oh, you are so lucky to have the time to be bored! I wish I had time. Do you know what bored means? It means you have time to do anything that you want to do! You can go play outside, take a walk, play a game, read a book, or even just SIT and THINK!”
(Or I guess you can use it as an excuse to go shoot some innocent animal, or drag it through the streets,—or go and play some of the violent video games)
Comment by Elaine — August 17, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
Elaine … I get a vehicle every week to test-drive and write about for dogcars.com. I’m stunned how many of them come with DVD players for the rear seats.
I know I’m sounding like a curmudgeon, but … whatever happened to license-plate bingo and slug-bug? Are kids really incapable of riding in the family car even on short trips without being kept entertained by DVDs?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 17, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
Gina,
Part of the problem is the inability on the parent’s part to train kids to behave properly. I am constantly amazed to see parents give in to whining a begging when a very firm “No” would correct the problem. (Same with dog behavior!)
A friend recently retired, and all of his kids could remember that if they got rambunctious on auto trips, he would give them a difficult but interesting math problem to solve.
Games are good, pointing out wild animals or scenery helps, and following maps. If all else fails, say firmly and loudly, “Don’t make me stop this car!” LOL
Comment by Elaine — August 17, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
Gina,
I think part of the problem is parents who don’t want to parent and want the rest of society to take the responsibility for their children.
Just the other night with an old group of friends we were discussing this problem. We think organized sports teams don’t help. What happened to the day when a group of kids could go to the park with a softball and bat and play ball without a coach and uniforms. Kids today don’t roller skate, ride bikes or jump rope. To many violent computer games.
In the Tucson area last week, a kitty was found severly injured after being hit many times with a pellet gun. Off on BLM lands, they have animals, old washing machines, you name it that have been hit numerous times with gunshot.
Parents aren’t firm enough, law enforcement doesn’t have time. And, than there are the “hero’s” these kids look up to…
Katie
Comment by Katie — August 17, 2007 @ 3:38 pm
gina, they’ve taken away much of the fun and imagination of childhood it seems with electronics. we went out and made up games, built forts and such (in old snake pits! lol!~) mud pies from berries and mud, made clothes for our dolls along with houses, etc. in the evenings all the kids would gather for games while the parents chatted or did chores. we certainly didn’t watch movies in the car and our road trips could be up to 4 days long when visiting relatives!seems like now a days they just plug the kids in from toddler until they’re off to college. sad.
kids are bored because they don’t know how to create their own happiness. sad that some have turned to killing animals. something is really off there.
Comment by straybaby — August 17, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
Straybaby,
Can you top this?
Our neighborhood kids played cars (Matchbox size)under the big fir tree in our front yard. We built towns and roads and houses, and a drive-in movie theatre.
My younger sister built a cemetery using small rocks for the headstones, and to add realism she killed ANTS and buried them in the graves!
This sister also gave a TOAD a bath in the dollhouse bathtub! I thought the toad thing was a bit over the top——
Comment by Elaine — August 17, 2007 @ 4:10 pm
It is today Society that the kids have gone wild and they don’t have the Parents to Supervise then and to keep them out of trouble. Today society both parents are working and there is nobody to see what their kids are doing WRONG. The Parents of today don’t really care what their kids do. That’s why Teenagers are going off and shooting,using bow and arrows, axes to try to kill animals. What about the cat that got an arrow throw him and the cat lived and the other cat died and the Horse that got an cleaver in the head and now the horse has been in hiding so the person or person’s are able to get caught by the police. these people are trying to get a thrill out of hurting other peoples pets. When I see things in the Newspaper or on the News and on the Websites about this it makes me sick. Parents should be around to see what their Teenages are doing and stop it before it Happens. Teenagers like that go into hurting people later and that is not good. As I put it TODAY TEENAGERS ARE BAD AND AWFUL.
Comment by Jill — August 17, 2007 @ 4:13 pm
Comment by Elaine — August 17, 2007 @ 4:10 pm
lol!~ the snake pits (washed out after storms) made great troll villages. we did the whole 9yrds also :)
we didn’t go so far as ant cemeteries though!
what’s wrong with washing a toad in a doll house bath tub?! we used to catch snakes, lizards and tarantulas, but i don’t think we thought to bathe them! most we just left where they belonged.
Comment by straybaby — August 17, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
Straybaby,
Those were the good ol’ days—-
My 18 Yr old grandson brought his favorite country song to my attention. Maybe it was titled “Those Were the Good Ol’ Days?” It was about these very things we enjoyed as kids,mudpies and the whole bit! The lyrics said that “all our friends were outside, not on “My Space”, and thank God my kids were able to play that way and most of the grandkids because we live in a rural area.
But some of the younger ones spend nice summer days with their playstation, XBox or whatever it is!
Comment by Elaine — August 17, 2007 @ 6:19 pm
I don’t have kids and perhaps that helps me to be more objective about their behavior. It always seems to come down to absent parents who ignore their kids and parents who raise their kids to be totally self-centered. Kids today are coddled when they shouldn’t be.
When I was a kid and the principal called my mother because of something I did, the conversation never went:
MOM: You tell me your side, Sweetie.
ME: The teacher started calling me names.
MOM: Well! We’ll just have to sue to school and get the teacher fired.
Instead, the conversation went like this:
MOM: Wait until you get home!
ME: But I didn’t do it.
MOM: You’re grounded for 3 months.
Notice how she never questioned the principal’s accusation?
I would really, really hate to see the stats on kids inflicting animal abuse in recent years. I just know the situation is getting worse.
Comment by Lynn — August 17, 2007 @ 8:09 pm
Comments: A Beastly Kind of Cruelty.
After reading about the horrific cruelty meted out to the farm animals by teens…. I strongly suggest to Cindy Machado, the Marin County HS detective to keep her “ear to the wall” in the local high schools. Now that the school year is beginning again, the kids will say “want to know what I did this summer?”.
I think these crimes are committed because teens want a bigger better thrill… so they take parents’ guns and ammo… and go hunting for ‘THRILLS’. Of course, they have to tell their friends the ‘secret’ and what a thrill they got doing it.
The reward mentioned on Page 3 of the article states $16K is being offered…. money will loosen lips…. and friends will flip on friends just for the money. Been proven over and over again.
Now that school is back in session, Ms Machado just may find a criminal or two in the hallways.
— DJ— St Louis, MO
Comment by DJ as bigfanx — August 18, 2007 @ 7:16 am
My brother’s an urban high school teacher and coach. That “sue the school” bit is dead-on. He has to drive a “beater truck” — we found something for $1,500 — to work to keep his nice car from being vandalized, and he has had students offer to “pop a cap on his head” for telling them to quit disrupting class.
And yes, parents have complained that the teachers aren’t cutting the young criminals enough slack!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 18, 2007 @ 7:57 am
It happened again, late Friday night on Sept 7th. two horses were shot in their pasture. It looks like the horses were spotlighted late at night, both recieved shots to the head. Neither horse was killed by the shot, they bled to death, in pain and fearfull. The horses are check on every couple of days. But eairly Mon morning when only one horse came when called, the owner became worried and went to look for them. He didn’t go far before he smelled them.
The vet was called, and he confirmed that they had been shot. The Sherriff was called and an investigation has been started.
I saw this all first hand, they where our horses. I saw my lovely girl dead in the creek bed. Half her jaw missing from the exit wound where they has shot at her eyes in the dark.
Comment by Holly Subia — September 12, 2007 @ 7:49 am
Holly, I’m so sorry. Truly a sick world we live in.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — September 12, 2007 @ 9:36 am