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Using Shelter Dogs to
Facilitate a Change in
Juvenile Delinquents
by Tamara Herbert Ward
Research shows there is a
connection between animal
abuse and violence towards
people.
-
“….a child who learns
aggression against
living creatures is more
likely to rape, abuse,
and kill other humans as
an adult” (Kellert and
Felthous, 1985).
-
“Despite lack of
research in the area,
cruelty to animals is
being held out as a
warning sign for
potential violence.”
(Miller, C, 2001).
-
“The man who hurts
animals is often on his
way to hurting children,
wives, and strangers…”
(Cannon, A. 1997).
-
“Investigators who
identified recurrent
impulsive violence found
an association with
animal cruelty” (Felthouse
& Kellert 1987.)
-
“The FBI recognizes that
violent crimes against
animals predict violent
crimes against human
beings. Despite this
knowledge, schools and
families do not ensure
that children learn
compassion and respect
for animals.” (PSYETA
News, 1998).
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“Children who cannot
control their aggressive
impulses toward animals
will frequently grow
into adults who have
difficulty inhibiting
aggressive impulses
toward people” (Barnard,
N, 2000).
The Youth Diagnostic and
Development Center in
Albuquerque, New Mexico,
recognizes the connection of
animal abuse and violent
behavior. In January of
1999, Project Second Chance
was developed with the goal
of helping juvenile
delinquents to learn to
explore their emotional
health through interaction
with animals.
The goal of the institution
is to address the mental
health, medical, and
educational needs of the
residents in a secure
environment, while assisting
them to develop the
pro-social skills they need
to become productive
citizens. Each youth has a
team comprised of a teacher,
mental health worker, and
case manager. Members of
this multidisciplinary team
select four participants for
each session of the Project
Second Chance dog program.
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The Youth Diagnostic and
Development Center (YDDC) is
one of the juvenile
correctional facilities for
the state of New Mexico. It
is under the direction of
Juvenile Justice Services,
within the Children Youth
and Families Department.
Boys and girls from
throughout the state, ages
12 –21, are housed at YDDC.
The population of
approximately 100 youth is
comprised of 25% female, 75%
male; ethnically, the
majority of residents are
Hispanic, with a slightly
smaller population of Anglo
clients, and a small
minority of Native American
and Black youth.
Approximately 60% of the
residents have Special
Education needs, and the
vast majority of clients
meet diagnostic criteria for
a mental health diagnosis;
Conduct disorder is the most
prevalent diagnosis for the
males and Dysthymia and
other mood disorders are the
most prevalent diagnoses for
the females. YDDC also
houses a specialized sexual
offender program.
Caseworkers, educators, and
mental health professionals
attend an intensive
specialized training from a
nationally accredited
program to address the needs
of these residents.
Commitments to YDDC are for
One Year, Two years, or a
Commitment until the
resident reaches the age of
21.
Project Second Chance, an
intensive three-week animal
assisted program, is held
seven times a year. PSC
partners with the Animal
Humane Association of New
Mexico. Four shelter dogs
from the Animal Humane
Association are brought to
YDDC where they are housed
for three weeks. Each dog is
paired with a resident, and
the resident is responsible
for the day-to-day care of
the animal, maintaining the
kennel, feeding, walking,
and training. In addition,
the residents receive
training in the gentle
method of dog training and
complete lesson plans each
day that relate to issues
with animals such as over
population, responsible
animal ownership, and the
“Cruelty Connection” of
animal abuse and
interpersonal violence.
The Barbara Boat Inventory
is used during the
orientation phase of the
program and provides an
excellent avenue for
discussion and reflection on
the youth’s past dog
ownership. Most of the youth
involved in the program have
similar experiences with
animals in their pasts.
-
Most have owned a dog
that was either a mix of
Doberman, Chow,
Rottweiller or Pit Bull.
Dogs were owned for
either protection or for
fighting (as illegal dog
fighting is common in
the rural areas of New
Mexico).
-
Dogs were usually
chained to a tree in the
yard. Having a dog
inside the home, taking
a dog for regular walks,
or the idea of a dog
being a family member is
not something that is
familiar to most of the
participants.
-
Male participants tended
to relate the dog
ownership to their
“machismo” persona – a
big mean dog equals a
big fierce person.
-
The female participants
fluctuated between
relating to their dogs
as their “babies” and
being totally apathetic
toward the family pet.
-
It was difficult for
most of the youth to
identify who was the
main caretaker of the
dog in their family
home. It was rare when
the youth claimed to be
responsible for feeding
and nurturing their
dogs.
-
Most of the youth
reported that they have
witnessed or been a
participant in some form
of animal abuse.
-
Female participants
reported boyfriends
abusing their family’s
animals.
-
Several of the youth
were surprised to learn
that their behavior -
such as feeding a dog
gun powder (a myth that
it makes fighting dogs
fierce) - could be
considered abusive.
-
Very few of the
participants could name
a dog that lived to an
old age in the home, but
instead their
experiences were that
the dog “got sick and
died,” “ran away,” “got
run over,” or “was given
away.”
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All male participants
stated that they felt
neutering a dog would be
a negative experience,
assigning a human trait
to the procedure stating
it would “take away
their manhood.”
Based on the information
gathered through the use of
the Boat Inventory, lack of
empathy was an easily
identifiable issue.
Additionally, compassion,
respect, responsibility, and
kindness needed to be
enhanced in the client
participants.
ANICARE, an empathy based
intervention created by Ken
Shapiro of the Psychologists
for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals (PSYETA), uses a
cognitive-behavioral
approach to treatment.
ANICARE emphasizes the
social-psychological cause
of violence. PSC addresses
the four basic components of
ANICARE:
-
Behavior towards animals
and people.
-
Internalized beliefs and
attitudes regarding the
treatment of animals.
-
Experiences regarding
animal abuse.
-
Society’s belief systems
that encourage the abuse
of animals.
Throughout the three-week
session, lesson plans deal
with these issues. The main
component of PSC deals with
empathy deficits through an
exercise in which
participants assume the role
and perspective of the
animal. PSC participants
converse as if they were
answering as the animal
would, using “I feel,” “I
think,” “I want,” rather
than “the dog wants or
needs.”
For example, during the
second week of one PSC
session, at the round table
discussion, a client (John)
bragged about how he had
taught his dog the basic
commands. John displayed a
great deal of satisfaction,
boasting that he was a great
trainer. The exercise then
refocused John from himself
to the dog he was training
through the following
conversation:
“Well John, it sounds
like you’ve had a great
week. Why don’t you tell
us how Sparky is doing.
Sparky, tell me how your
week is going?
(John replies) “Um, I
guess he liked it.”
“He? Remember you are
“being” Sparky, try to
answer as Sparky.”
“Uh, I learned a lot of
stuff.”
“Really? Like what?”
“He lear….I mean I
learned to walk on a
leash, and come when
called.”
Wow! You must have been
really excited! Who
taught you that great
stuff?”
“My trainer did.”
“You must really like
your trainer.”
“Yeah.”
“What do you like about
him?”
“Um, he takes good care
of me.”
“Oh yeah? What does that
mean: takes good care?”
“He feeds me.”
“Yes? Every day?”
“Yes.”
“So you depend on him?”
“Yep.”
“Sparky, how does that
feel?”
“Good. He trains me,
too.”
“And how does he do
that?”
“He talks nice to me,
gives me treats when I
do good.”
“Boy, that must be
nice.”
“Yeah, I like it when he
talks nice.”
“What else does your
trainer do?”
“He cleans my cage, and
brushes me when my coat
gets tangled.”
“That’s great, ‘cause
you can’t do those
things yourself can
you?”
“Nope, and it hurts when
it gets all tangled”
“Well lucky for you John
is there for you.”
John is slowly moving from a
level of selfish pride in
getting someone to do
something to a place in
which he recognizes needs
and fears in others, the
emotional dimension of
empathy, and also how others
depend on him to get their
needs met when they are
unable to care themselves,
the compassion dimension of
empathy.
The roundtable takes place
numerous times throughout
each week, and participants
become more open,
empathetic, and
compassionate with each
exercise. Daily journaling
helps participants to
express their emotions and
document progress and
challenges with their
animal.
At the completion of the
three-week program, the
participants write a letter
to the prospective adoptive
families, sharing
information about the dog.
The letter helps bring
closure for the participants
and serves as the catalyst
for a discussion session.
Rather than focus on the
animals departure, the
discussion is about how the
participant has offered
something for the sake of
someone else by training a
dog to become a loving
member of a family. Lesson
plans for the last week
focus on advocacy and
philanthropy, reinforcing
the idea of giving back to
the community.
The greatest challenge in
this program has been
finding a measurement tool
that will work for this
population. Currently, the
program has a client
satisfaction survey that is
given the last day of the
session. The survey uses a
Likert Scale, and asks
participants to answer 14
questions that address
topics covered in the
program. Participants are
asked to fill out a Post
Session Report asking about
various elements of the
program. There is a follow
up at six months and one
year that asks if the client
is working, going to school,
if they have been in trouble
with the law, if the client
owns an animal, and what
were the most important
things the client remembers
and uses from the program.
This past year the Balanced
Emotional Empathy Scale
(BEES) from Albert Mehrabian
was used in PSC. However,
upon scoring the scale it
proved to be invalid for
this application. Numerous
factors were attributed to
the problem. First, some of
the items were difficult for
the participants to
understand. Secondly, the
participants’ attention
spans were not sufficient to
fully complete the
questionnaire. Thirdly,
there was a great deal of
difficulty to get the staff
to follow through on the
administration of the
questionnaire. At times, the
participants were placed in
a room to fill out the
questionnaire as a group,
leading to contamination
from other participants.
Finally, the mood of the day
drove the answers. Since
this population tends to
live in the “here and now,”
some of the questionnaires
reflected the participant’s
immediate emotional states.
Factoring in parole issues,
problems at school, and peer
conflicts, the answers ended
to be all over the page, and
impossible to evaluate.
However journals, reports,
surveys and post reporting
all tended to support the
success of the program.
Two examples of a
heightened empathy appear in
the letters written to the
adoptive families:
“Stuckers is a very loving
dog. He will always sit by
your side and is well
trained. I think Stuckers
once had a family, but they
abandoned him and all he
needs is some attention and
love. Whoever adopts
Stuckers is very lucky to
have such a well behaved
dog. I took very good care
of Stuckers, and whoever
adopts him, I hope will do
the same”
“To whoever adopts my dog
Sidnye[sic]: My dog is six
months old and she is still
a puppy. She is a great dog
and very loving and playful.
I guess what I like about
her is that she is beautiful
and playful, but hard headed
like me, and that’s what I
like most about her. I have
worked with Sidnye for three
weeks and to let her go with
someone new, knowing I won’t
ever see her again makes me
feel sad cause I’ve really
got attached to her. Please
don’t tie or cage this dog
up cause she does not need
to be in a cage like a wild
dog does. She will probably
get you mad at her the first
few days you have her cause
she don’t know you. I can
only tell you that you will
love her cause she will love
you. She needs lots of love
an phrasie [sic]. Give her
your hart [sic] and you will
see what a great dog you
have.”
Currently, an assessment and
intervention tool is being
developed by a therapist at
YDDC that addresses social
problem solving and decision
making for high risk
juveniles. Research shows
that intervention programs
that are
cognitive-behavioral,
prescriptive, and intensive
show short-term benefits.
This new intervention and
tool will attempt to
demonstrate and measure a
change in long term
behavior. Application of
this intervention and
measurement tool will be
incorporated into PSC this
year if the results of the
research warrant it.
Bibliography:
Felthous, A.R., and and
Kellert, S.R. (1987a)
Childhood cruelty to animals
and later aggression against
people: a review. American
Journal of Psychiatry, 144,
710 –717.
Miller, Catherine, (2001)
Childhood Animal Cruelty and
Interpersonal Violence”.
Clinical Psychology Review,
Vol. 21 No. 5. 735-749
Cannon, Angie, Study links
animal cruelty to violence
against humans. September,
1997, Knight Rider News
Service.
PYSETA News, Fall 1998, Vol.
19
Barnard, Neil, MD (2000) The
Psychology of Abuse,
Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine. |
