Are we breeding psychopaths?

“Unseen they suffer, unheard they cry
In Agony they linger, in loneliness they die
Does it mean anything to you or anyone who passes by?”

These famous lines aptly reflect the condition of animals in our country. It is true people would say shrugging their shoulders that where humans are dying in hundreds, who would care about the animals. But studies say that when the scenario is humans taking animals’ lives brutally, there is something wrong with the society and its people at a much more fundamental level.

Shaktiman, the horse whose leg was allegedly broken by party worker on duty and died few weeks later

The recent death of the white horse, Shaktiman, had created a storm in the media, but to no avail. The video footage clearly showed that Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi breaking the leg of the horse by repeated strikes. The bleeding leg earned much sympathy but not justice. The MLA said that the video was fabricated and the issue was forgotten. Thanks to media, Shaktiman was lavished with love, medicines, food and treatment by some of the best vets in the country in the last few days of his life.

There have been other news reports and videos in recent months showing humans killing dogs mercilessly. The viral video of a man stabbing stray puppies on the streets of Delhi, or the story of Bangalore women, who had herself acknowledged that, she had dashed to death eight puppies because she wanted to teach the mother dog a lesson. South Delhi has even been identified as the hub of animal killing.

While it may seem totally safe for humans, studies say that violent acts towards animals have long been recognized as indicators of a dangerous psychopathology that does not confine itself to animals but moves on to humans.

Robert K Ressler, who developed profiles of serial killers for the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), states, “Murderers … very often start out by killing and torturing animals as kids”. Animal abuse is not just the result of a minor personality flaw in the abuser but rather a symptom of a deep mental disturbance. Research in psychology and criminology shows that people who commit acts of cruelty to animals don’t stop there; many of them move on to their fellow humans.

Kerala dog culling

Kerala was also in the headline over the mass killing of dogs. Systematic culling and mass poisoning had been reported from various parts of the state. Residents claim this is meant to curb the stray dog menace. But the fact is they are lives. And who knows, after stray dogs, it will be beggars or street side children who will be considered a ‘menace’ and poisoned.

Fortunately, laws still exist, if not humanity, in India. They state that hurting animals is a punishable offence under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960 and Section 428 and Section 429 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860. Imprisonment can be of a maximum period of five years or fine or both under the Indian Penal Code, if found guilty under the PCA Act.

Although it’s late, but if things could still be brought under control now, who knwos we may avoid few serial killers in the future. So, the next time you see any such animal cruelty, contact the local state SPCA (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) or the police immediately.