The nation’s infamous serial killers share a commonality beyond the dead bodies and shattered lives they leave behind. Nearly all abused animals before they turned their evil on humans, said Dr. Rebecca “Becky” Rhoades, executive director of the Kauai Humane
The nation’s infamous serial killers share a commonality beyond the dead bodies and shattered lives they leave behind.
Nearly all abused animals before they turned their evil on humans, said Dr. Rebecca “Becky” Rhoades, executive director of the Kauai Humane Society.
She will discuss the connection between animal abuse and domestic violence at the annual meeting of the YWCA of Kaua‘i tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 15, beginning at 5 p.m. at The Hukilau Lanai restaurant at Waipouli’s Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy.
Studies have shown that Jeffrey Dahmer, the boys who killed schoolmates at Columbine High School in Colorado, and others all had histories of animal abuse in their younger years, Rhoades said.
“It’s all about power, manipulation, control, torture and death,” and if readers think people and animals on Kaua‘i are immune from this sort of thing, Rhoades adds, “Unfortunately, it just happens all the time.”
She told the tale of a man hanging to death the dog of his ex-girlfriend in a vengeful act. Rhoades also is the victim of animal abuse. “My horse was murdered,” she said, in a fire in a barn on O‘ahu authorities said was deliberately set.
Pets are oftentimes victims of violence before humans are, and sometimes people stay in situations they know are dangerous for them out of fear something will happen to their animals, she continued.
In fact, animal abuse and domestic abuse are oftentimes the same thing, she said. Pets are family members to most people, feel pain, and know fear, she added.
Helping decrease violence starts with animals and with young people, said Rhoades, adding that one of her favorite quotes comes from the late Margaret Mead, anthropologist and a former part-time Kaua‘i resident, who said there is nothing worse than for a child to torture or abuse an animal and get away with it.
Children, adults and animals all need to be taught right from wrong, and do the right thing, Rhoades said. Respect for life and compassion for animals need to be learned, she added.
There have been Kaua‘i Teen Court cases involving youths who have gotten into trouble for shooting chickens with pellet guns or bows and arrows. Rhoades likes that legal program because youngsters learn that what they did was wrong, and by admitting their guilt also pledge not to engage in such behavior later, she said.
Safe refuge for both people and pets are goals shared by Rhoades and her staff and all at the YWCA of Kaua‘i. Officials at the Kaua‘i Humane Society shelter outside Puhi maintain a “safe-refuge” program for any animals subjected to abuse.
The general public is invited to attend the YWCA annual event designed also to review the past year and thank the community for support of the many programs YWCA provides to the women, children and families of Kaua‘i.
Rhoades received her doctorate of veterinary medicine from Colorado State University in 1986. Since she took over as executive director, the society completed construction and occupancy of the Kaua‘i Humane Society facility on Kaumuali‘i Highway outside Puhi (relocating from Hanapepe), and received endorsements from American Red Cross and County of Kaua‘i Civil Defense Agency to provide pet-friendly, emergency-evacuation shelter services in the event of disaster on the island.
The shelter soon became a state-approved satellite quarantine center for new resident-owned pets moving to Kaua‘i (and other parts of Hawai‘i), followed by implementation of a community pet spay/neuter and identification program with 100 percent participation of all Kaua‘i veterinary clinics. Society volunteers and leaders helped the county’s dangerous-dog ordinance become law.
The YWCA is a member of the Kaua‘i United Way and provides programs and services that are vital to protecting the ‘ohana and empowering women and children to make changes in their lives to better insure family safety.
It has been in existence on Kaua‘i for 83 years. Current programs include critical crisis services for women and their families, with programs such as sexual assault treatment services, an alternatives to violence program, sex abuse treatment services, operation of Camp Sloggett at Koke‘e State Park and a residential shelter for victims of family violence.
For more information on the Kaua‘i YWCA, please call 245-5959. For more information on the Kaua‘i Humane Society, please call 632-0610.
Paul C. Curtis, associate editor, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@pulitzer.net.
