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NEWS: Rebecca Coombes Do vets and doctors face similar ethical challenges? BMJ 2005; 331: 1227 [Full text]

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Euthanasing Healthy Animals

H. Mendelson   (28 November 2005)

Links between Child & Animal Abuse

M E Jan Wise   (28 November 2005)

Euthanasing Healthy Animals 28 November 2005
H. Mendelson, Registrar Melbourne, Australia Send response to journal: Re: Euthanasing Healthy Animals	We took in a rescue dog that was about to be put down. He had had all the tests to prove he was healthy so there was no illness to explain his "vicious" behaviour. He was therefore sentenced to death by his physically abusive owners. How any vet was prepared to co-operate with such a situation is beyond me. In fact, the vet did miss a medical problem which was causing the dog pain, and was picked up & treated by our vet. We had stepped in at the 11th hour, and have been rewarded by blind loyalty from a dog who simply needed to be understood - and related to - in terms of his breed. (Perhaps it is no concidence that I am in Psychiatry?!) I have had many fruitful & interesting discussions with my animals' vets and it is fascinating to see how Human and Pet medicine intersect. Competing interests: None declared
Links between Child & Animal Abuse 28 November 2005
M E Jan Wise, Consultant Psychiatrist Brent East CMHT, 13-15 Brondesbury Rd, London NW6 6HX Send response to journal: Re: Links between Child & Animal Abuse	Sir: Coombes rightly considers the duties of doctors and vets in situations where their patients are in danger of mistreatment. There is increasing evidence to link animal and child abuse, and vice versa (1). It has been shown that where child abuse and neglect are present 88% of pets were abused (2). Where women seek refuge from domestic voilence in a safe house, of those having pets, 71% report that their partners had been violent to their pet. Increasing collaberation between the NSPCA and the RSPCA is helping government policy to formulate improved links between the two reporting schemes. In several local authorities vets will contact the appropriate Childrens and Families Social Services Department to notify them of animal abuse, due to the strength of the link. Wider uptake would do much to protect both sets of innocents. (1) www.americanhumane.org (2)DeViney, E., Dickert, J., & Lockwood, R. (1998). The care of pets within child abusing families. International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems, 4, (1983) 321-329. (3)Ascione, F. R. (1997). The nature and status of research on the link between animal cruelty and child abuse. Protecting Children, 13(2), 12-14. Competing interests: None declared