An issue of less importance

An angry member of a forum of cat fans once posted a photo of a tortured cat. The post shocked and disgusted the community. Thousands of comments followed lamenting the sorry nature of humanity and cursed the perpetrators to hell. Cruelty of such dimensions demands the attention and quick action of relevant authorities. One would hope that the culprits should at least spend a night in jail. But nothing of the sort happened. The angry discussion remained within the peripheries of the cat forum and eventually simmered down.

In a country where human rights are limited to a selective sect, and readers are fast becoming immune to newspaper reports on cruelty towards children in the name of entertainment, the plight of animals and the proponents of their rights continue to remain in a frightful state. Instances of animals being set on fire, beaten up, and starved are overwhelming all over the world. For a nation with an agenda overflowing with big issues such as combating extremism, managing geopolitical scuffle, and overhauling the face of the RMG sector, concerns for the welfare of stray puppies would hardly stand a chance of making it to the bottom rung of the priority ladder of leaders. Truly, in the midst of acid violence, terrorism, and the elusive Teesta deal to name a few, who would pay attention to the scraggy puppy with the broken back leg being chased by a group of rowdy street children? 

Yet a careful look at the macabre side of society would promptly reveal a glut of phenomena that are quite interconnected.  For instance, incidents of animal cruelty indicate something of a much grimmer nature.

Researchers have theorised that every individual seeks affection and approval from the ones they love. However, if the loved ones do not provide the desired reaction, the said individuals would get frustrated and vent anger on weaker creatures who cannot retaliate. This way, the individuals attain a level of satisfaction for having restored their confidence.

Research indicates that children facing abuse at home or exposed to parental alcoholism and dispute are more likely to engage in animal cruelty. So the wicked action is itself an outlet to let off steam for lack of a better phrase. Scorning at a couple of adolescents chasing down a limp puppy just for the kicks is easy. But behind that merciless action probably hides a life of torment.

Moreover, studies present a link between cruelty towards animals in childhood and adult aggression toward humans. Academic papers conjecture about the possibilities of childhood animal cruelty being an early warning sign of serial murder and other forms of violence towards humans including molestation and rape. Cruelty to animals indicates conduct disorder, a condition characterised by a lack of empathy and concern for the wellbeing of others. Early diagnosis of such issues could reverse a child's trajectory of growing up to be a violent individual carrying out abominable crimes. 

As can be seen, random incidents of animal cruelty that we nonchalantly witness are mere symptoms sitting atop a cauldron of roiling and boiling social issues. A look at the crime rate in Bangladesh, as per the Bangladesh Police website, tells us that in 2016 alone there have been 3,548 incidents of murder and 17,756 incidents of child and women repression. And there is every possibility that investigating the history of the perpetrators for each one of these crimes would reveal an equally staggering number of cases of animal cruelty.

Of course, animal cruelty alone cannot be the sole indicator to gauge how a person engaging in this perverse act is treated at home or whether they would grow up to be a murderer. Yet, it is a powerful cue. Early intervention could not only rescue members from a repressive family but also prevent children from becoming sociopathic criminals in later life. Thus, if not for the right of the cute little kittens being tortured out there, at least for restoring some fair order to society, incidents of this nature need to be dealt with. And a move in the positive direction has come in the form of the establishment of the Animal Welfare Act earlier this year. The promise of this act can be ensured only with active and sustained support from the commoners. 

The writer is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the School of Business and Economics, North South University.