Support the Child and Animal Abuse Detection and Reporting Act

May 28

At Ohio Animal Advocates, we believe that protecting animals and protecting children go hand in hand. That’s why we are urging support for H.R. 712 – the Child and Animal Abuse Detection and Reporting Act—a bipartisan bill that seeks to improve how we track and respond to child abuse cases by including animal abuse as a critical data point.

Why This Bill Matters

Research has long shown a clear connection between animal cruelty and family violence. In homes where children are being abused or neglected, pets are often victims of the same violent behavior. Children not only suffer from direct abuse but are also deeply impacted by witnessing cruelty to animals—sometimes even being forced to participate.

Yet despite this link, current national child abuse data does not track animal abuse as a risk factor. That means vital warning signs are being missed.

What H.R. 712 Would Do

H.R. 712, introduced by Representatives Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Julia Brownley (D-CA), would amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) to ensure that animal abuse is included in the data collected by the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). This change would:

Help child welfare agencies identify high-risk households earlier,
Improve child protection screening and prevention programs,
And bring attention to cases of "polyvictimization," where children suffer from multiple types of trauma, including witnessing animal cruelty.

The Stakes Are High

Including animal abuse in child abuse data would give service providers and policymakers a more complete understanding of a child’s environment—allowing for earlier and more effective interventions. As one study warns, “Reports of animal abuse in child protection referrals may indicate more severe cases of child abuse.”

Better data means better protection—for children, families, and animals alike.