I have witnessed a child being cruel to and/or abusing animals. Whats the best way to handle this situation?
In a perfect world, you would be able to intercept the abuse and speak with a receptive parent or adult guardian. In the real world, if you are lucky enough to know with whom to speak, be prepared for a dismissive reaction. Those in charge of raising the child may be unaware that treating an animal cruelly is indicative of bullying behavior and should be corrected. Because it is important to proceed with extreme tact in these situations, we recommend that you speak with a professional at your local shelter or animal rescue to find out how to broach such a conversation. Something else to keep in mind is that children’s behavior is often a natural extension of what they have learned from watching adults—or from being a victim of abuse themselves. The conduct of children quite often reflects what goes on in their homes. So you may encounter a deeply shocked, concerned parent—or you might find yourself face-to-face with the grown-up version of the disturbed child you are trying to help. If
