Sunday Mornings with Rania: Animal Cruelty

Rania Mankarious is executive director of Crime Stoppers of Houston. (Photo: lawellphoto.com)

Writer Rania Mankarious is executive director of Crime Stoppers of Houston. Rania shares her thoughts on timely, thought-provoking topics. Join the conversation in the comment section below.

I have to be honest, it was nowhere on my radar a few years ago.

As a mother of three, I secretly thought: Why are people spending time advocating against animal cruelty when there are hungry, abused and abandoned children? Everywhere I went there were activists and animal lovers asking the community to get involved. These individuals ranged from those I didn’t know to those I knew well and respected enormously. But why animals?

Curiosity led to conversations, questions and a deeper look. It didn’t take long for the answer to hit me like a ton of bricks.  Activists and animal lovers were actually 10 steps ahead. They had already recognized what others failed to see: Animal cruelty is inhumane, it is a gateway to a whole host of other criminal activity and it has no place in our society.

I came to see that the care of animals and children is not mutually exclusive. The system for abused and neglected children isn’t perfect but at least one is in place and the problem is universally recognized. But when it comes to abused and neglected animals, laws are still being written and argued, terms are still being defined and solutions are still being vetted. It follows then that the creation of a mechanism to stop animal cruelty requires more people lending their voices to find solutions. 

Co-chairs of the Fierce and Fabulous Soiree to benefit PetSet, Tena Lundquist Faust (at left) and Tama Lundquist honored Jan Duncan (middle). (Photo: PWL Studio)

Spend one day… no, scratch that… spend one hour with Houston PetSet co-founders Tena Lundquist Faust, Tama Lundquist, Crime Stoppers Program Manager, Sonia Soto or Houston’s Humane Society Sherry Ferguson and you’ll quickly understand. These women know the facts, they are in the trenches (literally), knee deep and working to find a solution. What I love most is that they are not just highlighting the problem, they are actively working to make sure animals get the treatment they need.

They are rescuing abandoned dogs, they are meeting with legislatures, they are working with law enforcement partners, they are taking steps to bring the community together. And it is no wonder that they are joined by ABC-13 Casey Curry and countless other Buzz residents like District Attorney Devon Anderson, Paula Mott, Judy Nichols, Deborah Duncan and leagues of others.

These people are not just activists and animal lovers; they are what I call “big picture humanitarians.” I’m proud to call them friends and colleagues.

Here’s what we want you to know:

• There is a strong link between animal cruelty and domestic violence: 71 to 83 percent of women entering domestic violence shelters reported that their partners abused or killed the family pet.
• There is a strong link between animal cruelty and child abuse: Pet abuse was found concurrent in 88 percent of the families under supervision for the physical abuse of their children
• According to the Houston SPCA, there were over 9,000 animal cruelty cases in 2014 alone.
• Additionally, there is an estimated 1 million homeless animals on Houston’s street.
• Adopt, don't shop!

Legalese: 

• The FBI recently announced that it was moving “animal cruelty” from the category of “other” to a Class-A felony, thereby placing it in the same bucket as other major crimes like assault, homicide and arson. Read more.
• All 50 states now have felony animal cruelty provisions. 
• In Texas, animal abandonment is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $4,000 (Texas Penal Code, Sec 42.09 Animal Cruelty).
• Children 10 years of age and older can be charged with animal cruelty for brutality against animals.

Applause please for our men and women in blue:

Buzz communities are working hard to push the issue of animal cruelty forward. Crime Stoppers of Houston worked with Tena Lundquist Faust and Tama Lundquist as well as with our incredible law enforcement partners at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, to launch an animal cruelty “fugitive sweep.” The results? Drum roll please!

• 11 Felony warrant arrests, 11 Felony warrants cleared 
• 25 Misdemeanor warrant arrests, 37 Misdemeanor warrants cleared
• 1 new Misdemeanor charge filed

Here’s what you can do:

• Learn to spot animal cruelty.
• Report suspected animal cruelty to your local law enforcement agency, Crime Stoppers (713-222-TIPS), or the Houston Humane Society or the SPCA.
• Spay and neuter your pets, vaccinate them annually, and microchip your animal.
• Take care of your pets; provide proper shelter for them and bring them inside during bad weather. Ensure your animal has a name tag with a current phone number.
• Help raise a younger generation that sees the treatment of animals the way it sees the treatment of people.
• Train your pet, especially around children.

I’m proud of the progress I have personally made on this issue and the commitment I’m making to stand behind the incredible men and women leading this charge. I invite you to share your stories, your thoughts and ideas. Together, we can make Houston the best place for children and animals – hopefully this is a humanitarian goal that everyone can wrap their arms and hearts around!

See more resources and information on animal cruelty and read more Sundays with Rania posts. 

Editor's Note: Views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Buzz Magazines.