Sadly, bestiality is still a part of today’s culture. Recently, Anthony Volgmann was convicted of bestiality and corrupting morals in a case that grabbed nationwide attention. Volgmann was an SPCA volunteer who operated as a dog walker, actually performed sexual acts with the animals under his care. The resident of Moncton, NB is currently facing two years probation.
Volgmann pled guilty to the charges, which included corrupting morals as images of his act became available to the public via the internet. The crime that Volgmann committed arguably would have gone undetected had he not published the photos on the internet which was discovered by a woman who had informed the police of what the photos contained.
Animal Abuse in General
The Volgmann case is arguably an extreme example of animal abuse that is not all that common, especially given the man’s age. Most animal abuse consists of beating or mistreating animals which is most common in teenagers. In fact, animal abuse and violence against humans is often linked with many serious crimes in which the perpetrator first showed his or her tendencies with animals.
In most cases, animal abuse involves neglect or a lack of concern about the animal’s condition. While the results can be devastating, the true nature of the abuse is often overlooked or misread by the abuser who either does not or chooses to not see the true nature of their crime. Whether you’re dealing with the smartest dog in the world or the dumbest, they are still an animal and subject to potential abuse.
Cases like Volgmann who extend their abuse to bestiality are far less frequent, but do exist and are generally much harder to identity. In Volgmann’s case, the photos proved to be the decisive evidence because his outward behavior towards dogs as seen in the public was one of a love and caring attitude.
Statistics on Animal Abuse
Exact statistics are unknown as there are there are many cases of animal abuse the go unreported. From what we do know, dogs are the most likely victims. Of the 1,880 cases of animal abuse reported in 2007 in the US, almost 65% involved dogs while only 18% involved cats with the remaining 25% of animals of all different types.
The abuse covered a wide range of issues from neglect to cruel treatment to bestiality and more heinous crimes. However, certain types of dogs were the most frequent likely to be abused, namely pit bulls and the underground system developed over the years of breeding these dogs to fight one another.
In the case with Volgmann, he is now banned from any interaction with dogs, including going to places where dogs frequent such as dog parks, shows and animal shelters. Plus, it was recommended that he not own any smartphones or computers unless they were part of his work and under supervision. The Volgmann case may be somewhat unique, but it has shed a light on animal abuse and the many different forms that it takes.
Photo Credit: marco monetti via photopin cc