Epidemic:
Kids Hurting Animals

As mental-health and law-enforcement experts well know, cruelty to animals and violence against humans are inextricably linked. Many educators are aware that serial killers and school shooters—including alleged killers Salvador Ramos, Payton Gendron, Nikolas Cruz, and Ethan Crumbley—tend to have a history of cruelty to animals, and Sandy Hook Promise has cruelty to animals on its “10 Critical Warning Signs of Violence” list.

Forty-three percent of perpetrators of schoolyard massacres commit acts of cruelty to animals first. Educators can help prevent future tragedies by including kindness to animals in the curriculum. Amid the current epidemic of youth violence, PETA urges everyone to report every act of cruelty against animals and calls on authorities to take each animal abuse claim seriously—for the sake of the animal victims and to help prevent future harm. Lives may depend on it.

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South Carolina

State Laws

SECTION 59-17-135. (Amended) Character education.

“(B)  Each local school board of trustees of the State must develop a policy addressing character education. Any character education program implemented by a district as a result of an adopted policy must, to the extent possible, incorporate character traits including, but not limited to, the following: respect for authority and respect for others, honesty, self-control, cleanliness, courtesy, good manners, cooperation, citizenship, patriotism, courage, fairness, kindness, self-respect, compassion, diligence, good work ethics, sound educational habits, generosity, punctuality, cheerfulness, patience, sportsmanship, loyalty, and virtue.” (Source)

Reported Animal Abuse Cases

April 2024/Clarendon County, South Carolina

WYFF News 4 reported that two juveniles had allegedly been seen in a social media video spraying an opossum with an accelerant and lighting them on fire, punting the flaming animal several yards, and then stomping on the still-burning body. A photo of the corpse was also allegedly circulated on social media. Both individuals have reportedly been charged with felony III treatment of animals.

February 2023/Dorchester County, South Carolina

Live5News.com reported that two juveniles were filmed falling over with laughter after one of them slammed a homeless cat to the concrete ground.

January 2022/Clarendon County, South Carolina

FoxCarolina.com reported that a 19-year-old allegedly filmed himself shooting a dog several times after grabbing and throwing the animal in a hole. The 19-year-old was reportedly later arrested for Animal Cruelty by the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office.

October 2021/Kershaw County, South Carolina

GoodWordNews.com reported that a 16-year-old boy had allegedly shot and killed six pigs on a farm in Kershaw County.

September 2017/Dorchester County, South Carolina

JournalScene.com reported that multiple juveniles had been accused of repeatedly throwing an opossum into the air and beating the animal with a baseball bat inside their garage, an incident that was reportedly posted to Snapchat. The opossum later died from the injuries.

April 2017/Awendaw, South Carolina

Live5News.com reported that three juveniles, ages 12 and 13, had allegedly set fire to a dog, who was found dead. The kids were reportedly arrested and charged with ill treatment of animals.

February 2016/Rock Hill, South Carolina

MyFOX8.com reported that two teenagers—ages 14 and 17—had been arrested and charged with cruelty to animals after allegedly throwing a knife at a 6-week-old puppy and shooting him 18 times with a BB gun. The puppy was reportedly recovering after receiving veterinary care.

January 2014/Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

PostAndCourier.com reported that a high school student had been arrested and charged with cruelty to animals for abusing animals and posting videos of the incidents on social media sites. Some videos appeared to depict the teen luring a cat toward him and then throwing the animal into the air. The suspect was later found guilty of cruelty to animals.

August 2013/Cordova, South Carolina

DailyMail.co.uk reported that a teenager had been arrested and charged with cruelty to animals after posting a video to social media of himself kicking a kitten off his porch. The cat and other animals were removed from the suspect’s home.